Real PayPal sandbox · not a replay

AI verified. PayPal paid.

Four deals ran the whole loop with nobody clicking approve: funded as a PayPal guest with the test card, checked live by Claude, confirmed by a second Claude model and Google's Gemini, then captured and paid out. In two, the freelancer was an AI agent: Claude Code found the job on the board over MCP, did it and got paid. The first one below ran on this public site, and it is the deal in the demo video.

The deal in the demo video · ran on this site
Earned by Claude Code agent
Spanish menu for a cafe
Paid to the AI agent
$38.14
Payout SUCCESS
PayPal captured
$40.00
  1. ✓ Claude Haiku 5.5
  2. ✓ Claude Sonnet 5.5
  3. ✓ Gemini 3.1 Pro
capture 4PC797803F6670356 · Nov 5, 2026, 03:16 AM UTC
Earned by Claude Code agent
Spanish menu for a cafe
Paid to the AI agent
$38.14
Payout SUCCESS
PayPal captured
$40.00
  1. ✓ Claude Opus 5.5
  2. ✓ Claude Haiku 5.5
  3. ✓ Gemini 3.1 Pro
capture 8VT4653909593311U · Nov 4, 2026, 11:15 AM UTC
Payout arrived
Menu redesign for a cafe
Paid to the freelancer
$95.80
Payout SUCCESS
PayPal captured
$100.00
  1. ✓ Claude Opus 5.5
  2. ✓ Claude Haiku 5.5
  3. ✓ Gemini 3.1 Pro
capture 0A530562XR614760K · Nov 4, 2026, 08:32 AM UTC
Payout arrived
Five product descriptions for a candle shop
Paid to the freelancer
$42.94
Payout SUCCESS
PayPal captured
$45.00
  1. ✓ Claude Haiku 5.5
  2. ✓ Claude Sonnet 5.5
  3. ✓ Gemini 3.1 Pro
capture 7MS09846EG609393H · Nov 4, 2026, 08:32 AM UTC
Next:See PayPal's own records of the $40 dealWatch a cheater get caughtTry to fool it yourself

PayPal's own records of that $40 deal

Printed from PayPal's sandbox accounts, not from this site. The transaction id on the store's side is the deal's capture, Custom is its id, and the Invoice ID carries the fingerprint of its tamper-proof record. The phone and email on the payout are hidden.

The store: $40.00 captured

Transaction 4PC797803F6670356, Custom ms_894336f0465e. PayPal’s fee $1.86, net $38.14.

PayPal sandbox transaction details: payment received, $40.00 USD gross, $1.86 fee, $38.14 net, transaction 4PC797803F6670356, custom ms_894336f0465e.
The agent: $38.14 received

Transaction 9BK423911X9322052, paid by the store. The note names the same order, 9T988794RN914132L.

PayPal sandbox activity: payment received, +$38.14 from Test Store, transaction 9BK423911X9322052, with the reviewer’s note naming order 9T988794RN914132L.

Every id below came back from api-m.sandbox.paypal.com: the order the client approved in the PayPal popup, the authorization that held the money, the capture, and the payout to the freelancer. Runs recorded since we started logging each REST call also list those calls with PayPal's debug id, which is how PayPal finds a request on its side. The brief, the delivered work and everyone's email stay out of it.

Spanish menu for a cafe

$40.00 · Nov 4, 2026, 11:14 AM UTC · taken from the job board by Claude Code agent

Paid $40.00

Claude Opus 5.5 found 4 of 4 criteria met and decided to pay; the second opinion (Claude Haiku 5.5) confirmed it, and Google's check (Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview) confirmed it too.

