Definition of fraud;
Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures, or sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the violation affects a financial institution, such person shall be fined not more than $1,000,000 or imprisoned not more than 30 years, or both.
By doing the PayPal trick you are not representing the price false.
The vendor gets an email with; "you got a transaction of 1 cent by blabla for the product xy".
He can accept or deny this transaction.
You show him CLEARLY that you are paying 1 cent.
Its like going into a shop grabbing a product for 20$ and going to the pay desk and tell; "here is the product and I only pay 1 cent", if the collector accepts, its his own fault. You dont give him a fake 20$ banknote with a value of 1 cent.
However I think thats a case where the lawyer decides if it is legal or illegal.
As for *****, I would say you are kinda safe with their methode, it is not involving PayPal in any way...
^
Nice I get censored.