payment identity-theft irs
Is it legal to sign up for EBay/PayPal account in fictitious name?
<p>Is it legal to sign up for a PayPal/EBay account under a random, fictitious name? I'm not talking about stealing someone's identity or attempting to circumvent paying taxes.</p>

<p>I just want to create multiple accounts to increase my reach.</p>

<p>It would appear not legal to sign up for a PayPal account while not using your real name, reading the TOS at <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/ua/acceptableuse-full" rel="nofollow noreferrer">PayPal</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Prohibited Activities</strong></p>
  
  <p>You may not use the PayPal service for activities that:</p>

<pre><code>1. violate any law, statute, ordinance or regulation.
</code></pre>
</blockquote>

<p>Signing up for a banking service using a fake name is fraud just about anywhere.</p>

<p>If you did sign up under a fake name, how will you verify banking information with PayPal to be able to transfer funds? Verification requires a bank account in that fake name, and/or documents with that fake name. Forging documents is not legal.</p>

<p>Google will show you forum threads where people give advice and step-by-step instructions to sign up for PayPal accounts with fake names and to verify bank accounts, but that doesn't make them legal.</p>

<p>You can sign up for PayPal using the name of an LLC or a DBA (doing business as), but those are not fake names; they are legal entities. This may be a solution to using multiple accounts in a business and marketing sense.</p>
