AT&T, Apple Begin Paying $40 to U.S. iPad 3G Purchasers After Unlimited Data Lawsuit

[furi0usbee]

But check being the cheapest form of transaction--that's nonsense. I might be the least involved method but check transactions are far from the cheapest--there's a reason why financial institutions, business, etc prefer electronic processing.

Yes, there's a reason why financial institutions prefer electronic processing... money. You think all this money is being transferred around the globe for free? You've heard of companies like ADP right? They get PAID to facilitate transfers of money, payroll, etc. Ever hit an ATM? That's YOU getting hit. But behind the scenes, every time money is moved from one location to another, you can be rest assured someone is taking a cut.

 

[C DM]

How so? You had to go online to register for the class action settlement. How difficult would it have been to enter your account details at that time? Then yesterday the money would have just showed up in your account instead of receiving a check that you now have to go deposit.

I never used a stamp or mailed a payment to anyone in either of those countries. No checks lost in the mail. I've managed to get things organized here where I only write probably 2-3 checks per year, but it would be nice to do away with them all together. Doing away with checks would also eliminate the problem of bounced checks....but I'm guessing the associated fees are a great source of income to the banks.

For those who ask how you would pay people without bank accounts, maybe the question should be why our financial system is set up to make it so difficult for people to get or maintain a bank account?

Why would I want to give away my banking information to some random class action lawsuit? I'd rather not give any more information than needed and just get my check. Seems simpler to me and I'm sure many others. Plus those who might not have a bank account for whatever reason.

 

[BruiserB]

Why would I want to give away my banking information to some random class action lawsuit? I'd rather not give any more information than needed and just get my check. Seems simpler to me and I'm sure many others. Plus those who might not have a bank account for whatever reason.

Because your bank account information is not useful for anything besides making a deposit to your account. Nobody can use it to initiate a withdrawal. By the way, you currently give your account info away every time you hand someone a check in the US. And here those numbers can be used to initiate a withdrawal from your account.

I addressed the no bank account excuse.....that's further evidence of our messed up banking system. I didn't see any check cashing stores that gouge people in Switzerland or Australia either.

In any case I wonder how many people who purchased the 1st generation iPad, and received their notification of class action suit by email, and filled out their claim forms online don't have a bank account to deposit their check into.

I know it's hard to believe any place in the world has figured something out in a more clever way than the good ol' USA, but I've lived with the alternate systems, and they are an improvement over what we have.

 

[C DM]

Because your bank account information is not useful for anything besides making a deposit to your account. Nobody can use it to initiate a withdrawal. By the way, you currently give your account info away every time you hand someone a check in the US. And here those numbers can be used to initiate a withdrawal from your account.

I addressed the no bank account excuse.....that's further evidence of our messed up banking system. I didn't see any check cashing stores that gouge people in Switzerland or Australia either.

In any case I wonder how many people who purchased the 1st generation iPad, and received their notification of class action suit by email, and filled out their claim forms online don't have a bank account to deposit their check into.

I know it's hard to believe any place in the world has figured something out in a more clever way than the good ol' USA, but I've lived with the alternate systems, and they are an improvement over what we have.

What someone can or can't do doesn't really concern me. When it comes to some class action and lawyers and essentially things that don't really concern me except for money that they owe me I don't want them to have any more information than the minimum necessary. So a chek will do just fine. Thankfully that's the option that exists for it so I don't have to give any more than publicly available information (like my name and address).

As for those without a bank account, most can still easily go to a normal bank and cash their check without anything crazy going on.

The overall system can certainly be better and provide more options, but for things of this nature and check does just fine (and can often be preferred).

 

[tbayrgs]

Yes, there's a reason why financial institutions prefer electronic processing... money. You think all this money is being transferred around the globe for free? You've heard of companies like ADP right? They get PAID to facilitate transfers of money, payroll, etc. Ever hit an ATM? That's YOU getting hit. But behind the scenes, every time money is moved from one location to another, you can be rest assured someone is taking a cut.

The fees assessed to you as an individual consumer for a service are irrelevant here. You think large corporations are going to wire the money to you via Western Union? Bank to Bank electronic transactions cost financial institutions pennies--no employees to encode checks for processing, no postage to mail checks, etc. Apple could send these payment electronically to consumers for far less $ than it is costing them to manually generate and mail checks. I can initiate an electronic payment to another account from my bank account and guess what it costs me--$0.00. Banks prefer electronic processing for everything because it's much cheaper for them--whether they assess fees to their customers is an entirely different matter. My guess is Apple wouldn't have to deal with these fees.

