Credit/Debit Cards: Do you / would you use them and /or accept them??

[Electra225]

This is for both providers and clients.

 

I've noticed an increasing number of providers (both escorts and masseurs) accepting credit/debit cards. As a client, I've done business with several providers (both escorts and masseurs) over the past couple of years using either a credit or debit card. I've only used this method of payment with established and well reviewed providers and/or those with whom I have an established relationship (business, of course). I find that this is, for me, more convenient than having to go out of my way to find an ATM to get cash and I don't really relish, any more, the idea of carrying a substantial amount of cash on my person in the evening/night hours. The providers who I see who accept credit/debit cards use "Square" on their smart phones to accept payment. I am seeing more and more providers letting their clients (prospective or established) know that they accept credit cards. I find that when I find a provider who offers the convenience of paying for their services (time only, of course) via a credit or debit card to be an added incentive to pick up the phone and make an appointment. With the enhancements to the payment processing industry (security, for example), do you (either providers or clients) think that offering / accepting credit / debit cards as a form of payment to be an added benefit to doing business? As a provider, would you be interested in offering this added benefit (Why or why not?)? As a client, would you be interested in accepting this added benefit/service from a provider (Why or why not?)? As we become more and more of a cashless society, I am just wondering where this sector of human endeavor and enterprise is going.

[Guest boiworship08]

Unless you want a digital trail of your activities and the revelation of your real name and details, you'd best stick to cash.

[adannyboy]

I've used the square app for the past couple of years.

As a provider, I've set it up so that it's a discreet charge classified as a personal service like a haircut or a spa massage. It comes up at "DC easy pay" on credit card statements and I've (knock on wood) had no problems from the gentlemen who take advantage of that method of payment.

Downside for providers: It does charge a 3% fee for each transaction and depending on the time of the charge (late nights, for example) it could take up to two extra days to get the funds. I've heard that larger amounts of money get tricky because Square wants you to have a tax ID to be able to retrieve the funds. So for someone starting out or someone who maybe doesn't pay their taxes for whatever reason, it may not work out.

[+ WilliamM]

Yes, I prefer credit cards. In fact, back in the day, some escort agencies took credit cards. I do not have a problem revealing my name. I find having a lot of cash in my pocket annoying, especially as we move to a mostly cash-free society.

 

I remember when I would buy traveler's checks before a vacation. Glad those days are over, escorting will change as well.

[Juan Vancouver]

Not me. Under any circumstance.

 

I believe that the principal tenet of discretion goes a little against the grain when it comes to having a paper trail. If I accepted credit cards and one day I got investigated for whatever reason that would implicate every single one of my past customers. In Canada escorting is legal, but if I worked in The States often, where hiring is illegal, I don't want to even imagine how guilty I would feel if because of me my clients were found guilty of a sex offence.

 

Cash. In person. Under very specific circumstances maybe a money order, but since I have received 5 or 6 in all my years of escorting it would hardly be incriminating at all.

 

This is what works for me.

[Guest ChrisW]

Not me. Under any circumstance.

 

I believe that the principal tenet of discretion goes a little against the grain when it comes to having a paper trail. If I accepted credit cards and one day I got investigated for whatever reason that would implicate every single one of my past customers. In Canada escorting is legal, but if I worked in The States often, where hiring is illegal, I don't want to even imagine how guilty I would feel if because of me my clients were found guilty of a sex offence.

 

Cash. In person. Under very specific circumstances maybe a money order, but since I have received 5 or 6 in all my years of escorting it would hardly be incriminating at all.

 

This is what works for me.

If you get arrested and since your a well known escort you might want to worry about having your phone searched or computer too. A subpoena is a hell of a thing.

[nynakedtop]

I totally agree with the original poster that carrying cash is a nuisance and that alternative payment options simply make the whole process much simpler. Perhaps I am a bit flippant in my attitude towards matters of security, privacy, and so on... but for me that is my "reality" and I would trade any such risks for the convenience of paying by plastic or virtual money.

[+ RyanDean]

On the subject of wads of cash: My financial institution runs a cashless office, referring all cash disbursement requests to their ATM. Which is fine by me, I guess. But the ATM leaves me without a ready way to request anything other than a $20. So, my thread-hijacking question is: where can one easily (freely?) exchange a wad of 20s for other denominations? Am I correct in my impression that you must be a customer of a commercial bank to request such a service? [Feel free to PM me, so as to avoid further thread-hijacking, if you like.]

