[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Bare, when you're at a restaurant in Canada, do they bring a card reader to the table so you can pay your bill without ever having the card be out of your sight?

Yes, they bring a card reader to the table.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by CFrance

And your check has a heckuva lot more information on it than your credit card. Nor is your bank going to restore any of the money that's cleaned out of it when some crook takes the routing and account number off your check and cleans you out.

So the crook goes to my bank and says, "I'd like to withdraw money from this account, here's the routing number. Wouldn't the bank ask to see a driver's license? And if they give him my money, is that my fault?

It sounds frightening but it has never happen to me in 50 years of using checks. And I never heard of it happening to any of my friends or relatives.

So we can all crawl under a rock and refuse to bring ourselves into the 21st century, or we can trust that we won't be held responsible for the fraud. And we can take precautions such as not establishing "accounts" with online vendors that will be hacked. In the two security breaches that have happened in my life, the company that was hacked provided us free of charge with a year's worth of identity theft protection.

Free of charge? Someone paid for it and it wasn't the company. Most likely it was some poor suckers who decided to load up on Christmas gifts and pay later with high interest rates.

You should not even be using the internet if you're so afraid of your security. Throw your cell phone away too, if you have one. And get your investments back in cash and hide it in your mattress, just in case.

No cell phone and no problem with my investments.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by JoMar

We all have our own paranoia's.....if cash works for you who are we to try and change that.

Paranoia is a psychotic disorder. I doubt that 51% of Americans suffer from paranoia. I'm in the majority on this.

51% of Americans said they do not intend to use a credit card for their holiday purchases.

Only 43% of Americans plan to pay for most holiday gifts with a credit card. Do they have, "delusions of grandeur?"

6% of Americans are undecided.

This was the result of a new Rasmussen telephone survey. It's in todays Daily Sun on page C10. (12-04-14)

I guess I'm not the only one who's not "in the 21st. century."

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

Paranoia is a psychotic disorder. I doubt that 51% of Americans suffer from paranoia. I'm in the majority on this.
51% of Americans said they do not intend to use a credit card for their holiday purchases.

Only 43% of Americans plan to pay for most holiday gifts with a credit card. Do they have, "delusions of grandeur?"
I guess I'm not the only one who's not "in the 21st. century."

Does it say that these people don't have credit cards?
Or just that they're planning not to use them for holiday gifts?
Perhaps these people do have credit cards, but are planning to pay cash for gifts for budgeting reasons.
Not because they are paranoid about using credit cards.
Just a thought.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

So the crook goes to my bank and says, "I'd like to withdraw money from this account, here's the routing number. Wouldn't the bank ask to see a driver's license? And if they give him my money, is that my fault?

It sounds frightening but it has never happen to me in 50 years of using checks. And I never heard of it happening to any of my friends or relatives.



Free of charge? Someone paid for it and it wasn't the company. Most likely it was some poor suckers who decided to load up on Christmas gifts and pay later with high interest rates.



No cell phone and no problem with my investments.

Obviously you have never heard of the ease with which someone can dip your check into a solution and erase all the writing, leaving the check intact. Or how easy it is to duplicate the check. Why do you think you can order new checks online using one of those check printing companies by providing your bank information, and someone else can't? Really,do some research.

The fact of the matter is, no hacker has ever been able to get away with fraud on my cc accounts whether someone gave me free identify theft or not. You're just not up on this stuff, VPL.

And in 50 years of using credit cards, I have not laid out one dime due to fraud. I still win, because in year 51 if someone cleans out your bank account, you're skewered. I will never be responsible for a dime of fraud on my cc.

Night night. I'm out.

[JoMar]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

Paranoia is a psychotic disorder. I doubt that 51% of Americans suffer from paranoia. I'm in the majority on this.

51% of Americans said they do not intend to use a credit card for their holiday purchases.

Only 43% of Americans plan to pay for most holiday gifts with a credit card. Do they have, "delusions of grandeur?"

6% of Americans are undecided.

This was the result of a new Rasmussen telephone survey. It's in todays Daily Sun on page C10. (12-04-14)

I guess I'm not the only one who's not "in the 21st. century."

Wasn't just referring to credit cards......and as I stated earlier, if it works for you then by all means possible, use checks and cash.....but please don't assume that the rest of us that wouldn't consider doing that have some sort of mental defect and that your way is the superior way. Also, who did they call and how many were contacted?

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Barefoot

Does it say that these people don't have credit cards?
Or just that they're planning not to use them for holiday gifts?
Perhaps these people do have credit cards, but are planning to pay cash for gifts for budgeting reasons.
Not because they are paranoid about using credit cards.

Just a thought.

BTW, I wasn't the one who started using the word "paranoid". I don't think it applies to anyone in this situation.

If I were to use this word the way it's currently being used, I would say, "if they are budgeting by using cash, they must be paranoid about their lack of control to use credit cards wisely." But that would be an incorrect use of the word so I won't use it that way.

