Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490943)

I don't even see how he can start back up without paying back that money whether it's his fault or not, or having it unfrozen if that is the actual case.

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490943)

I love they way they always tell you, your money is safe. Great! But it's not in my hands. Why don't you let me have it so I can keep it safe myself LOL.

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490943)

I do admit that I always found them to be pretty incompetent They are complete screw ups in my eyes.

Originally Posted by ecchi (Post 490952)

Well that is a given. Assuming this gets sorted out, eP will be dead in the water if their clients loose money.

Because there is no legal way he can do this. It would require monumental financial misdealing at eP's end, and if they even tried they are looking at 20+ years in prison. And worse, any US bank account that they do manage to get money into is going to get frozen by the government while they look into it, which will probably take years! You really want to be unable to withdraw any money from your own bank account for the next few years?

Another given, but this time, there lack of a brain (or heart) is not the cause of the problem.

The problem is US federal banking law, which is a mess to put it mildly. There are corrupt African states run by incompetent military juntas who have better banking systems that the US. An when things go tits up, it takes them ages to sort things out.

It is costing the US a fortune, because no one likes to do business with American companies, not because they don't like the companies, but because it is such a pain to exchange money for services/goods. Part of the reason your economy has still not fully recovered from the crash is down to this.

As an example, the only US companies I currently use are sponsors (because there are very few non US ones), eBay/PayPal (because they have an European division which is separate from the American division, so I do not have to deal with US laws), and ePassporte (which has just confirmed my "never use US companies" rule). For things like hosting, payment processing, affiliate account management, distribution, advertising, etc - for which there are plenty of good US companies I can use - I always use European companies because of the shit problems of dealing with US banking laws.

This is also why ePassporte got so big so quickly. No country likes dealing with US banks, simply because the law on your side of the planet is so unfit for purpose that it makes life difficult for everyone. And when a non US bank does deal with a US bank they charge their clients high. For example to cash a non British cheque from any country other than the US costs me up to about the equivalent of a dollar and a half. To cash a US cheque costs me nearly the equivalent of 20 dollars, over ten times as much! And baring in mind that some sponsors send me a cheque when the amount goes over $50, that means I have to give nearly half my money to the bank (one sponsor even sends out cheques for $35). So going via ePassporte and using ATM to withdraw is the only sensible way to go if you do not live in the US. Since the US now only accounts for less than a third of English Language business on the 'net, any sponsor who does not offer ePassporte is throwing away two thirds of their business, no sane company would do that! So, assuming this matter does get cleared up, eP is here to stay, at least until someone starts a viable alternative.

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490954)

You think any of these companies being temporarily offered have a shot? Like payoneer or Web Money etc?

Does security have anything to do with US Banking problems? I mean I like the idea my money is insured for up to a quarter million or do all countries do that (or at least in Europe)?

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490954)

You think any of these companies being temporarily offered have a shot? Like payoneer or Web Money etc?

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490954)

Does security have anything to do with US Banking problems? I mean I like the idea my money is insured for up to a quarter million or do all countries do that (or at least in Europe)?

Originally Posted by ecchi (Post 490976)

I have no idea about Web Money, but Payoneer has no hope unless they change their policies - see my comments in a earlier post in this thread.



Originally the problem was simply the American government's fear of foreigners, they put up all sorts of barriers to foreign money to stop non-American companies getting a toe-hold in US trade. Unfortunately no one realised that it worked both ways, and you were keeping foreign money out, screwing up the US balance of payments.

I have also been told (by a bank manager) that the US banking system itself is very backward compared with most European countries, so that the problems are compounded by the fact that American banks simply do not have as high a level of technology as Europe.

I would guess that the current security fears have made things even worse, and the eP problems may (as artwilliams assumes) be wholly or partly triggered by this. But all countries have the same problem, so the US government has no excuse for being worse than elsewhere.

It is also possible that the crash scared more useless regulations into being (but...ditto).

However the shit state of US banking laws is not a new thing, it predates the twin towers attack, I have been having problems for about 20 years, and when I started working internationally it was already very much an old story.

Worryingly, since so many major banking transactions are beginning to rely on Broadband, and America lags far behind Europe in broadband availability, things are probably going to get worse.

