What Is PAYPAL or PP* on My Bank Statement?
A PAYPAL or PP* entry is a payment processed through PayPal. PayPal is the middleman, so its name appears on your statement — often with the merchant's name after it, though sometimes that's shortened or missing entirely.
At a glance
- What it is
- A payment made via PayPal
- Merchant name
- Usually follows the prefix
- Why it's confusing
- PayPal shows, not the shop
- Check it
- PayPal Activity
Why you can't tell who charged you
Your bank sees PayPal, not the shop. Depending on how the payment was taken you might see PAYPAL *SHOPNAME, PP*SHOPNAME, or just PAYPAL. Recurring payments and older billing agreements are the most likely to appear with no useful detail.
How to find the real merchant
Log in to PayPal and open Activity. Every payment is listed with the merchant, date and amount — match it on amount and date and you'll have your answer in seconds.
While you're there, check Settings → Payments → Automatic Payments. Old subscriptions and billing agreements often live on here long after you've forgotten them, and this is where you cancel them.
What if you don't recognise it?
Don't panic, but don't ignore it either. Work through this order:
- Check who else uses the card — a partner, or a child on a family account, is the most common explanation.
- Look for a matching subscription or order in the relevant app or account.
- Search the exact descriptor as it appears, including any * or reference number.
- Still unexplained? Contact your bank straight away. Report it as an unrecognised transaction — under UK rules you're generally protected against unauthorised payments, and your bank can freeze the card and investigate.
Never phone a number that appears in the transaction itself, and never share a one-time passcode with anyone who calls you — including someone claiming to be your bank.
Frequently asked questions
Why does PayPal show on my statement instead of the shop?
Because PayPal processes the payment on the merchant's behalf, so your bank records PayPal as the payee. The merchant's name is often appended, but not always.
How do I stop a recurring PayPal payment?
In PayPal, go to Settings → Payments → Automatic Payments, select the merchant and cancel it. Cancelling there stops future payments being taken.
Still stuck? Start with our guide to what that charge on your bank statement is.
More statement entries explained: TFL TRAVEL CH · APPLE.COM/BILL · GOOGLE *TEMPORARY HOLD · AMZNMktplace / AMZ* · Klarna · SQ * (Square) · CHG · FPI / FPO · CR / DR
General information only. If you don't recognise a payment, contact your bank — they can investigate and, where a payment was unauthorised, refund it.
