PAYPAL PERSONA NON GRATA

In recent days, PayPal has lost tens of thousands of accounts because there are folks out there – us included – that are getting tired of them barring websites like WikiLeaks from using its services while white supremacist groups are allowed to just rake in the dollars. Anonymous is leading that charge against them, and we will provide them the forum to explain why. We encourage everyone to cancel their PayPal accounts and use alternative ways to handle financial affairs. PayPal hasn’t been around that long. We have lived without it before. We can again.

Anonymous

Incensed over the July 20 arrests of fourteen of its comrades, the Anonymous-affiliated groups of Antisec and Lulzsec commenced a new operation aimed at PayPal. The dryly named “Operation PayPal” aims to have as many people as possible close out their Twitter accounts.

Anonymous had previously targeted PayPal in early December as retribution for shutting off payment to Wikileaks, despite continuing to serve racist terrorist organizations like the KKK and English Defense League. PayPal contacted the FBI, and in January the FBI raided the homes of 40 participants, leading to the recent arrests.

This most recent strike against PayPal had the early goal of convincing 9,000 users per month to close their accounts by the end of the week; by the end of the 27th, Anonymous claimed over 35,000 accounts closed, one billion dollars in lost share revenue and a net stock loss of 3.08%.

Anonymous has issued the following press release:

Dear PayPal, its customers, and our friends around the globe,

This is an official communiqué from Anonymous and Lulz Security in the name of AntiSec.

In recent weeks, we’ve found ourselves outraged at the FBI’s willingness to arrest and threaten those who are involved in ethical, modern cyber operations. Law enforcement continues to push its ridiculous rules upon us – Anonymous “suspects” may face a fine of up to 500,000 USD with the addition of 15 years’ jailtime, all for taking part in a historical activist movement. Many of the already-apprehended Anons are being charged with taking part in DDoS attacks against corrupt and greedy organizations, such as PayPal.

What the FBI needs to learn is that there is a vast difference between adding one’s voice to a chorus and digital sit-in with Low Orbit Ion Cannon, and controlling a large botnet of infected computers. And yet both of these are punishable with exactly the same fine and sentence.

In addition to this horrific law enforcement incompetence, PayPal continues to withhold funds from WikiLeaks, a beacon of truth in these dark times. By simply standing up for ourselves and uniting the people, PayPal still sees it fit to wash its hands of any blame, and instead encourages and assists law enforcement to hunt down participants in the AntiSec movement.

Quite simply, we, the people, are disgusted with these injustices. We will not sit down and let ourselves be trampled upon by any corporation or government. We are not scared of you, and that is something for you to be scared of. We are not the terrorists here: you are.

We encourage anyone using PayPal to immediately close their accounts and consider an alternative. The first step to being truly free is not putting one’s trust into a company that freezes accounts when it feels like, or when it is pressured by the U.S. government. PayPal’s willingness to fold to legislation should be proof enough that they don’t deserve the customers they get. They do not deserve your business, and they do not deserve your respect.

Join us in our latest operation against PayPal – tweet pictures of your account closure, tell us on IRC, spread the word. Anonymous has become a powerful channel of information, and unlike the governments of the world, we are here to fight for you. Always.

Signed, your allies,

Lulz Security (unvanned)
Anonymous (unknown)
AntiSec (untouchable)