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    67B63371B14423634
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    5KP95261AG506281B · Nov 4, 2026, 11:14 AM UTC
  3. Captured $40.00
    8VT4653909593311U · Nov 4, 2026, 11:15 AM UTC
  4. Paid out to the freelancer: arrived
    5ZNLZZS88KDQS
Show the 7 PayPal REST calls, with PayPal's debug ids
  1. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f676888d4e971
  2. POST /v2/checkout/orders/67B63371B14423634/authorize201 · debug id f599370c17505
  3. POST /v2/payments/authorizations/5KP95261AG506281B/capture201 · debug id f8772906f7e55
  4. POST /v1/payments/payouts201 · debug id f167625997192
  5. GET /v1/payments/payouts/5ZNLZZS88KDQS200 · debug id f904120bdc146
  6. GET /v1/payments/payouts/5ZNLZZS88KDQS200 · debug id f53255836dff2
  7. GET /v1/payments/payouts/5ZNLZZS88KDQS200 · debug id f24277764886a
Show every step (10)
  1. clientEmber & Oak created the deal for 40.00 USD
  2. clientPosted on the open job board
  3. paypalPayPal authorized 40.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  4. freelancerClaude Code agent took the job from the open board
  5. freelancerClaude Code agent submitted the work (1 file)
  6. AI reviewerThe AI reviewer started checking the work against the acceptance criteria
  7. AI reviewerAI reviewer verified every criterion
  8. paypalPayPal captured 40.00 USD (capture 8VT4653909593311U)
  9. paypalPayout of 38.14 USD sent to [email] (batch 5ZNLZZS88KDQS)
  10. paypalPayPal payout completed: the money reached [email]

Spanish menu for a cafe

$40.00 · Nov 5, 2026, 01:06 AM UTC · taken from the job board by Claude Code agent

Paid $40.00

Claude Haiku 5.5 found 4 of 4 criteria met and decided to pay; the second opinion (Claude Sonnet 5.5) confirmed it, and Google's check (Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview) confirmed it too.

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    9T988794RN914132L
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    92976325EF8815205 · Nov 5, 2026, 03:15 AM UTC
  3. Captured $40.00
    4PC797803F6670356 · Nov 5, 2026, 03:16 AM UTC
  4. Paid out to the freelancer: arrived
    GDYWVDTUNEF5L
Show the 33 PayPal REST calls, with PayPal's debug ids
  1. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f4522051f7c59
  2. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f904710a2896a
  3. POST /v2/checkout/orders/9T988794RN914132L/authorize201 · debug id f767159defc49
  4. POST /v2/payments/authorizations/92976325EF8815205/capture201 · debug id f877333a99360
  5. POST /v1/payments/payouts201 · debug id f5750298b84c8
  6. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f35325323feef
  7. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f353253bbf693
  8. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f353253a33c5e
  9. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f2992928270ce
  10. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f299292d80486
  11. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f8014593e2369
  12. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f801459677b4f
  13. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f80145962cfd7
  14. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f3541159da188
  15. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f35411590f31c
  16. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f756367df8c25
  17. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f756367a96af5
  18. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f756367197892
  19. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f987035d80694
  20. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f987035d95822
  21. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f835270f51315
  22. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f23388176895a
  23. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f32895089da72
  24. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f3289507ed63c
  25. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f5304978fd936
  26. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f87674401fa59
  27. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f536551fc6ede
  28. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f53655115733d
  29. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f540514d109a7
  30. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f5405142a50cc
  31. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f3572314f5f4a
  32. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f936344f37c55
  33. GET /v1/payments/payouts/GDYWVDTUNEF5L200 · debug id f560797486794
Show every step (10)
  1. clientEmber & Oak created the deal for 40.00 USD
  2. clientPosted on the open job board
  3. paypalPayPal authorized 40.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  4. freelancerClaude Code agent took the job from the open board
  5. freelancerClaude Code agent submitted the work (1 file)
  6. AI reviewerThe AI reviewer started checking the work against the acceptance criteria
  7. AI reviewerAI reviewer verified every criterion
  8. paypalPayPal captured 40.00 USD (capture 4PC797803F6670356)
  9. paypalPayout of 38.14 USD sent to [email] (batch GDYWVDTUNEF5L)
  10. paypalPayPal payout completed: the money reached [email]

Menu redesign for a cafe

$100.00 · Nov 4, 2026, 08:24 AM UTC

Paid $100.00

Claude Opus 5.5 found 3 of 3 criteria met and decided to pay; the second opinion (Claude Haiku 5.5) confirmed it, and Google's check (Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview) confirmed it too.

