Complaint Review: GPal.net - Springfield Missouri

We find it comical that someone who is "not defending" GPal would have the nerve to post that keeping someone's money for over two months is not "withholding".  Regardless of what GPal's personal problems are, which are just that, GPal's problems and not ours, they are in violation of the written contract of depositing monies owed within the advertised 2-7 business days.  Anything short of that is withholding, regardless of the reason, which is why breach of contract includes the verbiage that someone is in breach of contract even if they are unable to meet the requirements of the contract.  Additionally, the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office seems to agree that something is amiss, which is why they are actively investigating the matter.

While certainly not defending Gpal, I would like to offer some more tempered information. Let me start by saying I do not work for Gpal. I am simply a (former) customer like you who got screwed over financially by Gpals current withdrawal problems.

Gpal is not withholding money, stealing money, or doing anything illegal with your money. It is however being very slow to process withdrawals for reasons not entirely of their own making.

As far as I can tell from conversations with Gpal support, in May or June of this year the bank for which Gpals software was specifically designed to work with started having problems with the ACH withdrawal process. When Gpal contacted the bank, they told Gpal everything was fine and on track. Only it wasnt.  So Gpal switched banks and cut checks for everyone who was missing money.

Now comes the current problem. Gpals software was designed to work with that specific bank. Not the new bank. So every withdrawal has to be manually processed by a Gpal employee rather than it being something that is automatic. Too many customers, not enough employees, and not enough hours in the day results in very slow processing time on withdrawals. My personal experience resulted in an average of a 21 day withdrawal.

While Gpal means well, there real error in judgment here is in not adequately explaining the problem and timeline for a solution. People made plans based on misinformation, and found themselves in much deeper financial trouble than the otherwise would have if Gpal had explained the situation more clearly. Instead they trusted the It will be fixed very soon response from Gpals support staff and got into real financial trouble.

All of the above is of course based on what I have been told by Gpal themselves. It could be complete B.S. However, as a web developer myself, I trust and believe that explanation of the problem because it makes sense from a programming perspective. What doesnt make sense is why it has not been fixed already, why they are not adequately explaining the problem to their customers, and why they are still taking on new customers when they cannot service the customers they already have? Gpal means well, but they find themselves in a very difficult place. Instead of biting the bullet, and stopping the addition of new customers and new transactions or explaining to their customers the details of their withdrawal issues they are continuing as if it is business as usual. That only adds more fuel to the fire.

My point is, while I would hold off on continuing to do process transactions with them I would not be overly stressed that you have been completely ripped off. By the time you hire a lawyer Gpal will have already gotten you your money. They are just going to take a very long time to do it. At least until withdrawals become an automated process again.

I know that doesnt make it any more pleasant. When the amount they owed me was at its peak I was extremely upset. I just wanted to pass on what I learned while experiencing the same issues as it might help you get through yours with your hairline intact.