 

And now we return to our regularly-scheduled, on-topic conversation...

[Irtwo]

RyanDean, I've often used commercial banks where I didn't have an account to change denominations of cash. Never had a problem. It's only where you start requesting cashier checks or something like that that they sometimes say it's only for customers.

[Electra225]

To continue:

 

ATM's only dispense $20.00 bills in the U.S. If you use an out-of-network ATM you are usually charged a fee, which may, or may not, be waived by your own bank. If one is going to have to go to an ATM at night to secure cash for an appointment with a provider, I do not like the idea of going to a machine, usually outdoors or in a drive-up, to get hundreds of dollars in cash which is a security risk on my part. If you are an un-known (or even a known) customer of a bank and start showing up with hundreds of dollars in cash (tens, twenties, etc.) you may, or may not, be questioned and asked to provide proof of identity (and the bank may, at its discretion turn you into the IRS for cash transactions--even if they are substantially less than $10,000.00 (they may think you are going all over town converting small bills into big ones). You may be able to convert stacks of smaller bills at a large grocery store, where their security measures are less stringent than at a bank, but you also run into the potential problem of the grocery store convenience desk not having enough cash to convert all that you need (if you are a provider).

 

For me, I would much rather use "Square" (and have done so successfully over the past 18 months or so) and not have to worry about carrying relatively large amounts of cash with the attendant risks and inconvenience. I believe that as we move more and more towards a cashless society, these types of cash transactions, sooner or later, are going to be a thing of the past. Yes, for now, using cash is a relatively anonymous method, but I think that sometime in the not-too-distant future cash may go the way of the check.

[tom1980]

ATM's only dispense $20.00 bills in the U.S.

 

ATMs outside of banking locations sometimes dispense larger denomination bills. Some stand alone drive up ATMs in Texas dispense $50s if you take out more than $100. The 1st $100 comes in $20s and the rest comes in $50s (so a $500 withdrawal gives you five $20s and eight $50s).

[Steven_Draker]

In Europe you can select the amount then the denomination you want from the machine.

 

At the ATM you can withdraw bills of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 or 500 Euros.

[+ WilliamM]

In Europe you can select the amount then the denomination you want from the machine.

 

At the ATM you can withdraw bills of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 or 500 Euros.

 

Is that a recent change, Steven? It would have helped greatly when I was driving through Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia for four weeks in 2013.

[Steven_Draker]

Is that a recent change, Steven? It would have helped greatly when I was driving through Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia for four weeks in 2013.

 

http://www.civitas.org.uk/eufacts/graphics/eurozone.GIF

[+ WilliamM]

http://www.civitas.org.uk/eufacts/graphics/eurozone.GIF

 

My mistake. I have only been in countries lately that are not in the Eurozone. Add Sweden & The Czech Republic to the eastern European countries I mentioned earlier. Thanks very much for your response.

[Bryanforservice]

Providing credit card acceptance (through Square) as a convenient payment option to clients is what it comes down to for me. I figure the more convenience I can provide in all respects (payment choices, communication method choices, availability of schedule, etc) the more marketable I will be for the widest possible audience of potential clients. Ultimately I am a service provider and doing that on terms that the client expects is how I create the best experience.

[anotherjohnindupont]

Unless you want a digital trail of your activities and the revelation of your real name and details, you'd best stick to cash.

 

Cash is king!

[TruHart1]

Outside ATM locations

 

ATMs outside of banking locations sometimes dispense larger denomination bills. Some stand alone drive up ATMs in Texas dispense $50s if you take out more than $100. The 1st $100 comes in $20s and the rest comes in $50s (so a $500 withdrawal gives you five $20s and eight $50s).

 

That may be true for some Texas ATM's but just last week in Dallas, the afternoon before an appointment, I got to a Bank of America (my bank) branch thinking I would arrive before the drive-through closed and I could request $50 bills but missed it by a few minutes so had to withdraw $500 from the ATM...it gave me all 20's (25 bills!!!) I guess I needed to find a stand alone ATM but wouldn't have a clue about those, especially since I was a visitor in Dallas.

 

TruHart1

[tom1980]

You should've used the Bank of America app to find a stand alone ATM.

[rvwnsd]

You should've used the Bank of America app to find a stand alone ATM.

