There's a very simple quid-pro-quo with Paypal - they'll let basically anyone accept payments, they offer very strong protections to buyers, but they'll freeze

There's a very simple quid-pro-quo with Paypal - they'll let basically anyone accept payments, they offer very strong protections to buyers, but they'll freeze any account that smells even slightly iffy. If your transactions could plausibly look like fraud, then there's a strong likelihood that Paypal will freeze your account; there's an even stronger likelihood that a mainstream merchant account issuer will politely decline your business. Go to your bank and ask them "I'd like to accept donations on the internet via credit card. No, I'm not a registered charity" or "I'm planning on holding an event next year. I don't have enough funds to cover the cost of running the event, so I need to pre-sell tickets." See if they offer you a merchant account. Paypal aren't perfect, they aren't the best fit for every business, but they offer a genuinely unique service.