# Is Anybody Else Using Cash App?



## OneEyedDiva (Jun 11, 2021)

Cash App is a Square, Inc. company.  A few years ago, my husband told me to get the app after using it to send money to his daughter in another state. She got the money immediately. Anyone who downloads and used it, plus the referring person each get $5. I decided to try it and the money was immediately credited to my Cash App.  Close relatives and I have been using the app to reimburse each other and give monetary gifts. The money hits the connected bank accounts in two days or for a small fee, one can request an immediate transfer. I have used Cash App to donate as well. I was surprised when my Honorary Daughter told me that she pays her rent using the app. A receipt is emailed for each transaction. The app also offers a free Visa debit card on which your cash can be loaded. Instant discounts (Boosts) are offered on various products & services. I finally ordered and got my card this week.

 As far as using these kinds of apps, I had read about a woman whose money was stolen from a similar service. But it seems the victim was scammed into giving information that is not ordinarily requested by the companies providing these services.  Still that prompted me to secure my account with a pin number not connected with me or my family. The bank account I connected to the app has less than $350 in it so if my Cash App is somehow hacked they won't get much. So far my family and I have been very happy with the service. Have you used Cash App or a similar service?
https://www.wikihow.tech/Use-Cash-App-on-Android


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## Don M. (Jun 11, 2021)

I would be a bit hesitant about using an "app" to conduct financial transactions.  With all the hackers and ransomware tactics taking place, the odds are increasing for people using these methods to be hit, financially.  

I do a fair amount of buying/selling on the internet....mostly using PayPal....and I keep a modest and separate checking account for those transactions.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jun 14, 2021)

Don M. said:


> I would be a bit hesitant about using an "app" to conduct financial transactions.  With all the hackers and ransomware tactics taking place, the odds are increasing for people using these methods to be hit, financially.
> 
> I do a fair amount of buying/selling on the internet....mostly using PayPal....and I keep a modest and separate checking account for those transactions.


I understand your hesitancy Don. My oldest grandson asked me if I used the Robinhood app for investing and I told him I'd never use an app for investing. Nor would I ever use the budgeting apps like Mint that offer linking all your accounts so you can track your spending and balances. Since my connected account maintains such a low balance, my account is secured by a pin and based on our history, I'm comfortable using Cash App. Also, my phone and tablet are protected by a VPN.  Let's face it, these days any institution or business can be hacked. 

My husband and I both had problems with Paypal and I said I'd never use it again but Ebay is a Paypal company, so whenever I order from there (rarely), I wind up inadvertently using it.  When I was first getting into online shopping, I was a bit leery about it. Before I found out about banks that issue virtual credit card numbers, I got a card from my credit union. I had them lower my limit to the lowest it could be and added that card to Paypal. I charged $2 on iTunes. Paypal declined to pay it. There were no other charges on that card. I never could get a satisfactory explanation. My husband said he thinks he had about $200 in his Paypal account. They suspended his account, no explanation and we had no luck trying to get to the bottom of it and retrieve his money.  I started to think it was discrimination against Muslims because an Islamic radio program I donated had their account suspended by Paypal around the same time. After that I read some horror stories about Paypal from both merchants and customers.


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## Liberty (Jun 14, 2021)

Funny, a few years ago I wrote articles for an online company that paid me in a Pay Pal account.  Forgot all about it until I read an article on unclaimed money accounts and how to access them.  Did it and there popped up the Pay Pal account for several hundred bucks along with another unclaimed account from my hub and his late mom.  Be sure to check those out in your state, as you never know what might be laying around in a dormant account.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jun 14, 2021)

Liberty said:


> Funny, a few years ago I wrote articles for an online company that paid me in a Pay Pal account.  Forgot all about it until I read an article on unclaimed money accounts and how to access them.  Did it and there popped up the Pay Pal account for several hundred bucks along with another unclaimed account from my hub and his late mom.  Be sure to check those out in your state, as you never know what might be laying around in a dormant account.


Liberty, last year I filed a claim with the N.J. State Unclaimed Property agency.  There was a very small amount of money for an insurance policy my father had. I sent them all the documents they requested. Right after that COVID hit and I guess people were working from home so I couldn't call when I got an email that they needed a couple of other things that I'm unable to provide regarding the house where my parents rented, which has been torn down and some probate papers (?). I had already sent them a copy of the will. I keep meaning to get back on the case to see if there are alternative options. It seems like they are making me jump through hoops for that little bit of money. My father has been gone for 37 years.


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## Ronni (Jun 14, 2021)

I use cash app, PayPal, Venmo and messenger depending on who and for what. PayPal and Venmo have excellent customer service and will reimburse your account if you report fraudulent activity which happened with both while I was on vacation. Withdrawals occurred in the middle of the night and when I reported the unauthorized transactions each took immediate action to both reimburse my money and send new cards.

I don’t expect perfection from these online places any more than I do from my brick and mortar banks. What I DO expect is a swift response when I report something. So far I’ve not been disappointed.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jun 14, 2021)

Ronni said:


> I use cash app, PayPal, Venmo and messenger depending on who and for what. PayPal and Venmo have excellent customer service and will reimburse your account if you report fraudulent activity which happened with both while I was on vacation. Withdrawals occurred in the middle of the night and when I reported the unauthorized transactions each took immediate action to both reimburse my money and send new cards.
> 
> I don’t expect perfection from these online places any more than I do from my brick and mortar banks. What I DO expect is a swift response when I report something. So far I’ve not been disappointed.


