Duplicate Status Updates for orders using PayPal with multiple matching Emails

[alex2311]

Hello,

When an order is paid for by PayPal the system is generating duplicate status updates. This includes sending emails as well for each repetition.  See below:
Friday, 14 October 2022 23:53   No   Pending   
Friday, 14 October 2022 23:54   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Friday, 14 October 2022 23:56   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Friday, 14 October 2022 23:58   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 00:00   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 00:02   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 00:05   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 00:10   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 00:21   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 00:42   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 01:25   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 02:50   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal
Saturday, 15 October 2022 05:41   Yes   Confirmed   Your payment for order 2N5A01543 has been confirmed by PayPal

Any guidance on how to resolve the issue will be greatly appreciated.


VirtueMart 4.0.7 10718
Joomla 4.2.3
PHP 8.0

Regards,
Alex

[GJC Web Design]

can u check in your Paypal IPN history whether Paypal is sending multiple IPNs or check in your server logs for multiple IPNs

[alex2311]

Thanks for looking into this anomaly  There are no duplicates in the IPN History...  See attached.

Cheers,
Alex

[GJC Web Design]

code wise it's hard to think of anything that would continuously trigger them - especially as it's every couple of seconds and then slowly increases the increment..

nothing in the server logs duplicating say the orderdone page or the return url of Paypal?

is this Standard Paypal or one of their endless variations/complications?

[alex2311]

Just the standard PayPal plugin supplied with VM.  I just went through the IIS logs (Extract Below)...  Interesting.  For additional background.  We only recently upgraded to J4 which included a totally new template as the old one was incompatible.  I am not sure what to make of it.  It starts with a successful PUT call followed by a number of GET calls from random components, finishing with  PUT call that responds with a 500 code:

2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X POST /index.php option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.paypal.com/ 200 0 0 1781
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /media/vendor/awesomplete/css/awesomplete.css 1.1.5 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 46
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /templates/shaper_helixultimate/css/presets/preset1.css - 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 62
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /plugins/system/helixultimate/assets/css/system-j4.min.css - 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 93
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /components/com_virtuemart/assets/css/vm-ltr-common.css vmver=c06609d9 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 93
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /components/com_virtuemart/assets/css/vm-ltr-site.css vmver=c06609d9 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 93
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /plugins/system/jce/css/content.css badb4208be409b1335b815dde676300e 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 93
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /templates/shaper_helixultimate/css/template.css - 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 124
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /plugins/system/jcemediabox/css/jcemediabox.min.css 0072da39200af2a5f0dbaf1a155242cd 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 124
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /modules/mod_djimageslider/themes/default/css/djimageslider.css - 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 124
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /templates/shaper_helixultimate/css/custom.css - 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 140
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /templates/shaper_helixultimate/css/bootstrap.min.css - 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 249
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /media/vendor/joomla-custom-elements/css/joomla-alert.min.css 0.2.0 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 249
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /media/system/css/joomla-fontawesome.min.css 730997f91bb455ccdda3b6da6309c426 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 265
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /media/vendor/jquery/js/jquery.min.js 3.6.0 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 109
2022-10-14 13:54:12 X.X.X.X GET /media/legacy/js/jquery-noconflict.min.js 04499b98c0305b16b373dff09fe79d1290976288 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 78
2022-10-14 13:54:13 X.X.X.X GET /media/system/js/core.min.js bea7b244e267b04087cedcf531f6fe827a8e101f 443 - 120.146.38.226 Mozilla/5.0+(Windows+NT+10.0;+Win64;+x64)+AppleWebKit/537.36+(KHTML,+like+Gecko)+Chrome/106.0.0.0+Safari/537.36+Edg/106.0.1370.42 https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy 200 0 0 78
2022-10-14 13:54:13 X.X.X.X POST /index.php option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=notify&tmpl=component&lang= 80 - 173.0.81.65 PayPal+IPN+(+https://www.paypal.com/ipn+) - 500 0 0 2750

Any thoughts?

[GJC Web Design]

there are a couple of other J4 users on here reporting this multi Paypal VM status trigger and therefore emails ...

But in your case below this is just gets for resources like css and images triggered by the single pluginresponsereceived call  -- though if u can find the 500 error in the logs might be interesting..

manually trying https://www.qld.raeme.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=pluginresponsereceived&on=2N5A01543&pm=8&Itemid=519&PayerID=yyyyyyyyyyy just gives me the thank you page without any error..

but the IPN notification from Paypal would be url something like index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=notify&tmpl=component...  etc

[ssc3]

2022-10-14 13:54:13 X.X.X.X POST /index.php option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=notify&tmpl=component&lang= 80 - 173.0.81.65 PayPal+IPN+(+https://www.paypal.com/ipn+) - 500 0 0 2750

The last item in your log is the actual IPN from PayPal with a 500 status code.
PayPal will make up to 15 attempts to send an IPN. Each time increasing the interval between attempts, not stopping until it receives a 200 status code.

Standard Paypal or one of their endless variations/complications?

If the IPN is failing you could try one of the PayPal variants as an alternative.

https://plugins.online-store.co.uk/paypal_express_checkout.html

This has the advantage of not requiring IPN's to confirm orders.
If you run this plugin with the shortcut option turned off, it will look to the customer just like PayPal Standard.

[jenkinhill]

The current VM "default" PayPal plugin also has a switch to turn off IPN checking - "Check IPN provider IP"

[alex2311]

GJC Web Design, thanks... Your right...  I am not seeing the " index.php?option=com_virtuemart&view=vmplg&task=notify&tmpl=component...".. which explains PayPal Retrying (maybe)

Thanks ssc3, If we can't resolve the default PayPal I may have a go at using it. Although you might be onto something with the 15 retries....  We are seeing 14 attempts.

Kelvyn,  That is the strange part.  Check IPN is already set to "No"

Cheers
Alex

[ssc3]

"Check IPN provider IP" only checks if the IPN's IP address belongs to PayPal, but does not turn of the IPN itself.

PayPal Standard still needs to use the IPN to confirm the order.

[jenkinhill]

I don't use PayPal anymore, only Stripe, but when I did use PP it was with a plugin from plugins.online-store.co.uk with no problems.

[GJC Web Design]

The last item in your log is the actual IPN from PayPal with a 500 status code.

indeed ... I didn't look hard enough ...  you need to find this fatal error .. is it logged on your sever errors or you can try installing Stans fatal catcher

https://www.rupostel.com/utilities-for-joomla/extensions/fatal-catcher-plugin  may work on J4

[alex2311]

Thanks everyone for your input...  I always struggle finding the source of the ever helpful 500 errors!...  LOL.  I will see how I go.


Cheers

[Darko F.]

I get this problem today
Our customer realy use Paypal, but today we get one order and 7 email with confirmation was send to customer and seven email on our email box
I disable PayPal plugin.
Joomla 3 with com_virtuemart.4.0.7.10718_package_or_extract.zip

I istall now

com_virtuemart.4.0.7.10720_package_or_extract.zip

but I didnt enable paypalI will done some testing.

[Darko F.]

Even after instaling Joomla 3 with
com_virtuemart.4.0.7.10720_package_or_extract.zip

and disabled plugin, even order we change to pending still sending emails every ten minutes one. I will disable system joomla email if this will continue. Dont know what to do at this point