I don't know about sorting offices, but there have been cases from time to time where a rogue postman has opened envelopes which appear to contain birthday cards etc and check them for cash. I think cases like that are very rare, but personally I'd never send cash through the post just in case.
On the subject of missing post, a year or so ago I ordered a Society booklet which never arrived, so I had to order a replacement. Apart from the annoyance of having to order it twice, what I found most upsetting was wondering what happened to the original. If I thought someone had pinched it, but enjoyed it, I could just about live with that, but most likely it got delivered to the wrong address and whoever did receive it couldn't be bothered to send it on, and just binned it. Such a waste.
Katharine wrote: ↑17 Feb 2022, 22:03
Oh yes, my society renewal is another cheque I write.
I renew mine through PayPal. That might suit you, Katharine, you don't need a smart phone. You can use the website on your computer and pay whoever, using their email address.
I used to use Paypal, but then there was a problem with my password and I couldn't use it any more, and of course with everything being on-line these days, I couldn't ring anyone to sort it out, or maybe I did try, but was in a never ending queue so gave up.
I think it costs more to renew by Paypal doesn't it, as it includes the Paypal fee.
I may be wrong but I think the Paypal fee costs the same as a second class stamp (sending a cheque involves paying for both stamp and envelope, of course).
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I always use Paypal too for my Journal subscription. Works like a dream and is done in ten seconds. I don't believe it costs any more overall.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
It's been a while since I checked the different options, I had a feeling that originally it was cheaper (although not by much) to send a cheque rather than use Paypal, but of course stamps have gone up quite a bit in recent years, so that might not be the case any more. I've only just renewed my subscription, so won't have to face that decision for another year now.
I originally set up my EBS subscription to pay by bank transfer so it is permanently in my phone/iPad banking app and takes no more than about ten seconds to do the transfer each year and with no fee - and it's instant.
"You can't change history as that won't change the future"
I've never seen the attraaction of internet banking. For one thing I don't think it's very secure because you only need to be hacked once and it's all gone, and for another, the idea that if something goes wrong I have literally no-one to turn to bar a chatline, possibly in a foreign country ... I want to be able to go to a branch.
Out of interest, what happens (and it could become a very big problem) when someone dies and all their records are on their mobile phone? A mobile phone that they access by fingerprint? Especially if the mobile phone is lost! They have no paperwork, the executor will have no idea where their money is or how much they have. What do they do?
I don't know how it is done in the UK but in Germany there is always some paperwork included when the bank account is opened even if it is a direct bank. You have to sign something, then you get your PIN, the card etc by mail. Of course the person might have thrown those papers away (I kept them) - but they could do the same with any other paperwork from a bank too so there wouldn't necessarily something to be found if a person with no relatives is found dead. Also most people will have a card from their bank that could be found.
And internet banking doesn't always mean that it is a direct bank with no branches. I had several bank accounts in the past where there were branches but you could also use online banking (which I did most of the time after the first few years where online banking wasn't yet common).
As far as I know, when someone dies, there's an option of a one off payment which covers things like letting utility companies know the person is deceased, cancelling driving licences, passports etc and I think, it also closes all bank accounts owned by that person. If not, I would have thought a solicitor would be able to trace things like that. Obviously the more information the next of kin can provide, such as account numbers, paperwork etc will make the process much easier.
Katharine wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 13:45
I think it costs more to renew by Paypal doesn't it, as it includes the Paypal fee.
PayPal is free to use. The only charge is to a business if they accept PayPal payments. I send my subs directly to Tony's email address, neither of us are charged.
Oh maybe I misread it then, I was sure it was slightly more expensive to use Paypal when subscribing, or maybe it's when purchasing Society publications?
Such a waste.