 

[AtomicDusk]

Thats nothing for ATT, they should pay a lot more at least 200 bucks

When you factor in the lawyer fees...

 

[ThunderSkunk]

As opposed to cash?

lol

The rest of the civilized and even developing world uses instantaneous electronic transfers that usually cost nothing.

US is as usual stuck in the 1800s, and sadly isn't even aware there's a better way of doing... nearly everything. Ridiculous.



It is *finally* starting to get talked about... http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013...ode-489-the-invisible-plumbing-of-our-economy

 

[C DM]

lol

The rest of the civilized and even developing world uses instantaneous electronic transfers that usually cost nothing.

US is as usual stuck in the 1800s, and sadly isn't even aware there's a better way of doing... nearly everything. Ridiculous.



It is *finally* starting to get talked about... http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013...ode-489-the-invisible-plumbing-of-our-economy

Seems like you missed quite a bit of discussion about all of this that followed in this thread.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Seems like you missed quite a bit of discussion about all of this that followed in this thread.

It took me so long from when I started writing it to come back & finish it that all this other discussion happened in the mean time. Oh well.

 

[furi0usbee]

I can initiate an electronic payment to another account from my bank account and guess what it costs me--$0.00.

I can initiate a transfer from my stripe account to my bank account too, for free. However, if I want to send tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions of checks, guess what, I'll need some (established) service provider who can do that. I'll need to collect all that information. I'll need secure systems, etc. Yes, 1:1 it's free. 1,000,000:1, unless you are sitting there doing this by hand, that's not free. As I mentioned in another post, there are many companies who handle this sort of thing for paying large amounts of parties, but they don't do it because they like helping people. They do it for money.

So yeah, electronic transfers are easy, but requires capturing more information to succeed. And there is a threshold that would be reached when it would be much more cost effective to simply cut checks.

 

[mac.cali]

Got my checks yesterday.
Not so sure why people are so paranoid in cashing them. In this day in age, I'm sure there is more information out there about you then you think.

 

[C DM]

Got my checks yesterday.
Not so sure why people are so paranoid in cashing them. In this day in age, I'm sure there is more information out there about you then you think.

I don't think it's really paranoia nor is it really about cashing. I guess the question is more about would you have simply provided your bank routing number and your bank account number to have the settlement directly deposited to you or would you just stick to just providing your name and address and just getting a check and taking care of depositing it or using it on your own?

 

[BruiserB]

AT&T, Apple Begin Paying $40 to U.S. iPad 3G Purchasers After Unlimited Data ...

I don't think it's really paranoia nor is it really about cashing. I guess the question is more about would you have simply provided your bank routing number and your bank account number to have the settlement directly deposited to you or would you just stick to just providing your name and address and just getting a check and taking care of depositing it or using it on your own?

Would I be openly share my routing and account number with the way the US system is set up now? Maybe not. My primary concern would be that someone can use that number to initiate a withdrawal from my account. However, every time I hand someone a check, those exact numbers are exposed. And as you say bank system here has worked for years. So do you never write checks? You only accept them from others? Aren't you more concerned that when you hand over a check in a store or send in a utility bill, that someone who probably has a minimum wage job is handling or processing your check with your account numbers on it? Your check from Apple was handled by countless USPS employees/contractors and depending on where you live may have sat for several hours in an nonsecure box on your front porch. There are so many chances for fraud/loss now, yet we accept them and we do get by.

Do I now think there are improvements that could be made? Yes! In Australia think of your routing and account number as an e-mail address for your money. You give out your email address today because you know that people can send you email, but you don't have any fear that they can use that address to log into your email account and read all of your other emails. In Australia I was able to do the same thing with my routing and account number. Believe me, as an American, I was surprised and suspicious of the practice at first as well. Some companies in Australia even include their routing and account numbers right on their letterhead....they want to make it easy to send them money!! I did like the fact that nobody pulls money from your account with it. To pay my rent, I didn't give my account details to my landlord to set up an automatic monthly withdrawal like you may do with a mortgage company here. Instead my landlord gave me their banking details and I set up my bank account to pay their bank account monthly. That kept the control of the money on my side. I could start/stop/change the payment from my side and under my control. In fact on returning to the US I now pay my mortgage and other bills this way. I have opted not to allow anyone ACH withdrawal power on my account. I now prefer to pay through sending a payment with internet banking.

