Started the GC process

[Chris34]

I said so I've to start comparing myself to billion pound companies to put them at ease. You'd get laughed away from the door.

Think you've missed their point. What they're saying is that Vodafone sets up the direct debit just in the same way as you or I, so if you believe one of your coke head window cleaner mates could try and rip someone off, well so can a rogue coked up employee of Vodafone.

You've posted about your concerns in the past, you are correct in what you're saying but there are risks with everything we do in life, that's life. The difference with direct debit though is that if it's picked up then there is a trace of where the money has gone, that trace is the bank account which will have a persons name linked to it, if it's found out to be fraudulent then that person will have questions to answer. However if your coked up window cleaner mates decide to knock on old Betty who has dementia's door every day, asking her for the window cleaning money, well their is no trace of where that money has gone., it's just poor old Betty losing her money and nobody knows about it, even if the police got involved it would be Betty's word against the coke heads.

You could argue that paying cash is a much higher risk of being fraudulent. Paying cash allows a window cleaner to avoid the tax man, which in turn is ripping off everyone.

 

[Yogi1872]

Think you've missed their point. What they're saying is that Vodafone sets up the direct debit just in the same way as you or I, so if you believe one of your coke head window cleaner mates could try and rip someone off, well so can a rogue coked up employee of Vodafone.

You've posted about your concerns in the past, you are correct in what you're saying but there are risks with everything we do in life, that's life. The difference with direct debit though is that if it's picked up then there is a trace of where the money has gone, that trace is the bank account which will have a persons name linked to it, if it's found out to be fraudulent then that person will have questions to answer. However if your coked up window cleaner mates decide to knock on old Betty who has dementia's door every day, asking her for the window cleaning money, well their is no trace of where that money has gone., it's just poor old Betty losing her money and nobody knows about it, even if the police got involved it would be Betty's word against the coke heads.

You could argue that paying cash is a much higher risk of being fraudulent. Paying cash allows a window cleaner to avoid the tax man, which in turn is ripping off everyone.

You just think your avoiding the tax if paid in cash, whatever you buy from cash paymeants your paying tax. So technically your paying tax, when it was cash paymeants we all had someone we knew who was annoyed and made a remark about paying tax. I used to give that answer to them, which made them worse.

 

[Chris34]

You just think your avoiding the tax if paid in cash, whatever you buy from cash paymeants your paying tax. So technically your paying tax, when it was cash paymeants we all had someone we knew who was annoyed and made a remark about paying tax. I used to give that answer to them, which made them worse.

Yes you are paying VAT on things, but if you avoid income tax then you will be financially better off at the expense of the tax man.

But the point is, is not the economic effects of it, the point I am making is that the system is based on trust and most things are based on trust.

You are correct in what you're saying, I just think you've weighted too much emphasis on the potential for fraud and how big you could commit fraud using the direct debit system. The fact that it's traced would mean you would be at risk of being caught. There are probably far easier frauds to commit with less risk of getting caught.

I think I've said before, we trust that people will drive on the road and not decide to just drive on the pavement and run someone over. We trust that when we order a burger from our local drive thru, we trust the employee will not spit in the burger. We trust if we go for an operation at the hospital, we trust the surgeon hasn't forged his medical papers and truly knows what he's doing and is not going to try and kill us. Despite this trust, all of those examples have found someone who has broken our trust and done the worst thing possible. Direct debit is no different, but nobody is going to die and everything is traceable. It also allows us normal honest people to go about our lives in a trusting hassle free world.

Everything in this world would alarm people if you highlighted the risks to them.

 

[AllGleam]

I'm not sure, when I spoke to go cardless I asked what systems were in place incase I made am error and put £90 instead of £9. Thats when they told me it would take the £90 if the customer didn't notice in the email. They said £500 can be taken out each day. When I asked them who on there right mind is giving someone they don't know access to there bank which authorises that person to try a paymrant everyday if they liked, without saying it directly they told me that doesn't need to be disclosed to the customer. They then said Vodafone etc all collect paymeants where accidents can happen with extra money taken etc. I said so I've to start comparing myself to billion pound companies to put them at ease. You'd get laughed away from the door.

Great points it does seem very daunting having access to accounts freely surely there is a process to stop more than whats needed. I know there would be some customers that won't read email as they never respond to a bloody text message. Looking at the way it works you can schedule DD which would appeal per month or is it best to request money after working day.

 

[Iron Giant]

I do admit for ourselfs its the best option out there by some distance. If the customer knew that by signing up to it then gave you authority to attempt to take out money from there bank daily if you wanted to then I'd guess hardly any would sign up. The customers will think it gives you access to collect one window paymeant and not anymore.

Some people don't check emails so it could be missed if an extra one is taken out. I know a few window cleaners with a massive cocaine problem, addictions make you do things that you wouldn't normally do. I wouldn't fancy them having me signed up to go cardless. Who's to say I don't end up on drugs next year? 38 now so the chances are very unlikely. I don't think sole traders in general should be trusted with that kind of responsibility. Access to hundreds of peoples bank accounts as a sole trader Where's there's no chain of command for it to get picked up by a colleague etc on our end is a disaster waiting to happen. Someone will try £500 out every account and retire in the Caribbean.

I really don't why you keep banging on about this if it's not for you so be it, as for money being taken out of accounts some energy companies right now are the very worst some people have amassed credits into the £1,000's yet the energy companies have point blanked refused to refund the money or cancel the direct debit so the credit can be effectively worked off,

I have been using GoCardless since 2014 I have never taken advantage of anyone and have not had issues with people signing up the very reason I haven't is because they pay almost every other household bill they have by direct debit facilitated no doubt by a 3rd party yet you've got GC down as the who will let people empty peoples bank accounts at will, this won't happen and guess why because normal people don't leave £1,000's sitting in their current accounts and they'd sharp know if their current account was getting emptied as they'd be getting notifications from their bank, my inlaws are in their mid 70's and even they use a banking app on their phone and have alerts set up.

We are on here to help each other out yet you have jumped on this thread and are slating a company and pishing all over something you have very limited experience with at all.

 

[Iron Giant]

Looking at the way it works you can schedule DD which would appeal per month or is it best to request money after working day.

You're asking the wrong person



I only make payment requests after each completed window at the end of each working day or every 2 days, if you make the request usually before 3pm it will be in your account in 5 working days otherwise it will be 6 working days, there have been people kicking off in the past on FB because they were expecting the money to drop straight into their bank accounts

 

[ched999uk]

Also remember that the customer is protected by the Direct Debit Guarantee. i.e. the guarantee is basically if someone takes out any unauthorised sum the bank will refund the customer!