[clug] The 1st Internet Tax is here.

[steve jenkin]

Robert Edwards wrote on 13/11/08 4:15 PM:

> I'd like to see a whole nother online payment paradigm made available.
> 
> What I would like to be able to do is to rock up to a local eg.
> convenience store and buy a token (think of a phonecard or similar)
> with cash or whatever which I can then use to purchase stuff off of
> the Internet, without giving up my (personal, identity-revealing)
> credit card details which can be used to track my eg. purchasing
> patterns etc.
<snip>


sometime in the last year, "Bill Express" (newsagency supplier) launched
"BoPo" pre-paid Visa:
"bopo cards are Australia's first fully functional prepaid Visa card.
bopo offers the convenience of a credit card but is not linked to a bank
account."

A friend who'd had credit history problems got one...

"Bill Express", a subsiduary of Allco, sold the cards and went under in
July 2008.

Current pre-paid offerings include:
<http://www.prepaidshop.com.au/> ANZ
<https://www.canvascard.com.au/> Bpay ?

This site seems to be a portal, but it lists 'bopo' still, so I wouldn't
trust it.
<http://www.prepaidvisacards.com.au>

I agree with your sentiments - perfect for on-line shopping, especially
if you can transfer money into it for nil/low cost as needed.

Limits the downside to the current balance :-)
Leverages an existing global payment/settlement network.

Not sure about Card Holder information.
Like prepiad mobiles, making them truly anonymous lends them to 'illegal
activities'...

> Cheers,
> 
> Bob Edwards.

cheers
s

-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin