I sure have. Since the supposed pandemic whose numbers growingly call into question the harsh procedures put into place, banks were one of the few approved necessary businesses we saw shut their doors. I bank with not one, but two of the larger bank monopolies here in the US and they still have their branches shut.
I searched on one of their sites yesterday, and no branch within seventeen miles (that's the furthest their locater will look) has reopened yet.
During this same time, I have received several emails urging me to utilize online banking.
Urging me to download their spying app onto my phone, for "my convenience" it argues.
I even got an email pitching me to open a savings account, and if I put in and maintain a minimum of 5000.00 they won't even charge me for handing it to them. I felt like yet again I've fallen into some Bizarro world. I mean, its bad enough they are able to take the money I do have in their bank and create 90% of it (last figure I've read) to lend to others. Using that math, if I was to deposit say 4000.00 in their bank, they would legally be able to create an additional 3600.00 to loan out against that. This gets even more shady if (as is likely) the loan is to one of their own customers who will in some way deposit that money back into their bank allowing more of this money creation.
The funniest email I received was the one (same bank) telling me that I should stop using cash because debit is not only safer, its...drumroll please...you guessed it..."more convenient" for keeping track of purchases. I really laughed at that one, because it's pretty easy to reach for my wallet and discover if it has money in it or not. No need to call the bank (would have said drive down there, but they closed their doors to us) and spend all that time listening to their automated spiel talking about all kinds of Covid stuff that has nothing to do with me (or most people).
The other bank I deal with will only talk to you on the phone if someone stole your identity. They don't want to even pay people to talk on the phone to you.
I was muttering to myself yesterday after searching for a branch and coming up empty, what if I wanted to close my account? Is it even possible? I know they used to demand you do it in person at one of the branches.
Now there is supposedly a shortage on coins due to the pandemic. Evidently the Federal Reserve is rationing them out to the banks and telling them what they will do with them Gee, I wonder who the banks will give them to.
So be prepared to have your purchases rounded up (even if it was an even dollar amount, still got taxes coming). Item costs 5.35 because the tax of .35, no way will they let that tax slide. Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
You can always use debit. It's more convenient. Hmmmm
On a side note, we have a fellow Hivian (is that even a word?) who needs help. He's been a true leader in the Family Protection group here, raffling off several times silver coins in exchange for donations to @familyprotection. This time he finds his own family the target as they eyeball his niece. You can read about it here.
https://hive.blog/familyprotection/@article61/my-family-s-struggle-against-cps-and-forced-adoption
He understandably doesn't want his niece being funneled through the foster care system, and worst case scenario wants to petition the courts for legal guardianship to ensure this child remains with family who love her.
His post on the raffle is here, or I reblogged it yesterday on my feed.
It is heartbreaking that he is raffling off another coin in this situation. He has been here reaching into his own pocket time and again to support this project. I’m hopeful that whomever wins the coin will donate it to his fight honestly.
I first came across him a couple years ago, shortly after I discovered the Family Protection project here. I was enamored with the work that the project does, not only in educating victims targeted by the CPS apparatus, but often helping them to afford basic needs like diapers, food and such. It was humbling for me to witness and be invited to help a structure based from love and consent. A true display that none of us need wait to participate in a voluntary manner to help our brothers and sisters.
Sadly, often times those who are targeted by agencies such as CPS are struggling financially. Not a good position to begin with, but especially disastrous when the government has placed their focus on you and you now have to worry with what rights you have on top of whats for dinner tonight for the kids.
Enter @article61. If I had to pick one word to describe him, it would be a leader. Someone who, even when the chips are down, wants to step up to the plate and help ease the burden of another.
There have been many of us who have contributed rewards and upvoted to the Family Protection Project. @article61 has done this and much more. He has reached into his own pocket on multiple occasions and raffled off silver coins, the entry cost being donations to the project. Not only paying out of his pocket for these coins, but to ship them to the winners as well.
- Raffle one
- Raffle Two
- Raffle Three. I’m including extra links. He was being evicted during this raffle, and still wanted to help this project enough to part with the coins and eat the shipping. He also gave away some Steem monster cards Gold foil.
https://hive.blog/debt/@article61/evicted-23-days-to-find-a-home
https://hive.blog/debt/@article61/evicted-moving-day-reflections
This one was especially meaningful for me, as one of my entries was the winner of the coin, and was sent to another quiet yet generous member of the community, @steeminganarchy. Here is his post holding the coin up after he received it.
- Raffle Four
This one also was special for me, as one of my entries won again and the coin went to one of those families I was talking about. A mother in OUR community needing help.
I hate I don't write a lot anymore. I used to participate heavily in his raffles, and it saddens me that I don't have the fluid rewards to do so this time. So it hit me last night that I need to write and name him as the beneficiary. I'm hopeful that not only will he have a large participation in his raffle, but that others too might either donate directly to him or do as I am here and name him the beneficiary. This dude is the real deal as you can see from the links above. His heart is huge, and he and that little girl need our help.
Thank you for anything you might do to help our brother be a shelter for his niece.