[Topspinmo]

I think we're missing the point ? It's about what they do with the skimmed information off the credit card. Which IMO shouldn't be that easy In 2014' 1990 maybe but this problem should of been upgraded or fix years ago.

You know when they skim they make new identities in persons name which only credit block can stop IMO. How many of us have block?

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by JoMar

Wasn't just referring to credit cards......and as I stated earlier, if it works for you then by all means possible, use checks and cash.....but please don't assume that the rest of us that wouldn't consider doing that have some sort of mental defect and that your way is the superior way. Also, who did they call and how many were contacted?

Holy cow! I never assumed that others have a mental defect if they don't do it my way. You're assuming that I assumed that? And when did I say that my way was superior?

I believe I said something to the effect that cash works just fine, or something like that. And when I use cash I don't have to check my email and I don't have to worry about the accuracy of any statement. So you assume I'm acting superior? I'm simply explaining why I like doing things my way.

I think the superior feelings usually come from the other side, hence you might have heard that those who don't use credit cards are not living in the 21st century. In other words, implying they are behind the times.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Rc Moser

I think we're missing the point ? It's about what they do with the skimmed information off the credit card. Which IMO shouldn't be that easy In 2014' 1990 maybe but this problem should of been upgraded or fix years ago.

You know when they skim they make new identities in persons name which only credit block can stop IMO. How many of us have block?

I'm glad you brought this up because I don't remember "skimming" being defined and I wasn't sure what it was. So it's the taking of credit card information for the purpose of making new identities.

Let's look at a recent news story which I think is related:

Search: Hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen in Home Depot hacking, report says: "Criminals apparently have already withdrawn hundreds of thousands of dollars from payment cards stolen in the Home Depot credit card breach, according to a new report that says criminals are able to make counterfeit copies of cards that can be used for shopping."

How would "blocking" prevent counterfeit copies from being used?

[Sandtrap328]

Bottom line should be "be aware of your credit card bill each month and resolve any purchase questions immediately".

I really like Citizens First Bank. I have gone there many times to cash a check at the teller window. I always pull out my Villages ID for them, but the teller says it is not necessary as my photo is on their computer screen when they pull up my account information. (of course, Tom Selleck could cash a check in my name, since we look alike.)

[newguyintv]

Originally Posted by Rc Moser

I'm I the only one that afraid to use my credit card at gas stations? Reluctant to use it anywhere due to the chance of skimmers and low life employee stealing my information. Just heard on the news this morning skimmers found in lake country. I would think the villages would be gold mine for this illegal activity?

In don't understand why the industry don't go to the European style credit card system that's nearly skim proof. IMO cost is no excuse not to upgrade from this insecure system of the 20 century?

real pain to fill up with cash in this plastic world. I see the day cash will be obsolete. IMO the credit industry or the government should be held responsible for credit card fraud when they won't update unsecured system.

Using a Credit Card does not open Pandora's box for skimming like using a Debit card would do. If your CC is comprised the chances are very high that your CC company will notify you of any suspicious usage attempts. Not so with a Debit card which is a instant authorization to withdraw funds from your account. The Debit Card supplier will NOT notify you of suspicious use.

[CFrance]

[QUOTE=Villages PL;977210]I'm glad you brought this up because I don't remember "skimming" being defined and I wasn't sure what it was. So it's the taking of credit card information for the purpose of making new identities.

Let's look at a recent news story which I think is related:

Search: Hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen in Home Depot hacking, report says: "Criminals apparently have already withdrawn hundreds of thousands of dollars from payment cards stolen in the Home Depot credit card breach, according to a new report that says criminals are able to make counterfeit copies of cards that can be used for shopping."

Debit cards extract $ directly from your bank account. You might as well write a check, because once a hacker has that info, he can wipe you out. I still believe cc's are the safest way to go.

You can call or get online to any credit bureau and put a block on the opening of new credit under your name. We have blocks with all three credit reporting agencies. They would notify us if anyone tried to open an account in our name.

My husband and I need a credit score. It determines a higher or lower rate on car insurance, auto loans, mortgages, and the like. We get a good score in part by having a good balance of credit available to credit used, and paying cards off and bills on time every month.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by newguyintv

Using a Credit Card does not open Pandora's box for skimming like using a Debit card would do. If your CC is comprised the chances are very high that your CC company will notify you of any suspicious usage attempts. Not so with a Debit card which is a instant authorization to withdraw funds from your account. The Debit Card supplier will NOT notify you of suspicious use.

Where did you get the above information? You say a debit card is a instant authorization to withdraw funds from your account. Isn't a credit card instant authorization to walk away with store merchandise?

My bank told me they would notify me of any suspicious use of my debit card. Also, they said: 1) they would cover any fraudulent use of my debit card and 2) and fraudulent use of my checks.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by newguyintv

Using a Credit Card does not open Pandora's box for skimming like using a Debit card would do. Not so with a Debit card which is a instant authorization to withdraw funds from your account. The Debit Card supplier will NOT notify you of suspicious use.

I don't know the process for Debit Cards in Florida.
However in Canada, we need a PIN number which provides an additional layer of security.