In short, George W. had already mortgaged the US's ass to Asia before the crash, now things are even worse. And if the banking system does not pull itself out of the past and get with the program, America will never be able to get enough money in to pay off it's foreign debts. The result will be galloping inflation, low wages, and mass unemployment. So if Mr Ob does not do something pretty drastic pretty quick, the Mexican border will soon be patrolled by Mexican soldiers, desperately trying to stop US citizens sneaking into Mexico looking for work!

|skyfall|

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490978)

I'm sort of curious why the US banking is such a problem unless they are also that valuable?

Originally Posted by ecchi (Post 490986)

If you mean to other countries: Because we do business with some US companies, and they usually have American bank accounts!

If you mean to the US: Because you buy foreign goods, go on foreign holidays, and send money abroad through other means (eg, American soldiers fighting abroad). You have to have as much money coming in as going out (preferably more coming in than going out) or you end up in serious financial shit, the Government has to "create" more money which leads to inflation, unemployment, etc.... You also need money coming in to pay off that huge national debt the idiot W. ran up while in office. Fail to do that, and America ends up like a bankrupt third world country!

Oh, US banking is very important indeed.

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 490987)

Well, I already admitted we are a whorehouse, but I don't think you third world leeches would even exist if not for us

Originally Posted by ecchi (Post 490995)

You suffer from the same problem as me, you are still living in the 1970's. Back then America was a great nation, but now it is Asia that is propping the USA up, not the other way round. At the moment your country owes countries like China so much money that if China says "jump" the USA has to ask "How high sir?" and then damn well jump. Fortunately China and India also make a lot of money from exporting to the US, so they don't want to rock the boat. But if the President goes all protectionist and starts bringing in trade levies or some such thing (which must look inviting in the current economical climate), or if he stops that aid you keep moaning about, then countries like China can retaliate by demanding that the loans get repaid, then it will be the 1930s all over again. (I don't think this will happen while Mr Ob is in power, but if he looses the next election and you get someone like Palin in, there is a serious risk she will get patriotic and protectionist, if that looks like happening, emigrate to Canada or Europe before it is too late!)

However the most imminent worry is over America's credit rating. At the moment it is good, but if it drops, you owe more money that Greece does, so the same thing will happen in America as is happening there, prices are going up, and salaries are going down. Serious poverty for most people, however not as bad as the above scenario (but there is a greater chance of it happening, even with a good President).

Originally Posted by hashbury (Post 491003)

Found this at the zoo

Dear ePassporte Account Holders,

St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank, without our prior knowledge, has turned off the ability for ePassporte to access or display Account Holders' Visa Card balances. This means that when you login to your ePassporte Account, you will only be able to see your Wallet balance. As a consequence, inquiries regarding your Visa Card balance must be directed to St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank. St Kitts Bank is responsible for all funds on Visa Cards. Their contact information is as follows:

St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank Ltd.

Central Street,
P.O. Box 343
Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies

Tel: (869) 465-2204 Mon - Thurs: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Fri: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fax: (869) 465-1050
Email: webmaster@sknanb.com

ePassporte will continue to provide support with regard to the funds in your Wallet. We kindly ask for your patience as we must verify Accounts and balances manually.

Thank You,

ePassporte Account Holder Services

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 491002)

Again, then why are you dealing with us?

Originally Posted by ecchi (Post 491009)

I answered that question a couple of posts back!!!!!!!

As I said the other day, read the whole thread before replying to it. If you just look at one post and reply without reading the rest of the thread you are bound to either ask what has already been answered, repeat what has already been said, or say something stupid. It is inconsiderate to all other users to simply use this forum to air your views without first reading those of others. Sure, some people will have widely different views to other people (such as you and I over ePassport's culpability), and everyone has the right to state their own views. But at least have the good manners and common decency to read other people's posts in the thread before adding your own.

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 491020)

Not to get too personal, but just because you say something (long winded or not) doesn't make it a fact.

Originally Posted by Charlie (Post 491002)

... I can do without Chink Lead in my baby products so what is the big fucking deal with our American Banks?...

Originally Posted by PhoneMistress (Post 491027)

Did you say "Chink"? Please tell me that is a typo.

Originally Posted by PhoneMistress (Post 491027)

Did you say "Chink"? Please tell me that is a typo.