One reason you do not want paperless billing
Posted by:
VEbjM
()
Date: October 22, 2016 05:36AM
Many large companies advertise paperless billing, green, etc. One problem with it that does not get enough press is what happens you end up in an accident or illness for weeks in the hospital or rehabilitation, and you have to have someone else manage your bill paying and you do not have a spouse to do it. Sure you can set autopay, but not trusting of it when the bill amounts varies month to month and if there is a billing error, have fun wasting time getting it fixed once charged, or you can share your online account passwords with whoever is managing your bill paying in your absence which is not recommended by IT security experts. Firsthand, know from older close relative, who years ago had to have major surgery and in rehabilitation for weeks, left some signed blank checks in a secure place in her home, but if she had not got the paper bills (fortunately she did not have anything set up online for paperless), some of her bills I would not have got paid for her while she was recovering away from home.
For reasoning above, I do pay most of my bills online, but still have the paper copy sent in US postal mail (some friends I have talked with are likewise). If a company, example Target, say in their terms of service, if want to pay online, you have no choice but to select paperless billing or they charge for it, then either I do not do business with them (actually have not with Target since their hack years ago) or I send them payment through the mail. For a couple of bills I pay online, one example comes to mind is Citibank, the companies do not send the payment envelope in the bill copy they postal mail me which is fine (is green also).
The large companies advertise how green paperless billing is, giving you impression good for environment (cannot dispute that, saves some trees), but also more green for their executives and stockholders, some even push autopay by debit card/check which if they get hacked is a bigger identity mess to straighten out (better with a credit card which can cancel or dispute charges). However, as individuals, keeping above in mind, none of us are getting any younger, and unless you think you are invincible and will never get seriously ill or in a major accident in your lifetime, think twice about whether you really should sign up for paperless billing.