Duplicate PayPal charges are common during busy shopping weeks. Here is the order I would work through.

1. Check it is really two payments

  • A "pending" or authorization entry next to a completed one is often a temporary hold that drops off on its own.
  • PayPal and your bank can show the same payment twice: once in PayPal and once on the card or account that funded it. Match amounts and dates.
  • Two completed payments with two transaction IDs to the same seller is a real duplicate.

2. Ask the seller first

Send both transaction IDs, say which one to refund, and give a short deadline. A seller can refund a PayPal payment in a few clicks.

3. Open a PayPal dispute

In the Resolution Center, pick the duplicate transaction and report a problem. You have 180 days from the payment date. Attach both transaction IDs and your message to the seller. If it is not settled, escalate it to a claim so PayPal decides.

4. Or go through your card

If a credit card funded the payment, a duplicate charge is a billing error. Under the US Fair Credit Billing Act you write to the card issuer within 60 days of the statement. Do not run a PayPal dispute and a card dispute for the same charge at the same time.

General guidance, not legal advice. PayPal and your card issuer make the final decision.

Disclosure: I built disputekits.com, which has this checklist and a free tool that writes the card dispute letter.