How the hell does this happen

[Marie13]

Suppose you don't have a smartphone? I don't, and don't want one. A waste of money, I think. I use a small 20 year old flip phone that stays in my vehicle except when hiking, strictly for emergencies and convenience calls. I do not text at all, strictly voice calls. I use a full-size desk computer for everything else. Requiring multiple validations suggests a deeply criminal environment.

The Luddites are going to have to catch up with everyone else sooner or later. I know several people who refuse to file their income taxes electronically. Paper only for them. They gripe bitterly they haven’t gotten their 2020 refund yet. Still won’t consider filing electronically for 2021.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I suppose it is mostly a cultural fact. Watching films or TV series coming from USA; I always wonder how most people there lives in houses with very limited protection against intrusion: glass doors, windows with no external shields, gardens without ralings and gates, etc...

I'm glad I live in a location where I don't need all of the physical barriers to protect myself from criminals. Certainly there are locations in the US where this is advisable, but for the vast majority of the country, these type of physical security measures are not necessary.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Suppose you don't have a smartphone? I don't, and don't want one. A waste of money, I think. I use a small 20 year old flip phone that stays in my vehicle except when hiking, strictly for emergencies and convenience calls. I do not text at all, strictly voice calls. I use a full-size desk computer for everything else. Requiring multiple validations suggests a deeply criminal environment.

All mobile phones always allowed to receive an SMS (which I think you call a "text"). Which is all that is required for using two-factor authentication. The criminal environment is here, it is called the Internet!
Or perhaps you do not employ your CC for purchasing goods online?

 

[agilis]

The Luddites are going to have to catch up with everyone else sooner or later. I know several people who refuse to file their income taxes electronically. Paper only for them. They gripe bitterly they haven’t gotten their 2020 refund yet. Still won’t consider filing electronically for 2021.

Of course I file electronically. I'm not a Ludditite at all, but I admired the Phonebusters of a couple of decades ago who snatched the phones from people using them in public and smashed them. Having public conversations with a plastic device is like brushing your teeth in public- repulsive. I see smartphone addicts as victims, as Lemmings, wasting money and contaminating public spaces for no good reason. I functioned perfectly well without a smartphone for most of my life and see only small conveniences in connection with their use, and disturbing social consequences with their overuse. Keep the damned thing in your pocket. I know my views are extreme-I enjoy seeing people trip and fall or get hit by a car because they are walking around while staring at a phone. Still, I think I'm being rational and they are not.

 

[Marie13]

Of course I file electronically. I'm not a Ludditite at all, but I admired the Phonebusters of a couple of decades ago who snatched the phones from people using them in public and smashed them. Having public conversations with a plastic device is like brushing your teeth in public- repulsive. I see smartphone addicts as victims, as Lemmings, wasting money and contaminating public spaces for no good reason. I functioned perfectly well without a smartphone for most of my life and see only small conveniences in connection with their use, and disturbing social consequences with their overuse. Keep the damned thing in your pocket. I know my views are extreme-I enjoy seeing people trip and fall or get hit by a car because they are walking around while staring at a phone. Still, I think I'm being rational and they are not.

Do you still write checks for bills?

A desktop computer? Is a laptop too new fangled or complicated?

 

[agilis]

Do you still write checks for bills?

A desktop computer? Is a laptop too new fangled or complicated?

I do write checks for some bills, things like utilities, others, like Amex, I pay by phone. No real difference between a laptop and a desktop except for smaller keyboards and screens. Listening to music from around the world is best on my desktop, with its sound system and large screen. My significant other is a software engineer and has all sorts of devices. I press her into service when I want to do things like post a photo, or when I encounter malware. I have to admit that without her astonishing expertise my computer days would be over.

 

[Marie13]

I do write checks for some bills, things like utilities, others, like Amex, I pay by phone. No real difference between a laptop and a desktop except for smaller keyboards and screens. Listening to music from around the world is best on my desktop, with its sound system and large screen. My significant other is a software engineer and has all sorts of devices. I press her into service when I want to do things like post a photo, or when I encounter malware. I have to admit that without her astonishing expertise my computer days would be over.

You may claim you’re not a Luddite, but if you’re still paying bills via check or over the phone, not online AND require assistance to post a photo (so simple), then yes, you might be a Luddite.

 

[Centrals]

I have never heard of two factor authentication for credit card purchases either. I was able to enable, however, an option to text me when a purchase is made. You may not be able to prevent a crime this way, but catch it as it maybe happening…

We have that in HK at least for couple of yrs.
But it is NOT 100% secure. It is the merchant 's account which is usually the problem.
Check your credit card activity regularly. One of the trick the scammer favourite is to test it with very small amount of transaction eg. 10cent. Watch out for it.

 

[agilis]

You may claim you’re not a Luddite, but if you’re still paying bills via check or over the phone, not online AND require assistance to post a photo (so simple), then yes, you might be a Luddite.

Is there some other way to pay bills than over the phone or by check? I'm sure you are not so trusting as to allow some outside entity to deduct charges from your account as they see fit. Only a fool would allow an outside agency access to their bank account. I only require assistance to post a photo because I don't have a smart phone with its linked camera.

 

[Marie13]

Is there some other way to pay bills than over the phone or by check? I'm sure you are not so trusting as to allow some outside entity to deduct charges from your account as they see fit. Only a fool would allow an outside agency access to their bank account. I only require assistance to post a photo because I don't have a smart phone with its linked camera.

You pay electronically via your bank’s online bill pay. It’s not auto pay. You’re not allowing anyone else access to your checking account. Think of it as writing a check but it’s all electronic. You initiate the transition. The receiver (utility, etc.) often has the payment the next business day. Especially good to do online bill pay these days when the PO is so danged slow.

You can get your statements electronically from utility, etc., too. They send you an email when it’s available, and then you go to their website (login with user ID and password) to look at statement.

I’ve been doing online bill pay for ages. Can’t tell you the last time I got a bill via the email, either.

Even if you have a regular digital camera rather than a smartphone, still not rocket science to post a photo.