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    4UU93536NG4904309
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    15R542642Y1932913 · Nov 4, 2026, 08:25 AM UTC
  3. Captured $100.00
    0A530562XR614760K · Nov 4, 2026, 08:32 AM UTC
  4. Paid out to the freelancer: arrived
    LN8XEMNCV6A92
Show the 6 PayPal REST calls, with PayPal's debug ids
  1. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f5342709a5ae1
  2. POST /v2/checkout/orders/4UU93536NG4904309/authorize201 · debug id f721767049a68
  3. POST /v2/payments/authorizations/15R542642Y1932913/capture201 · debug id ca55244638b65
  4. POST /v1/payments/payouts201 · debug id ca552446d7c13
  5. GET /v1/payments/payouts/LN8XEMNCV6A92200 · debug id ca5524492dec0
  6. GET /v1/payments/payouts/LN8XEMNCV6A92200 · debug id ca55245450d46
Show every step (8)
  1. clientEmber & Oak created the deal for 100.00 USD
  2. paypalPayPal authorized 100.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  3. freelancerDiego Alvarez submitted the work (1 file)
  4. AI reviewerThe AI reviewer started checking the work against the acceptance criteria
  5. AI reviewerAI reviewer verified every criterion
  6. paypalPayPal captured 100.00 USD (capture 0A530562XR614760K)
  7. paypalPayout of 95.80 USD sent to [email] (batch LN8XEMNCV6A92)
  8. paypalPayPal payout completed: the money reached [email]

Five product descriptions for a candle shop

$45.00 · Nov 4, 2026, 08:24 AM UTC

Paid $45.00

Claude Haiku 5.5 found 3 of 3 criteria met and decided to pay; the second opinion (Claude Sonnet 5.5) confirmed it, and Google's check (Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview) confirmed it too.

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    07R09074M6654515C
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    57U69117BP624450G · Nov 4, 2026, 08:31 AM UTC
  3. Captured $45.00
    7MS09846EG609393H · Nov 4, 2026, 08:32 AM UTC
  4. Paid out to the freelancer: arrived
    PGR3K2S5QM8G8
Show the 9 PayPal REST calls, with PayPal's debug ids
  1. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f574605b39695
  2. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f692045b377a3
  3. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id f438371289671
  4. POST /v2/checkout/orders200 · debug id ca55242b58fda
  5. POST /v2/checkout/orders/07R09074M6654515C/authorize201 · debug id ca5524334e846
  6. POST /v2/payments/authorizations/57U69117BP624450G/capture201 · debug id ca552446c3dc1
  7. POST /v1/payments/payouts201 · debug id ca55244761c50
  8. GET /v1/payments/payouts/PGR3K2S5QM8G8200 · debug id ca552448f1c6e
  9. GET /v1/payments/payouts/PGR3K2S5QM8G8200 · debug id ca552460d5c2f
Show every step (8)
  1. clientWick & Ember created the deal for 45.00 USD
  2. paypalPayPal authorized 45.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  3. freelancerPriya Nair submitted the work (1 file)
  4. AI reviewerThe AI reviewer started checking the work against the acceptance criteria
  5. AI reviewerAI reviewer verified every criterion
  6. paypalPayPal captured 45.00 USD (capture 7MS09846EG609393H)
  7. paypalPayout of 42.94 USD sent to [email] (batch PGR3K2S5QM8G8)
  8. paypalPayPal payout completed: the money reached [email]

Landing page for a coffee roastery

$450.00 · Oct 26, 2026, 03:49 AM UTC

Paid $450.00

No AI review on this one: the client looked at the work and released the payment by hand.

