Paypal alternative?

[Medic!]

Hey. A lot of people use there phone as a wallet.
I get it. It's convenient.

I don't do that.
And I'm of the persuasion most of these people don't have much money to be parted from.

I could be wrong?

 

[Frank RW]

Hey. A lot of people use there phone as a wallet.
I get it. It's convenient.

If you're not already with one foot in the grave, you'll see it'll eventually be the only way to pay. Cash and cards make little sense when nearly everyone is carrying a phone.

And I'm of the persuasion most of these people don't have much money to be parted from.

I'm of the opposite persuasion. Just look at the number of filled gun-safes on this site alone.

I'm also into amateur radio, and see it a lot in that hobby too.... $10k worth of junk on the shelves and complaining they don't have enough money to get a decent antenna.

 

[Medic!]

If you're not already with one foot in the grave, you'll see it'll eventually be the only way to pay. Cash and cards make little sense when nearly everyone is carrying a phone.




I'm of the opposite persuasion. Just look at the number of filled gun-safes on this site alone.

I'm also into amateur radio, and see it a lot in that hobby too.... $10k worth of junk on the shelves and complaining they don't have enough money to get a decent antenna.

Cash will always be around.
There are to many activities people do that they wouldn't want to use a card or phone for.
Just look at the millions taken in cash from all the weed sales by users in Oregon.

Not to mention what the Government needs it for? Like the Iranian deal Obummer made.

And what gun owner wants to be told by his bank, through his phone, that gun sales are not approved?
There already doing it now with certain credit card companies.

 

[P7M13]

After almost two decades, and thousand of transactions, I use Paypal less and less, and am trying to make it zero. Their fees have risen to 3.5% when I pay from my bank account or receive payments from someone's bank acount. It's even more when I receive payments via CC.

I use Zelle to pay my kids' music teachers, seems like a great way to go. I don't know about the fees on the user end, perhaps it's free on the other end.

On Privacy:

• I deleted my Facebook account
• As soon as I can, will eliminate my gmail accounts
• when my phone contract is up, will get rid of Android. Will try to find a phone with an OS that is not linked to any online account.

 

[po18guy]

There may be a way to send your banks routing and account number (voided check) for monthly deductions straight from your account. No fees, no PayPal politics.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Actually the store site had an American name and address. And looked good enough to buy a $30 battery from.

After my purchase I was sent a Pay Pal receipt for $30 paid to Din Ho.
That was not a match.

Many Chinese manufacturers have virtual storefronts with American names and addresses because a lot people don't like dealing with Chinese companies, international shipping, language barriers, etc. I avoid ordering from Chinese vendors if possible.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

On Privacy:

• I deleted my Facebook account
• As soon as I can, will eliminate my gmail accounts
• when my phone contract is up, will get rid of Android. Will try to find a phone with an OS that is not linked to any online account.

I have ZERO Google related accounts. I also avoid Windows and Microsoft wherever possible. I use an Apple iPhone and laptop, and an Apple router. I try as much as possible to avoid PayPal. I've had problems with them in the past and don't want to deal with a company where I can't talk to a human being about my issues with their services.

For domain hosting, email services, and web hosting I use BlueHost.net and eskimo.com The BlueHost services are very easy to set up with a good web interface for everything. The eskimo.com services are a bit tougher to set up, but they provide infinite flexibility in what I can do. They use 100% Linux servers, and they allow you to run a command line unix/linux interface for everything. I can even construct my own spam filters based on my own parameters. One really nice benefit is the ability to generate a throw away email address on the fly. Thus I have email addresses registered out there like [email protected]. All emails to [email protected] get sent directly to dev/null (the unix email black hole) in any month other than December. Otherwise you'll receive daily spam from the all year long no matter how you set their email options.

Why avoid Google? Because when you are logged in to one Google account you are logged in to all your accounts, which are all data mined. With Google *YOU*, and your information are the products. Why avoid Windows? Security. Every major credit card hack you can find, if you dig deep enough, will have been performed on a Windows server.

 

[P7M13]

And if you have Chrome installed on any of your machines, Wireshark your network interface and watch all the traffic they send back to Google even when you are not using Chrome.

 

[Frank RW]

Cash will always be around.

Don't know if I'd bet any Benjamins on that. We're very nearly a cash-less society as it is. Imagine a couple dozen years from now.

Just look at the millions taken in cash from all the weed sales by users in Oregon.

Methinks because weed is still a federal offense. I recently opened a bank account and it had a question of whether I was in the pot business... which would have made me ineligible to do business with them. Kinda silly how it's still an issue.

Like the Iranian deal Obummer made.

Bleh, unnecessary political vomit.

