Blocking someone on PayPal stops them from sending you money requests and viewing your profile

When you block a contact on PayPal, that person can no longer send you payment requests, see your profile picture or display name, or find your account through search. They cannot undo the block themselves — only you can remove it later if you change your mind. Blocking does not cancel any money you already owe them or refund payments you already sent; it only stops future contact through the app.

You can block someone whether they are a PayPal user or not. The block takes effect when ready and applies across PayPal's website and mobile app. If the person tries to send you a request after you block them, they will see an error message instead of your account.

Key Takeaways

  • Blocking prevents someone from sending you payment requests and viewing your PayPal profile, but does not affect past transactions.
  • You can block a contact from your PayPal contact list or from a specific payment request they sent you.
  • The block is when ready and works on both the PayPal website and mobile app.
  • You can unblock someone at any time by going to your blocked contacts list and removing their name.

How to block someone from your PayPal contact list

Open PayPal on your phone or computer and sign in. On the mobile app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, then tap Contacts. On the website, hover over your name in the top right corner and select Contacts from the dropdown menu.

Find the person you want to block in your contact list. Tap or click on their name to open their profile. On the mobile app, tap the three dots in the top right corner of their profile and select Block Contact. On the website, click the three dots next to their name and choose Block. A confirmation message will appear — tap or click Block again to confirm.

How to block someone who sent you a payment request

If someone has already sent you a payment request that you want to refuse, you can block them directly from that request. Open the request in your PayPal app or on the website. On the mobile app, tap the three dots at the top right of the request screen. On the website, look for the three dots or menu icon near the request details.

Select Block Contact or Block from the menu. PayPal will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, the person is blocked and cannot send you another request. The original request will remain in your history, but they will not be able to resend it.

What happens when you block someone

After you block someone, they cannot see your PayPal profile when they search for you or look through their contacts. If they try to send you a money request, they will receive an error message saying the request could not be sent. They will not receive a notification that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if their requests start failing.

Blocking does not affect transactions that already happened. If you owe them money or they owe you money from a past payment, that debt remains. Blocking only stops new requests and profile visibility going forward. If you want to settle an old debt, you will need to do that before or after the block — the block itself does not clear it.

How to unblock someone on PayPal

If you change your mind about blocking someone, you can remove the block at any time. On the mobile app, go to Menu > Contacts, then scroll down and tap Blocked Contacts. On the website, go to Contacts and look for a Blocked tab or section.

Find the person you want to unblock and tap or click on their name. Select Unblock Contact or Unblock from the menu. Confirm the action. Once unblocked, they can send you requests and see your profile again as if the block never happened.

When blocking is not enough

Blocking stops someone from contacting you through PayPal, but it does not stop them from contacting you by phone, email, or text. If someone is harassing you outside of PayPal, you may need to block them on those platforms too or contact local authorities.

If someone is using PayPal to commit fraud or scam you, blocking them is a first step, but you should also report them to PayPal. On the mobile app, go to Menu > Settings > Help > Contact Us. On the website, click the Help icon and search for "report a problem" or "report fraud." PayPal investigates reports and may take action against the account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I blocked them on PayPal?

PayPal does not send a notification when you block someone, so they will not know for certain unless they try to send you a request and see an error. They might suspect it if their requests consistently fail, but PayPal does not tell them the reason why.

If I block someone, can they still see payments I made to them in the past?

No. Once you block someone, they cannot see your profile or any information about you, including past transactions. However, if they were the one who sent you money, they may still see that transaction in their own history.

What if I block someone by mistake?

You can unblock them when ready by going to your blocked contacts list and selecting unblock. There is no waiting period or penalty for unblocking someone. Once unblocked, they can send you requests and see your profile again.

Does blocking someone on PayPal block them on Venmo or other payment apps?

No. PayPal, Venmo, and other payment apps are separate services with separate contact lists and blocking systems. You must block someone on each app individually if you want to block them everywhere.