can paypal be used to pay someone using an email address or mobile phone number

[davewil1964]

An email address - yes. That is a person's Paypal ID.

Probably through a phone app, as well. Paypal allow people to pay for taxi fares through their app, so I would imagine there are many other ways of using Paypal through a phone. But I doubt they extend to receiving a payment to a phone number. Given it isn't an ID for a Paypal account. As far as I know.

What is the context? If it's for an eBay sale, then they go through checkout and pay with Paypal that way. If not, why are you asking on an eBay board?

For homework, read Paypal's T&Cs. The ones you stated you had read when you opened your account.

[lyndal1838]

If you want to send money to family or a friend you can do that by using the Send Money tab in paypal and send it as a Gift or Private payment.  It is fee free if you fund it with a bank account but not if you use a credit or debit card.

[jensmanchester-australia]

Yes you can pay someone using an email address or a mobile phone number by using the send money tab.

[annies_fancy_dress]

Don't feel stupid, it happens to us all.

I am a very experienced seller on e-bay and my own website, as well as a buyer(not new but not too experienced either) of international wholesale products, and I got caught last year for a few hundred $ on a "great deal" paid via western union.

It happens.