Thank goodness your experience with Paypal was much better that those of my husband, me and others I read about ! I think Venmo is the app that the woman I referred to in the OP had used. Perfection is not the norm these days so excellent customer service is a must for sure.


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## Aunt Bea (Jun 14, 2021)

I’ve never used cash apps but I’m curious about them.

My bank offers Zelle.  I read about it and was a little bit concerned that if I made a mistake in the amount it could not be corrected.

I was also put off by the need to have my debit card on file at Zelle.  I've always been led to believe that using a debit card as a transaction card is a dangerous thing to do.

Another thing was understanding how the individual actually claimed the cash on their end.

I should learn how to use one properly before an emergency requiring cash comes up.


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## Don M. (Jun 14, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> After that I read some horror stories about Paypal from both merchants and customers.



I've never had any problems with PayPal, but recently EBAY seems to have "divorced" itself from PayPal, and now any buying/selling on EBAY goes directly to a buyers/sellers bank or credit card account.  I still have about $100 in my PayPal account, and I'll use it up fairly soon, and then let everything go to my modest "online activity" bank account.  

I am cautious about any online financial transactions, and track them closely.  With all the criminal activity, it only takes one "oops" to leave a person financially impacted.


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## Liberty (Jun 14, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Liberty, last year I filed a claim with the N.J. State Unclaimed Property agency.  There was a very small amount of money for an insurance policy my father had. I sent them all the documents they requested. Right after that COVID hit and I guess people were working from home so I couldn't call when I got an email that they needed a couple of other things that I'm unable to provide regarding the house where my parents rented, which has been torn down and some probate papers (?). I had already sent them a copy of the will. I keep meaning to get back on the case to see if there are alternative options. It seems like they are making me jump through hoops for that little bit of money. My father has been gone for 37 years.


Yes, I do think if they are needing to "prove up" absolutely anything they will do that.  One account was shared - hub and his mom and they needed something extra to prove he was the only child...we just said "forget it"...for a couple hundred bucks and change  it probably wouldn't have been worth it.  They had forwarded half of the money to him, but had kept the other half (his mom's half) until the proof was positive he was the only child.


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## Uptosnuff (Jun 14, 2021)

I am leery about using apps.  I use a few, but I don't like it.  I use PayPal and have used Venmo but that is the extent of it.  I try to use as few apps as possible.  I just don't trust them and really don't like having them on my phone.  If I were to send cash to anyone, it would be through my bank or writing an old fashioned check.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jun 25, 2021)

Aunt Bea said:


> I’ve never used cash apps but I’m curious about them.
> 
> My bank offers Zelle.  I read about it and was a little bit concerned that if I made a mistake in the amount it could not be corrected.
> 
> ...


Aunt Bea, a few years back my son and I were using Zelle to transfer monies to each other. But that became unnecessary after we found more convenient methods. Zelle was used directly via our bank accounts, no debit card number needed. But I found out much to my surprise and disappointment that one can only use Zelle with one financial institution. I was using Zelle at TD and got a message from Chase that I couldn't use the service with them because of it. And I don't think it was a Chase policy but Zelle's. 

With any of these apps, your bank account information in some form is necessary. I wouldn't use a credit card because cash transactions are considered cash advances that come with fees that are too high IMO. To get your feet wet, perhaps you can open up a low balance checking or savings account and connect that account. TD has checking for seniors in which only $100 needs to stay on deposit. If there's no TD by you, maybe some other bank has the same kind of accounts for seniors. 

With Cash App, they email you that someone has sent you money. You go into the app, click Cash Out and the money will be deposited into the bank account you've added to the app in two days (unless you pay the small fee for an immediate transfer).


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## Ruthanne (Jun 27, 2021)

I don't use cash apps but only because I don't exchange money with anyone.  Also, I've never done any money transactions on my cell only on the desktop pc.  I don't know why but I don't trust doing money transactions on a cell--Lord knows why.


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## terry123 (Jun 27, 2021)

Had a bad experience with PayPal several years ago and will never get involved with them again.  I use a credit card.  I finally got a debit card just to deposit those little checks that come in sometimes during the year.  Don't use it for anything else and changed the pin after the first time I use it.  Would never use an app to send money to anyone.  I send a check only.


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## OneEyedDiva (Jun 29, 2021)

terry123 said:


> Had a bad experience with PayPal several years ago and will never get involved with them again.  I use a credit card.  I finally got a debit card just to deposit those little checks that come in sometimes during the year.  Don't use it for anything else and changed the pin after the first time I use it.  Would never use an app to send money to anyone.  I send a check only.


I feel ya on not ever wanting to use Paypal again Terry.  Are you saying you got a debit card so you can use an ATM machine to deposit those checks? That's something I've never done.  I never trusted that method, especially not for depositing cash. When you deposit a check, do you get a receipt?


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## terry123 (Jun 29, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> I feel ya on not ever wanting to use Paypal again Terry.  Are you saying you got a debit card so you can use an ATM machine to deposit those checks? That's something I've never done.  I never trusted that method, especially not for depositing cash. When you deposit a check, do you get a receipt?


My grand goes inside to deposit any large checks which are few since SS is direct deposited.  She uses my debit card to deposit any small rebate checks I get through the year.  I save them up so its only two or three times a year for them and she gets a receipt.  I don't drive much so thats why she does it for me.  She wanted me to get the debit card and thats the only reason I got it for those little checks.  Personally I don't like a debit card but both grands and my daughter uses them for everything they do.  I am just behind the times but I like it like that!


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