Has the NRA done this to you?

[Bill DeShivs]

I looked at my bank account tonight and saw "NRA membership $40.
"
I have been a member for a long time, and I usually renew for myself, my wife and my daughter every year about this time.

But I have NOT given them permission to charge my credit card or bank account.

Tomorrow, I'm going to give them fits.

 

[shurshot]

You need to pay for WL's Holiday vacation to a warmer climate.

Wish I could get my lifetime membership fee back.

 

[DaleA]

I had something similar happen with Amazon Prime and a computer anti-virus company but I suspect when I signed up for them I DID somehow sign up for automatic renewal.

I had a nasty encounter with my newspaper where they ended my yearly subscription a couple months early and sent me a bill saying I was delinquent in payment for the next year.

Sheesh! If my subscription runs out to any magazine or newspaper or club I expect them just to not send it anymore and assume I no longer want it.

I've never had the problem you had with the NRA and last time I renewed I even got a nice pullover type jacket/sweater for renewing.

I hope they give you some satisfaction.

Good luck.

And for anyone telling you that you should never give out credit card info or allow companies access to your bank account I'd just use the new catch phrase "C'mon Man!" It is after all the 21st Century and like it or not that's the way things are headed. I use checks for 95% of my bills but some places require automatic withdrawals and some folk require automatic deposits if you want to get your money. Heck, one dry cleaner will not take cash for heaven sakes even though it says right on the money "all debts public and private." (I bet their lawyers would tell me that doesn't mean what I think it means.)

 

[thallub]

McAfee charged my credit card after i told them to cancel me out. In the past year i've had several other unauthorized charges to my credit cards.

 

[ballardw]

Heck, one dry cleaner will not take cash for heaven sakes even though it says right on the money "all debts public and private." (I bet their lawyers would tell me that doesn't mean what I think it means.)

From https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12772.htm

Is it legal for a business in the United States to refuse cash as a form of payment?

There is no federal statute mandating that a private business, a person, or an organization must accept currency or coins as payment for goods or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether to accept cash unless there is a state law that says otherwise.

Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," states: "United States coins and currency [including Federal Reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal Reserve Banks and national banks] are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues." This statute means that all U.S. money as identified above is a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor.

So maybe check if you have a state law regarding such. And if not see if you can get one to pass.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

I looked at my bank account tonight and saw "NRA membership $40.
"
I have been a member for a long time, and I usually renew for myself, my wife and my daughter every year about this time.

But I have NOT given them permission to charge my credit card or bank account.

Tomorrow, I'm going to give them fits.

I think you should also give the bank a call. As Ricky Ricardo used to say, somebody's got some 'splaining to do.

 

[Unclenick]

Cash is legal tender so it is acceptable as such, but I see no requirement that it be accepted. Indeed, if the quantity is large, the government will treat the transaction as suspect. What has happened in some areas, in particular, is that computer printers have made counterfeiting so easy that merchants are constantly having to sort good money from bad. Cashier's checks are forged all the time, too. That may be one reason for going cashless at the dry cleaners, but having nothing for robbers to take is a more likely reason.

Regarding the membership, if you call the NRA, they will probably discover you got onto auto-renewal somehow and will take you off.

 

[Mike Irwin]

"Heck, one dry cleaner will not take cash for heaven sakes even though it says right on the money "all debts public and private.""

Sure, your money says that it's legal tender for all debts public and private.

But what it does NOT say, and what NO Federal law says, is that currency MUST be accepted.

I'll repeat that... there are NO Federal laws requiring that US currency be accepted.

That means that people have the right, under Federal law, to refuse payment of cash for other payment means (checks, debits, credit cards).


That said, some states have passed laws requiring merchants to accept cash payments.

But, there are those who question whether that's Constitutional or not, given that the currency is under the purview of the Federal government, not the state government. No court cases on it, though, that I know of.

 

[HiBC]

I'm not a lawyer,and my extremely dubious source is a memory of of something a teacher said in school.I doubt the teacher was a lawyer.

This may have been intended to enforce the credibility of a paper dollar over gold or silver. And,it may have been long enough ago we were spending "Silver Certificates"

But what I was told,was if "Legal Tender" dollars are refused,the debt is void.

If they won't take your money,you no longer owe them.

I accept that may not be true

 

[JERRYS.]

WLP needs a new suit.

 

[HiBC]

A slightly different experience:
I was an NRA Member.
I received an NRA renewal offer of 5 years for XXX amount.
I filled it out and wrote the check.Mailed it.

Soon after,I was getting the NRA high pressure renewal mail.

Attempts to contact the NRA got me phone bank Beavis and Butthead sorts who were mostly interested in getting my credit card info.

