VISA payment network crashes in Europe

[ATCclears]

Visa network crashes and sparks card payment chaos

Another reminder to always have some cash...

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[cigars]

So Visa card holders were unable to use their cards to make purchases of any kind all over Europe. So even the big bank card companies are not in control of their participation in commerce. Yet, TPTB push us further and further each day towards giving up on cash in exchange for goods and services.
Look in your wallet. Is there more plastic than cash in it? They're winning. It looks like plastic can be shut down at anyone's whim. So you have a million billion dollars in the bank? No you don't.

Visa network crashes and sparks card payment chaos

 

[Provincial]

Government wants a "cashless" society because cash allows black market activity and enables tax evasion. That and it gives the Government the power to cut off finances for those it targets.

The real basis for Civil Forfeture laws is that this cash must have been involved in tax evasion, and is therefore fair game for confiscation.

 

[HB of CJ]

It happened to us about 6-7 years ago. We planned out an overnight trip to the SW Oregon USA coast. At the last minute I took along some cash. Good thing. A traffic accident cut the entire ATM and CC processing ability.

Nobody could use plastic. All the vendors were down. No service. Lots of kid cashiers could not make change either. Things got dicey for a few hours. Thank goodness for the greenbacks. But ... even then it was difficult to purchase.

Seems nobody was set up or versed or experienced to take cash. They had no idea how. Getting a very nice motel room took some doing. We found a gas station that could handle cash. A fun trip otherwise. A lesson learned indeed.

Carry cash. Expect even cash transactions to be difficult or impossible. Plan ahead. Our fall back plan was to just camp on the beach until the CC services were repaired. Also carry a bigger first aid kid. I took a fall. Lots of compresses.

 

[CountryGent]

Indeed, another good reason to have a good source, preferably several secured sources, of good old fashioned cash in all denominations.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

Bought the wife a new car a couple weeks ago. After the haggling he asked how we wanted to finance it. I told him I'd pay cash and he got a really odd look on his face. He then, almost in a whisper, said if I did that they would have to file a form with the government. I said "I know, a currency transaction report. I've been down this road quite a few times." That one frustrates me, but not nearly as much as the "suspicious activity report" the bank files any time you do something outside your normal pattern of deposits and/or withdrawals. So, on that 1 day I had 2 CTR' s and 1 SAR filed on me because I don't use credit cards, debit cards and have the money to pay cash for things. How dare I!

 

[CountryGent]

Bought the wife a new car a couple weeks ago. After the haggling he asked how we wanted to finance it. I told him I'd pay cash and he got a really odd look on his face. He then, almost in a whisper, said if I did that they would have to file a form with the government. I said "I know, a currency transaction report. I've been down this road quite a few times." That one frustrates me, but not nearly as much as the "suspicious activity report" the bank files any time you do something outside your normal pattern of deposits and/or withdrawals. So, on that 1 day I had 2 CTR' s and 1 SAR filed on me because I don't use credit cards, debit cards and have the money to pay cash for things. How dare I!

I hear you. To avoid wasting funds on interest, we don't finance vehicles either, preferring to save up in an appropriate investment, and then pay cash on a low mileage used vehicles. We get "the look" most times too. We've had no issues related to SARs filed on our activities, but the notion is at least a little creepy.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

I hear you. To avoid wasting funds on interest, we don't finance vehicles either, preferring to save up in an appropriate investment, and then pay cash on a low mileage used vehicles. We get "the look" most times too. We've had no issues related to SARs filed on our activities, but the notion is at least a little creepy.

It just grinds my gears to have a bank that my family has been dealing with for decades and knows that I don't use "plastic" preparing reports about my banking activities that indicate I'm due some extra scrutiny because they think my use of my own money is "suspicious".

 

[nammac]

It just grinds my gears to have a bank that my family has been dealing with for decades and knows that I don't use "plastic" preparing reports about my banking activities that indicate I'm due some extra scrutiny because they think my use of my own money is "suspicious".

Mr. Guy, just how many kilos of smack will $35K buy????

Sorry, couldn't help it...

 

[ma96782]

Mr. Guy, just how many kilos of smack will $35K buy????

Sorry, couldn't help it...

Get with it....."Bitcoin" is for that purpose.

OK, Ok, ok.....I guess with the cash back and other rewards, it's hard to resist using plastic.

Aloha, Mark

 

[DuneHopper]

We had a blackout here for about a day a year ago, all the stores closed as none were setup for cash. And none of the workers knew how to add or subtract.

 

[Sandaholic]

I don't want any of this stuff to happen. But when it does it just gives me more to point out to my wife and allows me to keep gaining ground. "See babe? We need more cash. More ammo. More guns. More preps. Better training."

 

[Camelfilter]

We had a blackout here for about a day a year ago, all the stores closed as none were setup for cash. And none of the workers knew how to add or subtract.

Shux even when the registers are working the cashiers get easily "confused".

Just the other day a small shop trip totaled up at $55.98, so I handed the cashier $61. 3 20's and a single, which she spread out on the counter and said "but it's only $55.98" quizickly.

To which I replied, "yes, and I would like $5.02 change, please".

Still confused, she punches in the $61, stares at the screen for a bit, takes out a $5 and 2 pennies, stares at the screen some more, looks at the receipt a bit...then finally hands me the receipt and the change.

This was a middle aged woman, whom looked to have known what she was doing as a cashier (quick scanning, quick bagging etc etc). Now I would have expected above from one of the "kid" cashiers, but not from her. Was kind of funny & sad at the same time...

 

[DuneHopper]

Shux even when the registers are working the cashiers get easily "confuse".
Just the other day a small shop trip totaled up at $55.98, so I handed the cashier $61. 3 20's and a single, which she spread out on the counter and said "but it's only $55.98" quizickly.
To which I replied, "yes, and I would like $5.02 change, please".

Still confused, she punches in the $61, stares at the screen for a bit, takes out a $5 and 2 pennies, stares at the screen some more, looks at the receipt a bit...then finally hands me the receipt and the change.
This was a middle aged woman, whom looked to have known what she was doing as a cashier (quick scanning, quick bagging etc etc). Now I would have expected above from one of the "kid" cashiers, but not from her. Was kind of funny & sad at the same time...

This falls along the same lines, most Americans doesn't know how to !

1. Start a fire
2. open a can without an opener
3. Put gas in a car/truck

The list is huge of basics one should have to get by, and simply most do not
possess skills they rely on phones and google to solve problems.