eBay/Amazon etc.... Money Laundering
As noted in another thread several weeks ago federal government has forced PayPal to make all USA based consumer accounts become "verified" if they are used to hold money and make payments.
Later update from feds now requires all PP accounts to be linked to a bank account. Am going with any other such service must do the same.
From what one understands this was done due to concerns regarding money laundering.
Previously long as one remained below certain limits (if there were any on individual accounts), one could send and receive money from anyone in the world. That alone opens up a world of possibilities. In theory one could be engaging in all sorts of illegal or illicit activities ranging from being on the game to selling drugs and have funds sent/received via PayPal.
The other of course we all know; persons steal from shops, persons or whatever and fence the merchandise on eBay or any place else. This gives them a wider audience than trying to move things locally.
Because until now long as one left those funds sitting in PP account no sort of verification was required. So money from various illegal/illicit activities could then be transferred, used to make payments, spent on goods or services for various seemingly legitimate purposes.
PayPal has grown to become very widely accepted nowadays. This offers a wealth of places to move "ill gotten" money.