Would a cashless society mean the end of illegal drugs and other crime ?

johnmcdnl · 03-08-2021 1:07am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117688792#Comment_117688792

I had to have my car towed to s garage about 5 years ago. The driver texted me a secure link that I could follow to pay online.I showed him the confirmation code and he happily towed my car.

This was years ago so in a cashless society even more payments apps and solution will exist for exactly this type of situation.

Unless of course you live on the back of a mountain with no coverage of any kind but then I could argue that today what happens if you call a trade out and you have no cash in person.

riclad · 03-08-2021 1:17am

Many small local shops only deal in cash as they do not want to pay credit card fees

Even before money was invented before banks existed. There was crime

Even north Korea has drug dealers and smugglers

Crime is part of human nature eg it exists in every country in the world

Bitcoin is used by rich people to transfer money and avoid paying taxs it's also being used by people where the local currency is falling in value

andy6 · 03-08-2021 1:39am

Its the kids I feel sorry for, the few bob in the communion cards, birthday money etc.

Mister Vain · 03-08-2021 7:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117695259#Comment_117695259

Surely you'd know how much you're paying before you tap? Prices are clearly displayed in most places and the person serving you will tell you how much it costs before giving you the device to tap. Not exactly rocket science.

mariaalice · 03-08-2021 8:03am

Absolutely not, one of mine works in anti-money laundering the criminals always find a way the best we can hope for is making it harder for them and maybe putting the stupider ones out of business,

whisky_galore · 03-08-2021 8:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117697729#Comment_117697729

Someone has not thought of the children in this new cashless society.

ShatterAlan · 03-08-2021 4:36pm

Can someone explain to me how a cashless society would eliminate drug-dealing. If I and countless others need to pay via card for a haircut or a palm reading sessions or a box of oranges at the fruit market (the end product doesn't show up in the transaction) then what's to prevent me doing the same for drugs?

ShatterAlan · 03-08-2021 4:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117697252#Comment_117697252

So you're saving money by dropping several hundred euros on a smartphone or smart watch that you need to conduct your payments.

03-08-2021 4:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117700493#Comment_117700493

Nope, I have one anyway for other purposes, pretty much in the same way as I didn't buy a pen exclusively for writing cheques.

Well over 90% of Irish mobile phones are smart phones and over 95% of the adult population has a mobile phone.

RulesOfNature · 03-08-2021 7:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117700452#Comment_117700452

Removing cash is not for anyone's safety LOL. Its to make sure they have stricter control of currency, that's all it is. The government does not give a flying f*ck about the wellbeing of individual citizens. But what they're good at is using abstractions to justify tighter control of the population.

Big Gerry · 03-08-2021 9:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117700452#Comment_117700452

I don't think the average drug dealer will accept visa or mastercard.

user_account_1 · 03-08-2021 9:40pm

People might just go back to trading things.

whisky_galore · 04-08-2021 9:47am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117701652#Comment_117701652

Loads of people sell stuff online and don't need to accept either.

MarkY91 · 04-08-2021 10:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117700493#Comment_117700493

Wait, you don't own a smart phone? 🤣🤣🤣

jrmb · 04-08-2021 1:23pm

I lost my contactless card last night. Luckily it was only a spare one, but someone emptied the account at physical points of sale within hours. I'll probably get the money back and the person would be easy to find, but the chances are that nothing will happen to them.

Potatoeman · 04-08-2021 1:45pm

If you remove cash, the first thing the banks would do is increase the service charge. What’s your alternative them?

Potential-Monke · 04-08-2021 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696309#Comment_117696309

True, which is why most purchases under €50 is tap and go (and by tap, I mean hover over it, no need to actually tap it). If I have to use the pin, I use a tissue. Same at petrol pumps, I cover the handle these days. And for shop doors, handles, if they don't require me to use the handle, I'll just push the glass/whatever with my shoulder. Doing that for years in fairness. But, I can take solace in knowning that at least the chip and pin machines aren't being held in Jacintas bra or Johnno's socks/jocks. And I've often seen staff cleaning them, unlike money which never gets cleaned... You also seem to assume that like a lot of people, I touch stuff I've no intention of buying. I don't. I understand a lot do, but I don't.

"Paper money can reportedly carry more germs than a household toilet. And bills are a hospitable environment for gross microbes: viruses and bacteria can live on most surfaces for about 48 hours, but paper money can reportedly transport a live flu virus for up to 17 days. It's enough to make you switch to credit."

mariaalice · 05-08-2021 8:36am

How many have a Revelout card? even children and teens so they are growing up with the idea of now having money.

whisky_galore · 05-08-2021 8:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117707813#Comment_117707813

Handling large numbers of coins your fingers would be black after them, what after nestling in all sorts of places next to god knows what you don't want to think about.

murpho999 · 05-08-2021 9:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117696309#Comment_117696309

You don't have to touch the pad in anyway. Have bank card loaded on your phone and use Apple/Google/Android pay and the transaction is completely contactless.

I don't think that cash is a dangerous for viruses as some make out but using phone is definitely the safest.

murpho999 · 05-08-2021 9:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117695259#Comment_117695259

Tap and go does not take longer.

No looking for notes and coins. No counting, placing in drawer, extracting and counting out change. Putting change back in wallet.

Also using a phone is quick, easy and secure and offers more privacy as vendor does not get your card details. I'm using Apple Pay for about 4 years now and only has 2-3 failed transactions that you mention.

The convenience outweighs anything that cash offers,

As for businesses not accepting cash it's the logical future and being a luddite about it is only going to make you suffer, better off to embrace it and see the advantages.

JimmyVik · 05-08-2021 12:34pm

Went to Glenveigh national park a while ago.

Went out with €2 after paying for the dinner the night before in a place that would only take cash.

And sure I hadnt used cash in months anyway so i didnt even think about it running low.

There were 2 kids and 2 adults.

So we walked the 4km from the car park to the castle. Went around the lake for about 3 hours.

Ah great, who wants something to eat? All were starving.

So into the cafe in the castle and they say sorry, cash only, phone lines are down and we have no card readers working.

Ok, we will go to the ice cream van and get something. Same story.

So then I said lets get the bus back. Cash only again.

So we had top walk 4km back again, all cranky and starving.

Lesson learned. Always have cash on me in future.

JimmyVik · 05-08-2021 12:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117688715#Comment_117688715

Imagine you were out after getting the train to 50km away from where you were staying and your cards got stolen and you have no cash.

There is a lead time of about 24hrs min for your bank to get a new card to you, so you will be sitting on the kerb, starving for 24hrs befoire you can get the train back or feed yourself :)

BattleCorp · 05-08-2021 12:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117709775#Comment_117709775

My cousin in California has an emergency survival pack prepared in case of an earthquake, fires etc. She always has cash in it. Her reasoning was that if there is an emergency and the power goes out, what good is your credit card going to be to you then.

irelandrover · 05-08-2021 12:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117709796#Comment_117709796

In this scenario, my phone, my watch, my wallet and my backup card I keep in a seperate pocket will all need to be lost or stolen. If that happens then how am i getting any cash anyway?

If someone is going to steal my cards then they are definitely going to steal my cash.

Palmach · 05-08-2021 12:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117709804#Comment_117709804

Exactly. Plus if things are cashless the banks can charge you for suing your money. The state can see everything you do as can hackers. And that's before we get to a scenario where Mr. Xi or Mr. Putin don't like the cut of our jib and attack the card system leaving a cashless society high and dry. A cashless society is one of the dumbest ideas I have ever heard.