Author: wwducat

About: Writer, Technology guy, Photographer, Possibly EX-Software QA Engineer, Worker Bee. Interests: SCUBA, Working out, Friends, New Views, New Vistas, Photography
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Another EDD #FAIL

Ok so I get this thing from EDD in the mail yesterday.

It said “Additional Instructions”

Please follow the instructions below. Failure to do so may result in denial of your benefits. Please include your name and Social Security number on any additional forms you mail to the EDD.

1) You are potentially eligible to file a new claim effective 07/01/12. We need your correct last employer informant and tast date worked before the claim can be filed and any payments can be issued. You may apply on-line at WWW.EDD.CA.GOV or cal the 1-800 telephone numbers above for assistance to complete the filing of your claim.

The problem is that I to the best of my knowledge ALREADY have an open claim which begs the question why does this look like a new claim is being filed?

I think whoa! what’s going on here?

I’ve just spent the last 4 hours continuously calling the EDD numbers that they reference. Mind you this is 4 hours I have not spent looking for a new job.

I can get to the EDD, I can get all the way to the point where they’re “Transferring my call” Then I get a message saying that due to the number of callers they cannot take my call at this time. CLICK! Then I get to dial all over again.

I’ve got a slight problem with these so-called instructions. Namely… THESE ARE NOT INSTRUCTIONS! There is NO and I repeat NO directive.

A directive would say something like;

1) Go to the EDD web site

2) navigate to xyz page

3) input the information we need.

OR 

1) navigate to the EDD web site and submit a new claim.

The problem is that I already have a claim that was as of last week being paid, so why suddenly do we have this form with nebulous “Instructions” on it?

This is why I really want to take to a human being. It looks like this confusion has already resulted in my unemployment transfer being stopped. 

Taking a break… then back to dialing! I have no fucking idea what I’m supposed to do.

Gotta love how well Kalifornia takes care of it’s citizens… 

Seems like the more you try to do the right thing… the more you get screwed

Posted on

No More PayPal and No More Ebay

Tried to Kill the PayPal account online… still had to contact them via phone. That account was locked out because the review process was still posted.

Got a nice lady on the phone that closed the account but even then she had to put me on hold a couple of times because the systems was fighting her about it.

While I was on the phone with PayPal, I was online with E-Bay killing that account.

You know, it occurred to me a while ago that I had a lot of internet accounts. In the case of PayPal and Ebay I used them so infrequently that I invariably had to look up the passwords and logins.

I don’t think they’ll be missed. If I find myself needing their rather questionable services again I’ll simply create new accounts.

Of course it is Friday the 13th… I’m having technology problems like you wouldn’t believe.

There is a cool breeze and a light rain which I’m enjoying.

 

Posted on

PayPal #FAIL

 

Actually it’s not PayPal that’s the problem.

It’s our wondrous Federal Government. Also known as the Assholes in Congress.

Could these people be any more out of touch? 

Apparently as of April 2012 the Federal Morons, have mandated that all Money Service Businesses must have on file customer verification information. 

OK… I suppose that having a PayPal account fucking LINKED to your checking account and / or credit card accounts isn’t enough!

I guess I can kind of get it… My PayPal account is over a decade old. By this time if there was anything nefarious about my transactions I’m assuming that I’d already be in prison. But for the paltry 200 or 300 bucks that has EVER been in the PayPal Account the Government feels they have the right to know all about that money and whose using it.

Supposedly the new requirements for Identification are to prevent money laundering and terrorist activities.

I could see it if there were 10s or 100s of thousands of dollars going through the account on a monthly basis… that might be suspicious. But for the average person of an established account? Come on give it a rest!

But the real kicker is this…

PayPal, in order to comply with the FEDERAL Gestapo is demanding that I provide them with the following information either as a FAX or Emailed Scan  of my Social Security card, My drivers License, and A paper utility bill.

Do you see the problem here?

We have well known National Banks, Insurance Companies, and even the IRS, who cannot keep this kind of information from ending up on the internet.

Yet PayPal is asking that we make it EASIER for them to lose this information and set ourselves up for identity theft!

SAY WHAT? You have to be fucking kidding me! 

You’re actually saying that I should just hand this information over to a company that I barely have done business with. A company who will not service ALL Vendors. A company who allows their narrow version of morality to dictate which transactions they will process, and I’m supposed to do all of this OVER THE INTERNET and trust them? I’m supposed to believe that the information will not be distributed to criminals because after all we all know how trustworthy and secure the internet is.

BUZZZZZZ! 

I’m sorry that’s the wrong answer, but thank you so much for playing and here’s your lovely parting gift.

We emailed you a little while ago to ask for your help resolving an issue
with your account.

What’s the problem?

As of April, 2012, new Federal Regulations require Money Service
Businesses, such as PayPal, to verify the identity of a customer before we
can provide various services or product offerings. As a result, PayPal must
ensure we have collected and verified important data such as customer name,
address, date of birth, and national tax ID or social security number.
Because we were not able to fully confirm your identity based on your
current account information, we need to request additional supporting
documentation from you.

You will continue to have full access to your PayPal account, but until we
are able to confirm your identity, we may be unable to process certain
types of customer initiated requests such as adding funds to your PayPal
account.

According to their message above, there is another option. I can choose not to give them this information and simply not transfer any cash to my PayPal account.

BUT that’s not good enough… I’ve spoken with PayPal twice, informing them of my choice NOT to have cash sitting in their hands. Instead I’ve chosen to simply use them on rare occasion to facilitate a transaction with someone that may or may not be above board.

Yet I’m still getting emails like the one above, Thus far I haven’t gotten any phone calls but I’m sure that’s only a matter of time.

The way I see this… I’ve got three choices

1) Ignore them.

2) Give them the information. (Not Happening!)

3) Close the account and not do business with them.

I’m leaning to option #3. I’d prefer one less account ID and Password to keep track of anyway. My credit cards are pretty secure and I’m automatically protected in the event of fraud. So why do I need a PayPal account?

OH yeah… for Ebay… Which I don’t use either! Humm. Maybe I can lose Two un-necessary accounts!