It’s been widely speculated that we are moving towards being a cashless society, even if that does bring about its own controversy. Indeed, there is even talk now about credit cards and debit cards becoming obsolete, or at least unrecognisable in their current form. Could all payments soon be online?
Indeed, today people are foregoing credit and debit cards as a means of paying for things online. A host of tech-based alternatives, almost digital disruptors have popped up over the last decade, with some even giving us more peace of mind when buying things. We look at some of the pros and cons in alternative payment methods below:
Internet Wallets
The likes of PayPal, Skrill and Neteller have become massive payment companies and are beginning to rival the likes of Visa and MasterCard. They are easy to use, very much compatible with mobile phones and in most cases, they are free to use. On the downside, companies like PayPal are very popular targets for phishing scams, although the PayPal system itself uses almost unbreakable encryption. One other downside with internet wallets is the charges applied if you are using it to receive money for business. But, on a whole, it’s a preferable system to using credit and debit cards online.
Pay By Mobile
Using Pay By Mobile methods, such as with Boku, has become very popular with online casino players. In fact, some claim that pay by phone is the easiest way to start playing online casino Why is this the case? Because it means you can register at an online casino without needing to fill in unnecessary bank details and other related information. When you use a pay by mobile service, your financial information is never shared online, all it takes is to have a phone number, even if you are on a Pay As You Go service. The payment is added to your phone bill at the end of the month, or it is debited from your top up credit. It’s widely regarded as one of the safest ways to pay for anything online, part of the reason its been such a hit with casino players. The downside is that there is a limit to the amount you can spend each month. But players are pretty content with that as it helps them keep to a budget.
Paysafecard
A lot more people are using Paysafecard and similar voucher-based options to buy stuff online. Like the Pay By Mobile option above, it’s very safe because you do not need to enter your bank details or any other personal information when using it. Paysafecard isn’t actually a card, it’s a 16-digit code generated to reflect a value of money. In that sense, it’s like a disposable debit card. The downside is a matter of convenience: You have to buy Paysafecard vouchers in shops, albeit there are 1000s of outlets that work with Paysafecard in the UK. If you do buy Paysafecard vouchers online – and it can be quite tricky to do – it almost negates the reason for buying it in the first place, because you will then end up entering card details online. Still, if you live close to a shop it’s a pretty good option if you want to buy stuff online without entering any sensitive information.
