2020 warning

[StephSH]

Check numbers are irrelevant, the banks wont kick back a check with a number thats a duplicate.

Banks also don’t care who signs a check, which certainly implies that they don’t look at a lot of other things on a check - we wrote a $32,000 check to my brother as his inherence and his girlfriends bank deposited it with only her signature, so why are we still using checks at all?

[rmkrum]

Sure supports my point. The big banks are surely not spending the time or money to do it right. Be careful out there...

I suspect the banks would rather not push paper around, and do everything electronically. Not surprised.

That’s why I still use my credit union in Alabama for my serious banking services.

They do verify check numbers, and have put holds on for manual verifications on remote deposits.

[skyguyscott]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

People, I only used the cheque and contract as illustrations of possible avenues of date fraud. I wasn't expecting a dissertation on how plausible, or implausible it could be.
Just providing a valid warning I thought. There could, and I'm sure are, many other avenues of date fraud.

The world isn't ending.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

Yes, you would think by now we would know a good deed never goes unpunished or least misconstrued, especially on the inter pipes

I was going to chime in about kids today not knowing how to write a check, or even possessing a check book, but you guys beat me to it. But they can PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, etc. If you don't know what that is, write me a check and I will gladly explain it.

[AdvToaster]

As a professional in the security industry, this is all a lot of worry for nothing.

If you don’t think your bank cares about the check number, or signatures, then why do you think they care about the date? How exactly does changing it to a year (or more) in the future cause your bank to accept it when they wouldn’t take a duplicate check with the same date?

If you’re really worried about this, just stop writing checks. They’re a terrible method for paying for things. It’s 2020, if a business doesn’t have a method for accepting cards or electronic payments of some kind then they don’t deserve your business.

There are of course other things that you write dates on aside from checks, but if I’m willing to change a date on something you wrote by adding two numbers then I’m certainly willing (and capable) of scanning in a document and changing your “2020” to “2021” with photoshop.

There are enough real security concerns out there, don’t be worried about a fake one.

[Lily&Me]

Checks are accepted almost universally at federal campgrounds, allowing one to write a check for the camping fee at self serve stations, not having to carry correct change in cash.

A lot of private campgrounds will either charge more for an electronic payment or not have it as an option at all.

I use credit, debit and electronic payments almost exclusively, except when I am traveling and paying for campgrounds.

Checks still have their purpose and place for many of us.

Maggie

[AdvToaster]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Checks are accepted almost universally at federal campgrounds, allowing one to write a check for the camping fee at self serve stations, not having to carry correct change in cash.

A lot of private campgrounds will either charge more for an electronic payment or not have it as an option at all.

I use credit, debit and electronic payments almost exclusively, except when I am traveling and paying for campgrounds.

Checks still have their purpose and place for many of us.

Maggie

Interesting that there are campgrounds out there that are still charging for card usage. It a very consumer unfriendly practice, and puts the business (and customer) at a far higher risk of fraud.

A business can add a surcharge to a credit card transaction, but cannot add one for debit cards. It violates their agreement with the card processors and can result in them losing the ability to run cards at all.

[mojo]

Originally Posted by AdvToaster

Interesting that there are campgrounds out there that are still charging for card usage. It a very consumer unfriendly practice, and puts the business (and customer) at a far higher risk of fraud.

I'm still writing checks to the IRS, state government, some small local businesses, utility companies, campgrounds, and small, independent maintenance contractors.


Why? because they charge a convenience fee for cards or they are not able to process a credit card.

[markdoane]

I really wouldn't know where to look for my checkbook.

If I need to send someone a check I have my bank draft one. And they will mail it for free, so I don't need to look for stamps either.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by mojo

I'm still writing checks to the IRS, state government, some small local businesses, utility companies, campgrounds, and small, independent maintenance contractors.

Why? because they charge a convenience fee for cards or they are not able to process a credit card.

Ditto, you hit the nail on the head. If I can do eCheck, I will but if they charge me a fee to do that, they get a check in the mail. My storage lot doesn't accept anything but a check and I've stayed at county CGs that are the same way; cash or check, no cards. A guy came to repair my roof, cash or check only and no billing. Vacation resorts want a check or will add on a fee to my deposit for using a card. My Medicare supplement plan gets a check. They will do automatic deductions from my checking but I had a bad experience with that, so no one else gets access to my bank accounts for any reason anymore, not even my church. They get a check too.

Who looks at checks? Recently I wrote a check for (let's say) $25.37. I put that in the Amount box but wrote out Twenty-five and 00/100 on the next line. The check was cashed for $25.00, no 37 cents. So somebody read it.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by AdvToaster

Interesting that there are campgrounds out there that are still charging for card usage. It a very consumer unfriendly practice, and puts the business (and customer) at a far higher risk of fraud.

A business can add a surcharge to a credit card transaction, but cannot add one for debit cards. It violates their agreement with the card processors and can result in them losing the ability to run cards at all.

Campgrounds and the occasional small business will accept checks but charge a small fee for using a credit card.

