Sheryl Gabrielle appeals for help over Ksh25,000 held in PayPal account
Content creator Sheryl Gabriella has raised concerns after her PayPal account was permanently limited, leaving about US$190.90 (Ksh25,000) frozen and inaccessible.
In a statement shared via her Instagram stories on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, she reached out to her followers asking for help on how to recover the funds, clearly frustrated by the sudden restriction.
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“Anyone who is sure anaweza toa hii doo?” she wrote.
According to Sheryl, the platform flagged and permanently restricted her account after what appears to be a review process that she says came without warning or clear explanation.
“We are permanently limiting your account. You can no longer use PayPal as we have decided to permanently limit your account after a review,” the message from PayPal that she shared with her followers read.
PayPal freezes Kenyan accounts
This comes after PayPal froze funds and permanently closed several accounts belonging to Kenyan users, sparking frustration among freelancers, creatives and small businesses who depend on the platform for international payments.
The company is now requiring stricter verification for users receiving money from abroad, including work contracts, bank statements and proof of a physical address. Those who fail to meet these requirements face restrictions on sending or withdrawing funds for at least six months, while non-compliant accounts risk permanent closure, with balances held for up to 180 days to cover potential chargebacks.
Many users say the biggest challenge is proving a formal physical address, a system that is often unclear or inconsistent in parts of Kenya where locations are commonly identified using landmarks rather than structured street addresses. Some affected users report losing access to funds even after submitting valid identification and contracts, with accounts later flagged for suspicious activity.
PayPal says the tighter controls are part of global efforts to prevent fraud and money laundering. The move also comes as Kenya remains on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, which increases scrutiny on financial transactions linked to the country.
PayPal, like many global payment platforms, regularly flags accounts under its strict compliance systems that are designed to prevent fraud, money laundering, and other suspicious transactions. In some cases, users are asked to verify additional details, while in others, accounts may be restricted permanently if the system detects what it considers high-risk activity.
