How to cancel a PayPal payment if the receiver has not yet claimed it

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You can cancel a PayPal payment if the person on the other end hasn't claimed it yet.

• You can cancel a PayPal payment if the receiver of the money has not yet claimed it, and the process of stopping these payments is easy.
• Many forms of PayPal payments are processed immediately and cannot be cancelled, requiring you to request a refund to recoup your money.
• PayPal will automatically cancel any payment you make that goes unclaimed for 30 days, returning the money to your account.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

So you just sent a PayPal payment but realized the amount was wrong? Or you suddenly decided that any amount was wrong and you no longer wish to send that given party any money? You can cancel certain types of PayPal payments easily.

On the other hand, some PayPal payments can't be cancelled and your only recourse would be to ask for a refund or to dispute the charge with the company itself, if that's warranted.

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Assuming you have sent a payment that requires the receiver to actively claim it, you may be able to cancel that payment and keep your cash.

How to cancel a PayPal payment

1. Log into your PayPal account and click on the tab "Activity" at the top of the screen.

Steven John/Business Insider

Not all PayPal payments can be cancelled. Those made to confirmed email addresses, for example, may transfer to the recipient immediately.

2. Scroll down to locate the payment you want to cancel.

3. Click the word "Cancel."

4. Click the "Cancel Payment" button to confirm.

Steven John/Business Insider

Money may take several days to reappear in your account after a cancellation.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• You can use most credit cards on PayPal - here's how to add a card and link it with your account to make purchases

• How to transfer money from PayPal to your bank account for free, in 2 different ways

• How to set up and use Apple Pay on an iPhone

• How to change your PayPal password to keep your account secure, or reset the password if you've forgotten it