With a one way system like Australia's I would have had zero concerns about providing my bank details at the time I filled in the class action application.

 

[C DM]

Would I be openly share my routing and account number with the way the US system is set up now? Maybe not. My primary concern would be that someone can use that number to initiate a withdrawal from my account. However, every time I hand someone a check, those exact numbers are exposed. And as you say bank system here has worked for years. So do you never write checks? You only accept them from others? Aren't you more concerned that when you hand over a check in a store or send in a utility bill, that someone who probably has a minimum wage job is handling or processing your check with your account numbers on it? Your check from Apple was handled by countless USPS employees/contractors and depending on where you live may have sat for several hours in an nonsecure box on your front porch. There are so many chances for fraud/loss now, yet we accept them and we do get by.

Do I now think there are improvements that could be made? Yes! In Australia think of your routing and account number as an e-mail address for your money. You give out your email address today because you know that people can send you email, but you don't have any fear that they can use that address to log into your email account and read all of your other emails. In Australia I was able to do the same thing with my routing and account number. Believe me, as an American, I was surprised and suspicious of the practice at first as well. Some companies in Australia even include their routing and account numbers right on their letterhead....they want to make it easy to send them money!! I did like the fact that nobody pulls money from your account with it. To pay my rent, I didn't give my account details to my landlord to set up an automatic monthly withdrawal like you may do with a mortgage company here. Instead my landlord gave me their banking details and I set up my bank account to pay their bank account monthly. That kept the control of the money on my side. I could start/stop/change the payment from my side and under my control. In fact on returning to the US I now pay my mortgage and other bills this way. I have opted not to allow anyone ACH withdrawal power on my account. I now prefer to pay through sending a payment with internet banking.

With a one way system like Australia's I would have had zero concerns about providing my bank details at the time I filled in the class action application.

The difference with something like some random class action case settlement is I have no connection or relationship with whatever entity is handling the payments and I'm not making any payments to them just getting money from them and that is it (wishing to have no other contact with them essentially), so why would I care to give them anything else than whatever bare minimum that might be needed? Again, not so much because I have something to hide or whatnot, but just because I don't care about them and just want to get my money as "anonymously" (so to say) as possible really even if that doesn't really mean much in the end.

 

[BruiserB]

The difference with something like some random class action case settlement is I have no connection or relationship with whatever entity is handling the payments and I'm not making any payments to them just getting money from them and that is it (wishing to have no other contact with them essentially), so why would I care to give them anything else than whatever bare minimum that might be needed? Again, not so much because I have something to hide or whatnot, but just because I don't care about them and just want to get my money as "anonymously" as possible really even if that doesn't really mean much in the end.

One could always have a small side bank account set up that you use for this sort of thing in much the same way as many people have a different email address they use for shopping online, etc. Then transfer from that account to your main bank account when the money arrives. Not suggesting you would have opened an account just for this class action payment, but you could have one you use for trivial things like this.

I actually had a similar thought when supplying my bank details to the IRS on my tax return for my refund....did I really want the IRS to know where I keep my money in case they decide in the future that I owe them money?? I did opt to give them my details, but paused and thought about it first!

 

[C DM]

One could always have a small side bank account set up that you use for this sort of thing in much the same way as many people have a different email address they use for shopping online, etc. Then transfer from that account to your main bank account when the money arrives. Not suggesting you would have opened an account just for this class action payment, but you could have one you use for trivial things like this.

I actually had a similar thought when supplying my bank details to the IRS on my tax return for my refund....did I really want the IRS to know where I keep my money in case they decide in the future that I owe them money?? I did opt to give them my details, but paused and thought about it first!

Seems like getting a check is still simpler than any/all of that.

As for IRS, seems like we went through the same thought process on that and ended up doing the same thing (in my case I ultimately figured that given that they are a government agency with the reach and power that they have that they would have no trouble obtaining my banking information probably almost in an instant should they need it, even if I myself never provided it for them before).

