A lot of the credit laws that went in to effect recently to supposedly correct credit companies from floating money or charging too much created a lot of these issues. A lot of times in can depend entirely on the Federal Reserve branch the transaction is being cleared through. If a branch is experiencing what they deem excessive potential laundering of money through electronic transfers, everything slows down until it's all accounted for. And since PP is not strictly a banking/credit company a lot of their transactions can be flagged as a result. This can also be affected on a global scale if certain transactions have been going through the system that the NSA feels should have been getting closer scrutiny. That means everything comes to a halt. And if for some reason your account has been flagged as a part of being in a "region of concern" you're screwed. The log in problem may likely be PP's issue but the fact money is being held up is more than likely little to do with them. Or if some of those transfers happen to go through banks which been flagged without your knowledge as being weak according to the Fed's guidelines, potential terrorist or drug money facilitator according to either the Fed or the NSA, you're screwed.
As I understand it every time you make a payment or receive a payment from PP it goes on hold at your bank, the request for transfer has to be cleared through the banking system as a valid transaction, both parties have to be cleared as not potential money and/or a criminal transaction, you are not on a watch list for potential illegal activities, then the transfer can be cleared. PP can complete the transaction. Any holds can be released and whoever has been holding the money, not necessarily PP but it may be the credit/debit company involved, will release the money for transfer. The reason I know all this is because I work for a company that can do transfers, make money orders, etc. that are directly overseen by any and all credit/debit laws, Patriot Act procedures and NSA requirements. All of these apply to any company that can make money orders, handle credit/debit transactions, etc. So even the corner convenience store will have to follow all these laws just to be allowed to open their doors. Anyone who uses PP is subject to all those laws as well and more than likely is unaware of it. As a customer you may not realize it but it overshadows everything you do as one of them.
Yes PP makes money by floating money on transactions within the required limits of the law. At current that law gives not just them but any company that handles credit/debit transactions those same limits. It's why the money may be taken out immediately but not be returned for several days. Companies who take the maximum amount of time are trying to optimize the time they can claim interest on that floating money. The ones who try to minimize that time are trying to gain good vibes with their customers at the expense of that interest money. It's one of the reasons why I use a credit union instead of a bank. Banks are built to maximize profit from interest and in general delaying transactions in order to gain that last penny. MOST credit unions try to maximize customer satisfaction. Any credit card company attempts to maximize the float time to maximize interest as well as charge as much as possible the companies that use their services. VISA is the worst and why they come under so much fire in Congress.
You probably didn't want to know all this but I thought it might help to clarify at least some of the confusion behind the many delays in the transfers.
P.S. I thought I should add that the IRS & Secret Service may be watching some of this if one of these places has been identified as handling laundered money or an outlet for fake bills.