 

I am looking at the Bank of America app and it lists Bank of America ATMs, not third-party ATMs. Every BofA ATM I've used dispenses twenty dollar bills. In fact, I've used ATMs owned by BofA, Citi, Chase, USBank, and HSBC and they have all dispensed twenty dollar bills. Some 7-Eleven ATMs dispense a mix of twenty- and one hundred dollar bills when the transaction is $300 or greater. I've noticed that the 7-Eleven ATMs that offer prepaid cards, check-cashing, and other services tend to issue $100's while the smaller machines issue $20's. Note that in many markets 7-Eleven ATMs are free of charge to Citibank customers. However, 7-Eleven ATMs have a maximum limit of $400, regardless the limit you and/or your financial institution has set on your account.

 

Regarding the exchange of smaller bills for larger bills, most banks I know of will not execute that type of transaction for a non-customer. (more on why in a minute) The "IRS reporting" cited in an earlier thread is actually Currency Transaction Reporting (CTR) and is not an IRS report. It is a report sent to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), which is administered by the Department of the Treasury. In short, it is a report of cash transactions in excess of $10,000. Virtually all financial institutions handle them electronically and aggregate transactions made through various channels (tellers at multiple branches, ATMs, cash vault, etc). The type of transaction alluded to in the thread is called "structuring" and refers to breaking a large transaction into small chunks to avoid CTR filing. Aggregation is one of the ways financial institutions detect structuring. Exchanging $500 in twenty dollar bills for five one hundred dollar bills will probably not raise any red flags unless you execute multiple transactions that approach $10,000. Most financial institutions do not allow non-customers to exchange currency because they do not wish to collect the information required to complete a CTR and would likely not be able to aggregate transactions for CTR purposes if that non-customer was structuring transactions. Safe finances are as important as safe sex, so here are a few links to information about CTRs and FinCEN:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currency_transaction_report

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Crimes_Enforcement_Network

 

One last thing about CTRs and FinCEN: They were created back in the 1980's and 1990's at the height of the drug wars to combat the laundering of drug money. The laws have evolved over the years in the wake of the rise of terrorism financing.

 

All that being said, I am fine with paying for a session using a credit card via Square.

[bigvalboy]

That may be true for some Texas ATM's but just last week in Dallas, the afternoon before an appointment, I got to a Bank of America (my bank) branch thinking I would arrive before the drive-through closed and I could request $50 bills but missed it by a few minutes so had to withdraw $500 from the ATM...it gave me all 20's (25 bills!!!) I guess I needed to find a stand alone ATM but wouldn't have a clue about those, especially since I was a visitor in Dallas.

 

TruHart1

 

In FTL, Bank of America has 'Virtual Tellers' that are open until 10 pm, 7 days a week. They will dispense 100's, or any dollar amount you want, even odd amounts. The only drawback is, only a few locations have them, but if there is one near, they are incredibly convenient.

[rvwnsd]

In FTL, Bank of America has 'Virtual Tellers' that are open until 10 pm, 7 days a week. They will dispense 100's, or any dollar amount you want, even odd amounts. The only drawback is, only a few locations have them, but if there is one near, they are incredibly convenient.

 

"Virtual Teller" technology ("kiosks" in industry parlance) is a relatively new thing in the US and is similar to, but not the same as, an ATM. With branch traffic waaaaaay down (and teller-line traffic declining at a faster rate than banker-desk traffic) the kiosks are a good way to deliver teller services when they are needed without having tellers standing around doing nothing most of the day waiting for a customer to walk up or having customers wait around while the lone teller or busy banker can help them. I'm not familiar with BofA's deployment, but the kiosks I'm familiar with have a video link to employees sitting in a central site who can service multiple locations. It does not surprise me that BofA is piloting the "virtual tellers" in Florida, as one of their predecessor institutions (the venerable Barnett Bank) had "Mall Merchant" locations back in the 1990's. They were automated kiosks that allowed the merchant to make deposits and place change/currency orders for next-day pickup. Let me tell you, this saved my then-employer a boatload in armored courier fees at stores located in a center that had a Mall Merchant. Just before NationsBank swallowed them up, Barnett was planning to take the "mall Merchant" to the next level by dispensing coin and currency orders on demand, a la a branch. Sadly, the evil NationsBank put the kibash on the program.

 

I'm eager for the "Virtual Teller" to be piloted in Southern California.