And what gun owner wants to be told by his bank, through his phone, that gun sales are not approved?

No one of course, but sadly, guns will eventually be gone as an option. Hopefully long after I'm dead!

 

[Frank RW]

I have ZERO Google related accounts. I also avoid Windows and Microsoft wherever possible. I use an Apple iPhone and laptop, and an Apple router.

I'm not sure I'd trust Apple any more than MS or Google. I have an iPhone and can barely use any services without logging in.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I'm not sure I'd trust Apple any more than MS or Google. I have an iPhone and can barely use any services without logging in.

Apple has privacy policies that they honor religiously. They are not what they once were, but they remain the best alternative from a security standpoint. I have run from 4 to 8 Apple devices connected to my home network 24/7 without any kind if malware protection in place since 2001. I have had ZERO security issues. I have not had to pay for, install, or update any kind of security software in all that time. Apple's operating systems are built on unix. Networking and security were built into unix by its developers. Windows was built for stand alone, single user platforms on microcomputers. Networking and security were added as patches.

 

[RicInOR]

Cash will always be around.

Will it?

There are a number, and it is growing, of businesses who will no longer accept cash. Your government has to; private parties do not.

I don't like that idea. Sometimes you just wanna be anonymous.

 

[DuneHopper]

If I gave up a service every time it was a problem, eventually I'd have none.

Try PayPal again. I've been using them for well over a decade, literally 100s of transactions, and never had a problem.
But I also haven't fallen for scams that would make me want to hate them.

Besides, if you're just donating, not expecting a product or service, and use the link provided by the recipient, there's not much that go wrong.
Certainly a lot easier.

Ive used Paypal too, and had a few thousand transaction, and a few hundred problems.
Still use it for some things. Usually Ebay, when a part or something is needed, or that silver Tea Set Ive always wanted

 

[SUPER X]

After almost two decades, and thousand of transactions, I use Paypal less and less, and am trying to make it zero. Their fees have risen to 3.5% when I pay from my bank account or receive payments from someone's bank acount. It's even more when I receive payments via CC.

I use Zelle to pay my kids' music teachers, seems like a great way to go. I don't know about the fees on the user end, perhaps it's free on the other end.

On Privacy:

• I deleted my Facebook account
• As soon as I can, will eliminate my gmail accounts
• when my phone contract is up, will get rid of Android. Will try to find a phone with an OS that is not linked to any online account.

I need to delete all my accounts and still be able to function . I don't live in the city so some stuff I have to buy online. Paypal reversed a transaction for firearm parts I bought 2 months after the deal was done. I never did get it straightened out and could not get a hold of the person . I'm not a tech guy , were can I go to get help during my privacy ?

 

[KKG]

I too have been using PayPal for years mainly because I like rubbing i t in their faces. I know they use my money to support the Antis but then nearly all of them do. I've had a few problems but I'd guess it's been less than 1%.

 

[P7M13]

Yeah, I've been lucky in that I've rarely had a problem, and I suspect zero since I stopped using Ebay. Almost all my gun transactions are FTF, and prefer to keep it that way.
@usausausa , try your Dogpile-Fu at securing your phone.

Some things I do:

• On my Laptop:
  • I turn off cookies
  • Clear my browser history and cache when I close firefox.
  • Removed Google Chrome from every machine except my corporate laptop (required) and my phone (also required).
  • I turn off all "tracking" and don't allow preloading of links to other sites
    
  • I disable the ability of sites to run scripts, flash or any other "user enhancement" software.
• On my Phone:
  • If you have a "smart" phone, your phone came with a ton of pre-installed applications (Facebook, Evernote, to name a few) If you don't use the application, either remove it or disable it. You can do this from Setup/Applications/Manage applications. Uninstall all the web browsing services but the one you use.
  • If you use Tapatalk, Facebook, Instagram (owned by Facebook), Topic'it, or any other ap like that, STOP. Turn them off.
    
  • If you don't use Google maps or Mapquest, turn off ALL locating services. Turn off the mapping software too.
  • If you don't use data services, turn off your data access.
  • Even when your phone is "off", it will wake every 6-30 minutes to ping a tower. You won't see this, but it does. You'll want to remove the battery to prevent this.
  • If you cannot remove the battery (can't on my Android), power off your phone and put it in a Faraday cage (completely enclosed metal box). Aluminum foil is not enough to block the cell signals. To test your box, put your powered phone into it, wait a minute or two, and open the box. The cell should say no signal. If it doesn't, you need a thicker metal box.

 

[SUPER X]

Yeah, I've been lucky in that I've rarely had a problem, and I suspect zero since I stopped using Ebay. Almost all my gun transactions are FTF, and prefer to keep it that way.
@usausausa , try your Dogpile-Fu at securing your phone.