There are apps and other electronic processes, apparently, that let a vendor know immediately if a check is not good.

I’ve had more than one person say that if I’m driving an Airstream they are not concerned I will pass a bad check.

Maggie

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

Checks are accepted almost universally at federal campgrounds.

I've stayed at at least three Corps of Engineers campgrounds that are open for the winter, but during the winter "off-season" are first-come-first-serve only (no reservations) and campers must either write a check or pay cash because they will not accept credit or debit cards during the off-season.

These campgrounds are in Arkansas, specifically Toad Suck, Rising Star (both currently completely closed due to damage from last year's Arkansas River flooding) and Old Post Road Park, near Russellville. Maumelle— also in Arkansas and administered by the Little Rock District of the Corps of Engineers— still takes cards and still takes reservations for the "off-season" so it's not a CoE district policy. Why some take cards in the off-season and others don't— even in the same district— is a mystery to me.

[mikapen]

This caution has been circulating all over the web for some time.

Unfortunately for those who worry about these things, the same was true last year, also.

If you wrote 12/12/19 some nefarious type could have added -xx after the -19 and achieved the same thing.

We are not in danger.

[jimfa440]

Pretty much BS.

[2MileHi]

[QUOTE=rmkrum;2320987
We redid Over 5 million lines of code just in our corner of the world. We worked on the Air Force supply system fixes. Without that effort, the whole thing would have crashed and totally deprived our military of the ability to order and receive supplies and parts on January 1, 2001. It was that screwed up.[/QUOTE]

I wonder if that was what my uncle was asked to work on back in the 90s. after setting up the initial computer for Union Pacific he was hired by the air Force to assist in setting up computers in the flying command post. As a result of that he went to Europe and, as I understand it, set up computer systems in the military hospitals in parts of Europe. That's at least close to correct.

then in the 90s after several years of retirement he received a letter from the government requesting that he sign on to work on those old computer programs, I guess it would be, to prepare for Y2K.

He demurred. Had enough government I guess. ��

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by mikapen

This caution has been circulating all over the web for some time.

Unfortunately for those who worry about these things, the same was true last year, also.

If you wrote 12/12/19 some nefarious type could have added -xx after the -19 and achieved the same thing.

We are not in danger.

Since cheques have a life expectancy of just one year...turning 19 into 1999 wouldn't help you at all, and many judges would have great difficulty believing you have back rent due from 1999, and didn't do anything about it until now.

Go ahead and mark all your important papers 20; knock yourself out.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[FishByFly]

Checks are not my concern. Legal documents such as a lease or contract. My attorney has advised not to be lazy and date things with a simple 20.

Changing the duration of responsibility from an intend 2020 to 2029 could be significant.

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by richw46

What's a check?
Sorry, sorry, couldn't resist. I overhead someone complain about paying for a spot in a city park because the park took only cash or check. "A check??? Who uses checks anymore???" Time marches on.

The last time I wrote a check (or 'cheque' as we spell it in Canada) I noticed that the previous time I paid by cheque had been one year prior for the same payment!

[rmkrum]

Originally Posted by 2MileHi

I wonder if that was what my uncle was asked to work on back in the 90s. after setting up the initial computer for Union Pacific he was hired by the air Force to assist in setting up computers in the flying command post. As a result of that he went to Europe and, as I understand it, set up computer systems in the military hospitals in parts of Europe. That's at least close to correct.

then in the 90s after several years of retirement he received a letter from the government requesting that he sign on to work on those old computer programs, I guess it would be, to prepare for Y2K.

He demurred. Had enough government I guess. ��

Did the Y2K update on the Air Force supply system. It runs the ENTIRE military supply system. Two of the guys working on the update project had worked on the original version of the system back in the day.

If us (relative) youngsters couldn’t figure something out, one of them would look at the module name, look up at the ceiling for a minute, then easily recall the details of exactly how the module worked from memory. This was about 5 million lines of COBOL code.

I learned Job Control Language on the job on that project. One of the original designers of that hot mess formally apologized for it in front of witnesses.

The real joke is that they had us ‘fix’ it in a manner that guarantees that it will fail the exact same way for Y3K. I don’t plan to be around for that fix. The sad thing is that it will probably be running COBOL even then.

BTW, the lady that invented COBOL, Admiral Grace (Gracie to us) was a friend of our family. At least that was done solidly right. It’s a real good business language even today.

[Rich W]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

The real joke is that they had us ‘fix’ it in a manner that guarantees that it will fail the exact same way for Y3K. I don’t plan to be around for that fix. The sad thing is that it will probably be running COBOL even then.

The US Government keeps a stockpile of COBOL programmers in suspended animation at 2 government sites, one of which is Area 51. I think the other one is Wright Patterson in Ohio.

[AdvToaster]

Originally Posted by richw46

The US Government keeps a stockpile of COBOL programmers in suspended animation at 2 government sites, one of which is Area 51. I think the other one is Wright Patterson in Ohio.

Not Wright Patt, they store them at the boneyard at Davis Monthan. Drier climate stops them from deteriorating so quickly.