Check out the site called Privacy cards. It’s pretty much exactly this but all with virtual cards.
Comment on Cable Firms to FTC: We Shouldn’t Have to Let Users Cancel Service With a Click
Sterile_Technique@lemmy.world 11 months ago
When I was younger I remember buying credit cards with a set balance on them to pay for subscriptions that seemed shady.
If cancelling was anything except convenient, I’d just use up the balance on my next trip to the grocery store, then shred the fucker and forget about it. Company XYZ could then have fun trying to bleed a rock.
Only downside is that was a pain in the ass too, but at least kept the control in my hands.
Wondering if any banks have a way to set this up as a kind of partition on your account? Never looked into that approach but it seems like such an obvious solution.
Anyone got tips for this kind of thing?
Daxtron2@startrek.website 11 months ago
cybersandwich@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Couldn’t visa gift cards work?
Wogi@lemmy.world 11 months ago
I used to work at an Internet provider that offers a discounted auto pay program.
No, at least not there.
Every once in a while we’d get complaints that a card wasn’t working and it was because they were trying to use a gift card, and the system recognized gift cards and declined them immediately. Needed to be a credit or debit card with your name on it. Or at least someone’s name on it. Who payed didn’t matter, but a real person would be billed every month.
verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
Good point here.
squidspinachfootball@lemm.ee 11 months ago
I’ve thought about using them like that as someone without access to privacy.com, but they do charge an activation fee and other random little fees I didn’t want to deal with. So I just… didn’t buy whatever it was I was considering at the time lol. Always keeping an eye open to see if there are any alternatives though.
verity_kindle@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
In the US, gift cards will often be declined for setting up ongoing transactions. Every transaction has a merchant code associated with it and many subscriptions and services will read the merchant code and reject it on that basis alone. Doesn’t matter how much of a balance the card carries.
semnosao@lemmy.eco.br 11 months ago
here in Brazil it’s really common for your bank account to provide an option to make a virtual credit card that you can block and unblock for different types of pay or providers and independent of your physical one
Pantsofmagic@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Virtual card numbers usually work well. I always made sure to use them with stuff like SiriusXM and other clowns that make cancellations difficult. You can leave them active or cancel them arbitrarily. Some card companies let you set them up via their app or website.
Rozz@lemmy.sdf.org 11 months ago
Bank of America used to have a way to make a temporary credit card with a set amount of money on it. I haven’t used it in a while, so I’m not sure if it’s there still.
jdadam@lemm.ee 11 months ago
Privacy.com is literally the digital equivalent of what you were talking about. As for bank services, I don’t know that I have heard of any personally.
TonyOstrich@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Capital One has that capability built in. I have dedicated credit card numbers for just about every service I use.
Adler180@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Sadly not outside the us tho…
viking@infosec.pub 11 months ago
You can use wise.com, they also give you free virtual credit cards. Up to 3 simultaneously, it’s amazing. Been using them for years, absolutely for free.
Grippler@feddit.dk 11 months ago
You can use online banks like revolut for virtual debit cards in Europe.
cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 11 months ago
Damn. I was interested too.
viking@infosec.pub 11 months ago
See my comment above - wise works perfectly fine. infosec.pub/comment/5824149