Some things I do:

• On my Laptop:
  • I turn off cookies
  • Clear my browser history and cache when I close firefox.
  • Removed Google Chrome from every machine except my corporate laptop (required) and my phone (also required).
  • I turn off all "tracking" and don't allow preloading of links to other sites
    
  • I disable the ability of sites to run scripts, flash or any other "user enhancement" software.
• On my Phone:
  • If you have a "smart" phone, your phone came with a ton of pre-installed applications (Facebook, Evernote, to name a few) If you don't use the application, either remove it or disable it. You can do this from Setup/Applications/Manage applications. Uninstall all the web browsing services but the one you use.
  • If you use Tapatalk, Facebook, Instagram (owned by Facebook), Topic'it, or any other ap like that, STOP. Turn them off.
    
  • If you don't use Google maps or Mapquest, turn off ALL locating services. Turn off the mapping software too.
  • If you don't use data services, turn off your data access.
  • Even when your phone is "off", it will wake every 6-30 minutes to ping a tower. You won't see this, but it does. You'll want to remove the battery to prevent this.
  • If you cannot remove the battery (can't on my Android), power off your phone and put it in a Faraday cage (completely enclosed metal box). Aluminum foil is not enough to block the cell signals. To test your box, put your powered phone into it, wait a minute or two, and open the box. The cell should say no signal. If it doesn't, you need a thicker metal box.

I just realized that my portable GPS for my car was keeping track of everywhere I went even tho I was not using it for directions.. I use the speedometer on it to alert when in school zones ect .it had a year worth of stuff on it. I cleared it . When these units are plugged into a component to update they could be retrieving my travel history .It's creepy and has gone to far. Thanks for the info

 

[bolus]

Yeah, I've been lucky in that I've rarely had a problem, and I suspect zero since I stopped using Ebay. Almost all my gun transactions are FTF, and prefer to keep it that way.
@usausausa , try your Dogpile-Fu at securing your phone.

Some things I do:

• On my Laptop:
  • I turn off cookies
  • Clear my browser history and cache when I close firefox.
  • Removed Google Chrome from every machine except my corporate laptop (required) and my phone (also required).
  • I turn off all "tracking" and don't allow preloading of links to other sites
    
  • I disable the ability of sites to run scripts, flash or any other "user enhancement" software.
• On my Phone:
  • If you have a "smart" phone, your phone came with a ton of pre-installed applications (Facebook, Evernote, to name a few) If you don't use the application, either remove it or disable it. You can do this from Setup/Applications/Manage applications. Uninstall all the web browsing services but the one you use.
  • If you use Tapatalk, Facebook, Instagram (owned by Facebook), Topic'it, or any other ap like that, STOP. Turn them off.
    
  • If you don't use Google maps or Mapquest, turn off ALL locating services. Turn off the mapping software too.
  • If you don't use data services, turn off your data access.
  • Even when your phone is "off", it will wake every 6-30 minutes to ping a tower. You won't see this, but it does. You'll want to remove the battery to prevent this.
  • If you cannot remove the battery (can't on my Android), power off your phone and put it in a Faraday cage (completely enclosed metal box). Aluminum foil is not enough to block the cell signals. To test your box, put your powered phone into it, wait a minute or two, and open the box. The cell should say no signal. If it doesn't, you need a thicker metal box.

Blokada for android phones. I installed it a few weeks ago and has already blocked over 15000 tracking and advertising connections. The phone is in near constant contact with someone tracking it. It's insane the amount of monitoring the phones are doing. It is blocking nearly 200,000 tracking websites.

Blokada - the best ad blocker for Android, free and open source

 

[bbbass]

I use PayPal credit for Ebay purchases. No problems. Most often the transactions list a different party than was listed on the Ebay listing. I don't care as long as I don't get a nastygram on it. Usually it's some Chinese sounding company or individual. I figure that's modern Ebay business.

I buy gun parts all the time on Ebay, and accessories like scopes, red dots, holsters... never had a problem.

 

[DuneHopper]

On Privacy:

• I deleted my Facebook account
• As soon as I can, will eliminate my gmail accounts
• when my phone contract is up, will get rid of Android. Will try to find a phone with an OS that is not linked to any online account.

I have been on a slow decline removed about 10 emails, and created news ones on my own domain, using the email services thru there. I am wanting to get off Facebook, problem is I have some business connected to it, and need to migrate off.
The phone is the same, but I am not happy with any I Have seen.

I realize the walls on technology are closing in and options are getting less and less.
Paypal I only use for EBAY and sometimes person to person transactions.