Thank you @practicalthought for writing the post. Do you say the banks spy on us with the bankingapps on our phones?
Thank you what you are doing for @article61
You have a very good heart too.
Blessings.
Most of the apps are spying on us.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2019/06/02/your-iphone-is-spying-on-you-heres-how-to-stop-it/#2f13294112dd
Sadly, data collected on us has been growing for years. Facebook is the most famous, and many are unaware of how much even they are. Even if you don't have an account with them, they know you've visited any website that has that share on Facebook link on it.
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/alexkantrowitz/heres-how-facebook-tracks-you-when-youre-not-on-facebook
Their app is famous for activating your microphone. Many people over the years have reported things they discussed with friends suddenly showing as ads on Facebook. Many of the large corporations sell all the data to large data companies which allows more context for their profiles on each of us.
Much of it is legal, as in the very lengthy TOS agreed to that most nobody reads, you consent to the invasion. They really ramped it up in the last year when so many companies sent out their updated TOS/privacy policies. This has become even more sinister for any who use smart tech in their homes as the TOS states they are collecting data on you.
https://www.howtogeek.com/233742/how-to-stop-your-smart-tv-from-spying-on-you/
Given how much attention is being placed upon any financial transaction you make under anti terror/KYC laws, it seems logical to conclude that banks would be at the forefront of gathering intel any way they can.An app downloaded willingly gives the consent.
It is safer to assume if something can spy on you now, it probably is. For years now I have taken to calling smart technology spy technology. I could write many posts on this, but the information is all around us they are demanding we have nowhere to go for a moments privacy.
Thank you for your kind words.
Regards to you and yours
Thank you for your extensive reply. Highly appreciated‼️
Let's see what happens...lol
https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@lucylin/community-lets-see-how-to-use-virtue-signalers-guilt-and-community-eyes-for-the-good
Banks have been a total joke for a long time...
I really had my first wake-up call around 1989-90 as manager of a gift store. During the Christmas holidays, we'd take a lot of cash, which then would end up in the deposits. On a busy weekend going into Monday we might have $4,000 in cash to deposit... and that was when I first came across a small line item on our statement: the bank was actually CHARGING us $1.50 per $1,000 to COUNT CASH!!
Wait... isn't the core function of a bank to handle money? And keep in mind this was 30 years ago.
I made an appointment with the manager to let her know we were closing all our business accounts, citing the cash counting fee. She made some mumbling rationalizations about "the cost of doing business," so I asked her if it would be a problem next time she came to our store (she was a customer) that we would "charge $2 for running the cash register, because it was part of the cost of doing business."
Crickets chirped...
Hilarious. Years ago (90's) I stopped using banks and would have to cash my work checks. I was astonished they began charging me to cash my paycheck. I was like, "But my work banks here. This is their check drawn on your bank." Was told the same as you, cost of doing business if I wanted to exchange the check for money. Since then I hear they now demand your fingerprint on the check if you won't open an account.
I left it out of my post here, but was reading of people complaining about the banks asking why you want your money if you try to withdraw a couple grand, one person saying the bank refused to give it to her because they didn't like her answer. People better wake up, now they hardly pretend its our money.
Send the tip to where it needs to go...ty.
Thank you. I see you made a post on this as well. I will upvote it tomorrow when I recharge a bit more. I wasn't going to log in tonight but saw your gesture and needed to come and acknowledge and thank you. I sent the donation on to him.
I appreciate your take on community.
https://peakd.com/hive-174578/@lucylin/community-lets-see-how-to-use-virtue-signalers-guilt-and-community-eyes-for-the-good
I've always felt community was where two or more people of like mind found enough commonality to desire cultivating something together stronger than one can do separately. Nurturing and supporting as something grows. I remember hearing all the talk about when would communities arrive and thinking their already here if you understand what a community is. Not some forced thing, a voluntary dynamic that one isn't coerced into, but covets being a part of.
I knew when I first came across FP it was something I needed to be a part of. I quickly found I couldn't write a whole lot on it as the stories are heart wrenching. But I knew it was something I wanted to support, especially after seeing them help real people feed their kids. THATS A COMMUNITY, built of literal strangers meeting on the internet. It's humbling to be a part of something like this, to witness kindness like you display today, and like article61 has displayed in the past. It helps ease much bitterness in a jaded heart to see others who stand up and act for another.
Waxing on, but I'm thankful for your leadership towards helping him. I really don't know what response will be, but however I can help is the best I can do. He has been here leading the way, and hoping many in the community come together for him as he has stepped up for the community.
Lost for words, buddy. All I can say is that it is folk like yourself which make fp such a treasured group. Thank you doesn't seem to cut it when you read something like this. I'm so moved by your actions and it is actions that truly make the difference in life.
Here in the netherlands you have to pay to bring cashh to the banks, they say due to corona but i bet that isnt the truth
Congratulations @practicalthought! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
You can view your badges on your board And compare to others on the Ranking
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPSupport the HiveBuzz project. Vote for our proposal!