Electronic funds transfer in the US, stone age?

Why would you do that? Online banking is so much easier. Not sure what you mean by "non-locally generated cheque".

UK generally a cheque clears for outcome within a week although there could be exceptions where serious fraud is involved. Guidelines at:

It is as well to be aware of these things as people sometimes do funny things with cheques post dated to avoid paying on time (or ever).

I wonder how that works out for the vendor?

Seems to me like at $1 they would be paying more to the merchant acquirer (their terminal provider) than the transaction itself is worth.

I am no longer resident in Belgium, but the UK does have Oystercards with cryptographic eCash on but they only work on London transport.

The concept was an excellent one but evidently it failed longer term.

The new thing is contactless (PINless) payment.

All that adds cost that the tradesman doesn't want to front. Here it's usually either payment up front, or check on completion (or something in between).

I misstated that. VISA has no risk WRT payment. That's the bank's risk. VISA does cover fraud, if their network is used. That is, one of their credit cards or debit card used as a credit transaction).

"Someone's knee-jerk reaction" gross incompetence. She doesn't know her business and, worse, let the customer know that the bank was incompentent.

Banks don't see many real checks. Nost "check" transactions are done online. All a check is, is a promise to pay. It doesn't much matter what form it takes.

Denmark it has been made illegal for a company to receive more than

If I enter his name correctly, how would that go wrong? I have to enter it on the check one way or the other.

Even checks to individuals seem to be screened to "known" individuals. The banks aren't stupid. They do a lot to help you not screw it up.

What is she supposed to do when someone turns up with an antidiluvian form of archaic paper payment that hasn't been seen in living memory? All she *can* do is find some elderly employee who has seen one before and knows what to do with it.

If you went into a US bank with a tally stick would you expect the teller to recognise it immediately and go look for the counterpart?

They haven't used paper cheques in mainland Europe for *decades*. In Belgium I never saw even *one* in all the time I was living there.

I wanted to move the money. How else would I do it? This *was* online banking.

I didn't know what a "non-locally generated check" was either. It's one that *I* didn't write myself. In other words, a check I sent through online banking.

I never figured out what the real problem was. It was a smaller bank but still dodged any accountability by having you call the 800 number for most things. I got ahold of the branch manager and he was the one who told me about the "non-locally generated check" issue. When I was in the branch trying to make the deposit the teller (a total newbie) told me she had a $500 limit on transactions and she could not reach

When I complained to the 800 number the local branch manager (the one who opened my account) called me and explained his rational for the problem. But that was not what anyone else told me. I was not a new customer. Even though the check was large, over $60,000, I already had some $50,000 or more in the account. Now it is at $1. Maybe they thought I was a scam artist...

I don't know how things differ across the pond, but I was always told a check cleared in some fixed number of days (depending on distance, the US is a bit large). The three months thing must be related to fraud or something. I don't know, I don't care. Banks tick me off.

Of course, however...

There are many many "John Smiths", and a surprising number of "Tom Gardners"

I know two "M Dearnaleys" born on the same day, and two "V Badeggs"[1] also born on the same day (their grandmother has worked with a certain V Putin for a long time).

I'm not sure what you are describing exactly unless the seller is avoiding income taxes. That's his business, not mine. Income taxes aren't that large here either. It is only paid on the profit so there would only be a small wiggle room to offer you a discount. An employee cheating the company is different. 100% profit gives them a lot more leeway.

Bill Pay is not electronic funds transfer, simple as that. So if I understand you correctly, you have this preconceived notion of what it is, find out it isn't, and then complain and whine about reality not falling in line with your fantasies. Typical.

"Terminal provider"??? Paypal. You know about Paypal, right?

People here seem to be afraid of people lifting your CC number wirelessly which I would not think is even possible. A "contactless" card would really freak them out. We have something like that for use at gas pumps and gas stations counters I believe. I don't have one, but I see it on the pumps. But the fob has to be pretty close, essentially touching without an electrical contact. I expect at 3 inches it won't work. I guess someone could scan your wallet in your pocket without you knowing it. Heck, they pick pockets without your knowing it. But I don't think it has as wide use as a full blown credit card.

On Thursday, January 5, 2017 at 4:19:21 AM UTC-8, Tom Gardner wrote: ...

Apple has not had DRM on music for many years.

Is that what you are referring to?

kevin

... ...

You miss the point. On a debit card I have a checking account mess to clean up. With a credit card I just talk to the CC company and it's all fixed.

I know, that's why I don't use a debit card for anything but groceries. I wouldn't use it for that, but no one has ATM cards anymore. I get my cash at the grocery store, no ATM fees.

keeping things off the books starts by saving 25% VAT

I don't think anyone has even been convicted but if the seller doesn't pay VAT and taxes it could become the buyers problem

That's one of the goofy things about the US. We pride ourselves that we are a democracy (or a republic if you are talking to a pedantic extremist) but at the same time hate and distrust our government because we always feel it consists of those who are not looking out for our interests.

As I've gotten older, I believe less in the big government conspiracy nonsense, but at the same time distrust politicians less because I think I understand them more. I know what they do and too often it is not what they say.

That's our Joerg!

Yep, last time I checked there were five people with my name in my town. But none of them have my address or anything remotely like it... other than the city and state. lol