Thanks guys - and Mixture - I'm beginning to get my head around it, but it only reinforces my opinion that Banking Life was easier (and possibly more secure?) before computers - I blame Bill Gates !
A couple of years ago I received a letter from a local collection/credit agency saying that I had 24 hrs. to pay an overdue Council account, or risk my Worldwide credit being withdrawn.
Fortunately I'd paid by cheque, and had a receipt and paper bank statement to prove it and within 30 minutes was slapping these down on the desk of the Council Finance Manager, explaining that as I'd personally presented the cheque to a Council employee, they only way that it could have got to my bank for payment was via the - presumed- criminal Council employee, who had cashed my cheque and then embezzled my money and kept me in debt, hence the eventual report to the collection/credit agency.
I have a letter of apology - it was finger trouble, not criminal activity they said, but Then They Would, Wouldn't They ! - but I do wonder what I would have faced if I'd had to prove all that as a result of using one of these Space Age Gadget/Tokens via the Internet ?
I also wonder how I would have fared if I'd been out of the Country when the letter was delivered - 24 hrs to pay ? I could have been on the other side of the World and suddenly had no active credit cards. Not nice.
Gold coins in a washleather bag hung around ones waist had a lot going for it. (and a Smith and Wesson hanging on the other hip!)
Progress isn't always better.
Last edited by ExSp33db1rd; 6th September 2013 at 22:24.