Feed into MPs' inquiry - share your views on society becoming more 'cashless' with Coronavirus

MoneySeeker1

Aranyani said:

MoneySeeker1 said:

That much is a good idea - ie to allow us to get cashback without making purchases.

Cashback is the way I get most of my cash anyway - being one of the (numerous) people that doesn't have a branch of my bank anywhere near me these days. Add that it's easy to just get some cash whilst I'm in the supermarket doing my shopping anyway - rather than a special trip to a Post Office (which is the other way I have to go about getting cash).

You don't use cash machines/ATMs?

Nope.

I've read rather a lot of instances of people finding money has been stolen off them by said cash machines having been fiddled with by thieves for my liking. I've had enough thefts from me in my lifetime without giving any more thieves a chance to have a go at me.


Plus there's the added thing that some ATM's charge.

Supermarkets/post offices = no risk of theft/no risk of a charge.

tghe-retford

I am finding myself using contactless payment consistently now. Namely because every time I use contactless, I get cashback from my current account provider. So from a money saving perspective, it makes more sense for me to use contactless when making purchases.

My concern with going cashless as a society is the potential for banks to use that situation to create issues for anyone they disagree with politically. With cash, if you say something that is deemed provocative, offensive or against Government or scientific advice ("fake news" or "conspiracy theories"), you can still pay for items and bills with cash, even if for the latter, there is a higher price to pay, you are still able to function in society. Government will not ban you from using cash. With cashless, you can't function if banks refuse you service, can't pay for items and can't pay bills. This gives the banks and payment processors an incentive to police what people say and what ideas can be expressed. This has already happened in America where conservatives have found themselves without banking capability as service was pulled for their political beliefs.

We need regulation to safeguard individuals and ensure that banks do not get too much power in a cashless society.

Tammykitty

tghe-retford said:

I am finding myself using contactless payment consistently now. Namely because every time I use contactless, I get cashback from my current account provider. So from a money saving perspective, it makes more sense for me to use contactless when making purchases.

My concern with going cashless as a society is the potential for banks to use that situation to create issues for anyone they disagree with politically. With cash, if you say something that is deemed provocative, offensive or against Government or scientific advice ("fake news" or "conspiracy theories"), you can still pay for items and bills with cash, even if for the latter, there is a higher price to pay, you are still able to function in society. Government will not ban you from using cash. With cashless, you can't function if banks refuse you service, can't pay for items and can't pay bills. This gives the banks and payment processors an incentive to police what people say and what ideas can be expressed. This has already happened in America where conservatives have found themselves without banking capability as service was pulled for their political beliefs.

We need regulation to safeguard individuals and ensure that banks do not get too much power in a cashless society.

Aleady claims by a political group (albeit an Dissident Republican one, but if they can close accounts on the request of the government for one group, who says that they won't do it for others) in Northern Ireland that Santander closed their accounts 
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/news/republican-dissidents-in-protests-outside-santander-banks-across-ni-39636017.html

Takmon

MoneySeeker1 said:

Aranyani said:

MoneySeeker1 said:

That much is a good idea - ie to allow us to get cashback without making purchases.

Cashback is the way I get most of my cash anyway - being one of the (numerous) people that doesn't have a branch of my bank anywhere near me these days. Add that it's easy to just get some cash whilst I'm in the supermarket doing my shopping anyway - rather than a special trip to a Post Office (which is the other way I have to go about getting cash).

You don't use cash machines/ATMs?

Nope.

I've read rather a lot of instances of people finding money has been stolen off them by said cash machines having been fiddled with by thieves for my liking. I've had enough thefts from me in my lifetime without giving any more thieves a chance to have a go at me.


Plus there's the added thing that some ATM's charge.

Supermarkets/post offices = no risk of theft/no risk of a charge.

Well there are also lots of instances reported where people have been mugged in the street so using the same logic you must never leave the house so they don't have the chance to do it too you...

Jeremy535897

According to OP, comments were required by yesterday.