How to get a user's PayPal account using the PayPal API?

Question

My application needs to pay some users regularly and automatically via PayPal.

I'm planning to do this using Adaptive Payments APIs. To use the API I need to know the user's PayPal account.

Of course I can simply ask the user for his account name, but without validation it's quite possible that he will make a typo or some other mistake and his money will end up in someone else's account.

So, I'd like - ideally - for the user to go to PayPal, authorize there, and let PayPal return me his authenticated account ID.

How can I do that?

Answer 1

You can do it the way an automated gasoline pump, or Paypal itself, does it: Try to authorize for a $1 charge, or a very small credit (2 cents or so).

If it works, you can then pass along the full charge.