PayPal problems

[Bealman]

Sadly, (perhaps) Australia is now very dependent on smart phones.

[RailGooner]

In the space of a few decades mobile phones have gone from a niche/luxury item to a common item used by all, especially the poor.

Here in the UK, businesses can generate a QR code scannable by the NHS Covid-19 app for track-n-trace purposes.

[njee20]

Surely this is one of those times that a smartphone is far easier? Scan a QR code in 5 seconds, or take a pen, used by dozens of other people and write out all your contact details.

MFA can be a pain, and I really hate the card readers being used for internet banking, but it does make everything more secure, and on balance I do find smartphones make most things overwhelmingly easier.

As for the OP's problem - if you get a refund it can often go to the funding source directly, ie the bank account or card that funded the original purchase. Worth checking?

[Bealman]

I think it's simply the way things are. My eighteen month old granddaughter accepts smartphones as if that's the way it is.

And that's what it is.... the way of life, these days.

God knows what tech she'll be using when she's my age!

[njee20]

Yep, and I'm all for it! Far more convenient!

[Bealman]

Sometimes too convenient....

Like when I'm at the club when I should be simply enjoying me beer, but I'm on the forum instead! 

[njee20]

We're veering wildly off topic now, but mrs njee20 often tells me I could do something far more worthwhile with my time than browse forum, "like reading a book", but she can never tell me quite why reading some trashy fiction would be better than learning and engaging with real people, albeit virtually. To that end, surely being able to browse the forum whilst enjoying your beer is an enhancement of the experience, not a detraction.

[ntpntpntp]

Despite being an IT veteran and software developer (so IT savvy) I simply have no interest in owning a smartphone. I don't feel the need to take selfies or be able to watch cat videos whilst down the pub!  Phones are for talking to people (and maybe SMS at a push), I use a proper computer to browse the net. I'm happy to work with SMS authorisation codes when the bank etc. need it.

I'll end up with a smartphone eventually, probably work will insist on it for MFA - they tried to roll it out once and then realised not everyone was equipped! For a short while I had an android phone emulator running on my pc just to fulfill the MFA authorisation step, of course rather defeating the whole point of using a separate device!

[Newportnobby]

Despite being an IT veteran and software developer (so IT savvy) I simply have no interest in owning a smartphone. I don't feel the need to take selfies or be able to watch cat videos whilst down the pub!  Phones are for talking to people (and maybe SMS at a push)

Amen, Brother. Je suis un Luddite and proud of it. My mobile is there for an emergency if I'm out of the house. Otherwise it's left off as the signal is so bad here I'm like Peter Kay waving it about at the top of the garden when I need to access my internet banking and they send me an authorisation number to log in

[lil chris]

My bank started wanting a authorisation code via my mobile wen I was on internet banking which was a pain especially if had left my mobile downstairs. Then all of a sudden they let me make my computer a safe/recognised device, problem solved.