 

[BruiserB]

Seems like getting a check is still simpler than any/all of that.



As for IRS, seems like we went through the same thought process on that and ended up doing the same thing (in my case I ultimately figured that given that they are a government agency with the reach and power that they have that they would have no trouble obtaining my banking information probably almost in an instant should they need it, even if I myself never provided it for them before).

I guess we differ there....I think the simplest solution would have been just to give my details when I applied for the class action settlement (assuming our banking system operated like Australia's).

We are of the same mind regarding the IRS. Your reason for providing the info was exactly the same as mine. And even with an Australian style system, I'm sure they'd have no problem finding or getting money they believe to be theirs!

 

[SBlue1]

In Europe we stopped using checkes decades ago. Paychecks? Got my money electronically to my free bank account. No costs to send money, no cost to receive. Have a bill to pay? Log in to my account and transfer the money.

Does it cost more to process all this digitally than to print numbers on papers and send them by mail? For sure not. Is it faster than the snail mail? It is. Is it safer? Sure, nobody can steal my check out of my mailbox. Can someone hack my account and transfer all the money to his account? Not really, there are all kind of two step verification, pins and transaction codes systems implemented.

After all it is faster, easier and safer. So yes it sounds strange to read here about sending paper checks by mail.

 

[Blakjack]

It's been so long I forgot I was getting it. Got it today. Definitely going towards gas.

 

[C DM]

In Europe we stopped using checkes decades ago. Paychecks? Got my money electronically to my free bank account. No costs to send money, no cost to receive. Have a bill to pay? Log in to my account and transfer the money.

Does it cost more to process all this digitally than to print numbers on papers and send them by mail? For sure not. Is it faster than the snail mail? It is. Is it safer? Sure, nobody can steal my check out of my mailbox. Can someone hack my account and transfer all the money to his account? Not really, there are all kind of two step verification, pins and transaction codes systems implemented.

After all it is faster, easier and safer. So yes it sounds strange to read here about sending paper checks by mail.

Again, in a case like this, where it's just about getting some money from some agency that is doing it for some class action settlement, with all the discussion that happened earlier in the thread, it seems like a check is the simpler way to go.

 

[AxoNeuron]

OT: always amazes me that the US uses checks. i dont think ive actually touched or seen a check first hand in my entire life

I live in the US. Most stores don't accept checks. I've never used a check either.

 

[C DM]

I live in the US. Most stores don't accept checks. I've never used a check either.

Most stores usually accept checks. Perhaps it's some regional or local oddity in some places. Most people don't pay by check at stores though.

 

[barkomatic]

I mean this in a good natured way, but you people are nuts. When I clicked on this topic I expected the conversation to actually focus on the lawsuit and the shenanigans from AT&T and Apple that led to it.

Instead, almost every comment centers around the fact that the settlement was paid by check. I think there would have been less controversy if the settlement came in the form of one live chicken and a sack of beans.

 

[shenan1982]

The problem is more the legal system the way it works with a class action settlement. In many cases such as this, the "class" is defined by anyone known to AT&T to be a part of the class, and no claim form is required. So it would be a ridiculous process to manage if they had to handle claims coming in when they can run a script that pulls all eligible recipients (class members), cuts a check to their address, then within 6 months if they're not cashed, it's done. Simple. Quick. Easy.

 

[BruiserB]

AT&T, Apple Begin Paying $40 to U.S. iPad 3G Purchasers After Unlimited Data ...

The problem is more the legal system the way it works with a class action settlement. In many cases such as this, the "class" is defined by anyone known to AT&T to be a part of the class, and no claim form is required. So it would be a ridiculous process to manage if they had to handle claims coming in when they can run a script that pulls all eligible recipients (class members), cuts a check to their address, then within 6 months if they're not cashed, it's done. Simple. Quick. Easy.

Yea, but that's not how it worked. Apple emailed me because the iPad was bought and associated with my AppleID. I then had to fill in an online claim form. This ensured they had my correct mailing address....imagine what percent of people have moved since the first iPad came out. I think you also had to click some box saying you had subscribed to ATT with the iPad.

Oh, and I had to affirm that by accepting the class action payout that I wouldn't further sue ATT or Apple.....they would miss out on me waiving any future rights if they just sent checks.....there's always a claim form!