[bigvalboy]

"Virtual Teller" technology ("kiosks" in industry parlance) is a relatively new thing in the US and is similar to, but not the same as, an ATM. With branch traffic waaaaaay down (and teller-line traffic declining at a faster rate than banker-desk traffic) the kiosks are a good way to deliver teller services when they are needed without having tellers standing around doing nothing most of the day waiting for a customer to walk up or having customers wait around while the lone teller or busy banker can help them. I'm not familiar with BofA's deployment, but the kiosks I'm familiar with have a video link to employees sitting in a central site who can service multiple locations. It does not surprise me that BofA is piloting the "virtual tellers" in Florida, as one of their predecessor institutions (the venerable Barnett Bank) had "Mall Merchant" locations back in the 1990's. They were automated kiosks that allowed the merchant to make deposits and place change/currency orders for next-day pickup. Let me tell you, this saved my then-employer a boatload in armored courier fees at stores located in a center that had a Mall Merchant. Just before NationsBank swallowed them up, Barnett was planning to take the "mall Merchant" to the next level by dispensing coin and currency orders on demand, a la a branch. Sadly, the evil NationsBank put the kibash on the program.

 

I'm eager for the "Virtual Teller" to be piloted in Southern California.

 

Indeed the video link is to an employee in a central location. As I mentioned, the drive up virtual teller is open till 10 pm, 7 days a week, and will cash large personal and payroll checks, and do large cash withdrawals, dispensing in large increments down to the coin. They have them on the inside of the branch as well. One of the branches near me, is going to install a walk up virtual teller on the inside of the branch in a separate glass room, that is accessed after hours by sliding your bank card at a receptor at the door. So far, they are few and far between, but I think the system works quite well, and there is one that is convenient to my location.

[samhexum]

This is for both providers and clients... As we become more and more of a cashless society, I am just wondering where this sector of human endeavor and enterprise is going.

Unless you want a digital trail of your activities and the revelation of your real name and details, you'd best stick to cash.

I've used the square app for the past couple of years.

Yes, I prefer credit cards. I find having a lot of cash in my pocket annoying, especially as we move to a mostly cash-free society. I remember when I would buy traveler's checks before a vacation. Glad those days are over.

Not me. Under any circumstance.

I totally agree with the original poster that carrying cash is a nuisance.

I got to a Bank of America (my bank) branch thinking I would arrive before the drive-through closed and I could request $50 bills but missed it by a few minutes so had to withdraw $500 from the ATM...it gave me all 20's (25 bills!!!)

I am fine with paying for a session using a credit card via Square.

 

Fans can leave the money clip and dollar bills at home if they plan to attend a Tampa Bay Rays home game next season.

 

On Friday, the team announced that Tropicana Field will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America.

 

The move intends to cut the average transaction time in half at concession stands, team stores, the box office and anywhere else where money traditionally changed hands.

 

"We have made significant investments each year to improve the ballpark experience for fans, including an overhaul of our approach to food and beverage since the beginning of our partnership with [hospitality partner] Levy," Rays vice president of strategy and development William Walsh said in a release. "This change will increase speed of service and reduce lines throughout the ballpark."

 

Among the methods that will now be accepted are credit cards, mobile pay and Rays gift cards.

 

This is another major change to the ballpark experience at Tropicana Field. Earlier this month, the team announced that it was eliminating all seating in the upper deck for 2019 in an effort to create a more "intimate" experience for fans. The move reduced capacity by more than 5,000 seats to approximately 25,000 to 26,000 -- 10,000 seats fewer than any other stadium in the major leagues.

[+ tassojunior]

On the subject of wads of cash: My financial institution runs a cashless office, referring all cash disbursement requests to their ATM. Which is fine by me, I guess. But the ATM leaves me without a ready way to request anything other than a $20. So, my thread-hijacking question is: where can one easily (freely?) exchange a wad of 20s for other denominations? Am I correct in my impression that you must be a customer of a commercial bank to request such a service? [Feel free to PM me, so as to avoid further thread-hijacking, if you like.]

 

And now we return to our regularly-scheduled, on-topic conversation...

 

Both my Bank of America and Wells Fargo atm's allow withdrawals in 100's.

 

 

I suspect many of us who have regulars are also FB friends and can transfer $ on FB Messenger enrolled debit card to debit card. A couple clicks and instant deposit. How I often transfer to my #1. Just be aware $10K total transfers to 1 person in a year can bring requests for forms to be filled out. Made me aware how much total I spend on #1 since those transfers are a small part.