How do you pay online? Country differences

[natascha]

Reading some old threads I saw a mention of certain vendors calling and asking questions to ensure that you really are the right owner of the credit card or something like that. That kind of left me looking like this .

I am going to be living in France this autumn and when dealing with housing they wanted a security deposit and a handling fee. Now the kicker, they wanted me to snail mail a check . Erm we don't have checks and I haven't used postal mail (except for packages) in years. Since sending a check is impossible I was directed to printing some credit card transaction form thingies, filling them in by hand, scanning them and emailing it back (no way am I going to send it by post). I was honestly a bit shocked by this process.

Over here I pay and buy things online using my card and a bank dosa. Do you have one of these? If not what do you do? How do you pay for stuff?

Oh I also heard that a few Americans don't have bank accounts and get paid in cash. Is this true? It can't be legal or?

Over here most people mainly deal with all money matters electronically. Bills etc are usually received electronically, you use your card for everything. And for some things where card payment is not used you pay with your mobile phone like for example on the bus if you don't have a bus card or for vending machines. Many of our bank offices don't even have cash services, you can't deposit nor withdraw.

So where are you from and what is your experience? Cash or cashless society, how do you pay.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I live in the US and most monthly bills are automatically drafted from our bank account. I use a credit card for almost everything else and pay it off at the end of the month. I do have checks because there occasionally is a reason to need one...like sending my nieces a birthday check or making a donation, for example. I do always keep a little cash, too. Online I use Paypal or a credit card.

I'd honestly go to the bank and have a bank check made out for that deposit before I'd email my credit card information!

And no, it is not the norm to be paid in cash and not have a bank account. That sounds like something relating to illegal aliens or drug dealers.

 

[natascha]

I live in the US and most monthly bills are automatically drafted from our bank account. I use a credit card for almost everything else and pay it off at the end of the month. I do have checks because there occasionally is a reason to need one...like sending my nieces a birthday check or making a donation, for example. I do always keep a little cash, too. Online I use Paypal or a credit card.

I'd honestly go to the bank and have a bank check made out for that deposit before I'd email my credit card information!

And no, it is not the norm to be paid in cash and not have a bank account. That sounds like something relating to illegal aliens or drug dealers.

The whole emailing credit card info was not so fun. But I emailed it to the school I will be attending this fall so it is definitively legit. Although I would have preferred to just transfer the money directly.

Although to be specific it is not a credit card but a debit card, and I never keep a lot of money on the account connected to that card (I have several other accounts that have no cards connected to them but that I can move money from in a matter of seconds). So I am not really worried I just felt that it was pretty odd. Over here the norm is to use debit cards not credit cards, people often get their first VISA electron at 12 and then get a normal VISA latter on.

I knew it was not the norm to not have a bank account, but I heard that there were cases.

PS. I always find it funny when people use the word aliens (childish I know). I know it is the correct word, but it doesn't always translate the same way. Hmmm I wonder if I am still considered an alien if I have moved back to my country of origin.

 

[Fly Girl]

If you don't have a bank account in the US, you can take cash and purchase a money order at quite a number of locations, such as gas stations or grocery stores. Then the money order can be mailed or given to the people you want to pay. My son uses money orders to pay his landlord his monthly rent, for example.

Just another way to transfer money if you are asked to mail a check again.

 

[Rhea]

My sister visited recently, and I'm still shocked that the US doesn't appear to have Chip & Pin!

I just transfer money between account, both bills and friends and family. I log into online banking, transfer money between accounts, and a security code pops up on my screen. My bank calls me, automated system, and I must enter the security code that came up. Money is then moved within two hours most of the time. It's such an easy way to pay back any flatmates or friends if you owe them money - boom! and it's in their account.

For transactions abroad in the EEA, I can transfer money fairly easily. It's a tiny bit harder, another number in addition to account number and sort code, but still done online and paid very quickly. Why can't your place in France do that? Wire transfers are so easy!