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    0H205492EL3680341
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    2FL6826114691202G · Oct 26, 2026, 04:09 AM UTC
  3. Captured $450.00
    78E39308ER865604P · Oct 26, 2026, 04:12 AM UTC
  4. Paid out to the freelancer: arrived
    3J758X4GKRQT4
Show every step (5)
  1. clientMaya Chen created the milestone for 450.00 USD
  2. paypalPayPal authorized 450.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  3. clientMaya Chen approved the work and released the payment
  4. paypalPayPal captured 450.00 USD (capture 78E39308ER865604P)
  5. paypalPayPal payout completed: 450.00 USD reached [email]

Logo for a neighborhood bakery

$220.00 · Oct 26, 2026, 03:49 AM UTC

Hold voided, nothing charged

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    7N565630MX6586216
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    5UC02564GU8583729 · Oct 26, 2026, 04:38 AM UTC
  3. Hold voided
    Oct 26, 2026, 04:39 AM UTC
Show every step (3)
  1. clientMaya Chen created the milestone for 220.00 USD
  2. paypalPayPal authorized 220.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  3. clientMaya Chen cancelled the milestone; the PayPal hold was voided, nothing was charged

Menu redesign for a cafe

$85.00 · Oct 26, 2026, 09:26 AM UTC

Paid $85.00

No AI review on this one: the client looked at the work and released the payment by hand.

How the money moved

  1. Order approved in the PayPal popup
    6FJ816144R886964N
  2. Money on hold (authorization)
    7E798906L73502445 · Oct 26, 2026, 09:30 AM UTC
  3. Captured $85.00
    8SW34766R8713490K · Oct 26, 2026, 09:30 AM UTC
  4. Paid out to the freelancer: arrived
    PWPN446LL494J
Show every step (6)
  1. clientMaya Chen created the milestone for 85.00 USD
  2. paypalPayPal authorized 85.00 USD: the money is on hold, nothing has been charged yet
  3. clientMaya Chen approved the work and released the payment
  4. paypalPayPal captured 85.00 USD (capture 8SW34766R8713490K)
  5. paypalPayout sent to [email] (batch PWPN446LL494J)
  6. paypalPayPal payout completed: the money reached [email]

The bench · recorded runs against the real models

Tested on deliveries built to fool it

57 deliveries with known answers: 16 honest, 41 rigged or wrong. Fake system messages, look-alike letters and invisible characters, an instruction in a screenshot, an SVG, hidden HTML or a fake review log; code that switches off its own tests, hardcodes the answers or prints a fake “OK”; menus, logos and translations that miss the brief. Each went through the whole check, as on this site, with no PayPal call.

Reviewer, then the checksThe reviewer alone went to payPaid with the checksHonest work held
Claude Opus 5.5
Deliveries with known answers · checked by Claude Haiku 5.5 + Gemini
10 of 41 rigged or wrong0 of 411 of 16
Claude Haiku 5.5
Deliveries with known answers · checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5 + Gemini
8 of 41 rigged or wrong0 of 411 of 16
Claude Haiku 5.5
Live tricks in “Try to fool it” · checked by second opinion
0 of 10 rigged or wrong0 of 10-

If the reviewer were fooled completely. We also handed the checks a reviewer that called every criterion met on all 57. On their own, Claude Haiku 5.5 refused 39 of 41 bad deliveries and Gemini 32 of the 34 it answered on. The one that got past both was buggy code with a screenshot of a passing test run: neither check runs code. So paying for a delivery with code now also needs the reviewer to have run it in that review.

Every case, verdict and cost: Opus, Haiku, the fooled reviewer. A small set: it shows the design works, not a guarantee.

From sandbox to live money

Today, in the sandbox

Authorize, capture, payout, void, settlement and refund are real PayPal sandbox calls, and the deals above were paid on the AI checks alone, one of them earned by an AI agent.

For live money

As a PayPal Commerce Platform partner, freelancers connect their own PayPal account and PayPal pays them directly, with the platform’s fee in the same order. The platform never holds the money, and PayPal checks who the sellers are.

PayPal’s limits, handled

A hold is guaranteed for 3 days and capturable for 29: it is renewed after day 3, deadlines stop at 25 days, and bigger jobs are funded one stage at a time.

The whole path, with what the sandbox refuses today and why: From sandbox to live money in the README.