Long distance calls were still expensive. My employer did not consent to me spending long distance time on his phone.
I had to burn a vacation day. I had already checked with the bank that my check had cleared. The NRA had my money.

After lots of dialing and being put on hold, I finally got ahold of a true NRA rep.Later,long distance charges exceeded the price of one year membership.

I told him the story. I also told him I didn't need a hat,or even a magazine.

I didn't need anything that would cost the NRA money. All in the world wanted? Was when someone asked me "Are you an NRA Member"? Is to be able to look him in the eye and say "Yes"

I told the NRA rep that.

His response was I had to send a photocopy of cleared check. Now,I sent my money,I got nothing,and I did not get any help,just "Prove it"

I was working mandatory overtime. I had to take time off to go to the bank,which I did. I had to pay a fee for then to dig my check out of archives.

I did. I had a photocopy of the check.

But then I went to a gunshow. I saw a display of bumper stickers. One said

"Don't trust a government that won't trust you with a gun"

And my jaws got real tight. Why trust an NRA who does not trust me?

I did not send my check photocopy. I have not been a member since. I don't put up with being treated like that. The NRA threw me away.

Trust? Tell me about trust,WLP.

If some NRA rep sees this,they can make it right,by PM'ing me with an apology and my 5 years membership. At least.

 

[44 AMP]

One time (many years ago) I went to pay a debt at a DR's office and the lady said "we don't take cash..."

I said "Are you telling me that you are refusing payment of this debt?"

They took the cash...

on the other hand, my childhood fantasy of buying a new car and paying for it with a truckload of pennies was dashed when I learned that the dealership didn't have to accept payment in pennies (or other coin). They would take cash (bills) but not coins, and no law required them to.

Not a lawyer, but I think the general rule is while there is no law saying they must accept cash, cash is legal tender (and says so on it), so if they refuse cash, that's their choice, but by refusing legal tender they are refusing a valid payment and thereby canceling your debt.

I might be wrong, but I've never had anyone refuse to take my money.

 

[JERRYS.]

what's the market value of a cow and a chicken? why can't I just use that as payment?
what's the market value of 3 bushels of blue crab? why can't I use that as payment?
I mean everyone has to eat, so.... see how ridiculous that is?

If you are indebted and you offer cash and they won't take it tell them to see you in court when they want to collect.

on the other hand, if you are not indebted and just want to buy something and they say only credit/debit card for payment, you have the option to walk away.

 

[Mike Irwin]

"But what was told,was if "Legal Tender" dollars are refused,the debt is void.

If they won't take your money,you no longer owe them."

It's generally not true, although some state laws may vary in certain specific circumstances.

If you try that with, say, the electric or water company, the end result is that you'll likely rack up fees and eventually have your service terminated and the account sent to collection.

Try that at a store? Does that mean if you try to pay in cash and they refuse it you can walk out with the items? Not going to end well for you.

As a concept, it's right up there with the fringe on the flag argument.

 

[jmr40]

by refusing legal tender they are refusing a valid payment and thereby canceling your debt.

No, it doesn't work that way and is explained above much better than I could.

I don't blame folks for not wanting cash. And I also understand why some people prefer it.

It is a LOT easier for people to do electronic transfers, it is safer, less chance for theft or counterfeit money, it requires much less manpower to process which reduces overhead. That means more profit for businesses and lower prices for consumers.

Usually, but not always, the folks who prefer to deal in cash do so to be able to hide their profits and reduce their tax liability.

 

[HiBC]

what's the market value of a cow and a chicken? why can't I just use that as payment?
what's the market value of 3 bushels of blue crab? why can't I use that as payment?
I mean everyone has to eat, so.... see how ridiculous that is?

If you are indebted and you offer cash and they won't take it tell them to see you in court when they want to collect.

on the other hand, if you are not indebted and just want to buy something and they say only credit/debit card for payment, you have the option to walk away.

Once agan,I'm not a lawyer,I'm not quoting law.Ths is a "What makes sense to me"
The blue crab is not printed "This is legal tender to pay all debts public and private"

What happens to our economy if "Full faith and trust" isn't good enough?

"No,that stuff is worthless" . Pay in blue crabs.

I think we need legal tender.

But your option to walk away works,too.

OK,mods. This ain't about guns. Sorry. Feel free to delete.

 

[cjwils]

Many organizations these days automatically include you in their auto-renewal program without your explicit approval unless you take steps to block that. Some do not let you block it up front. You must come back later and cancel the auto-renewal.

 

[T. O'Heir]

It's not 'Also call your bank'. It's "Call your Bank!"
"...somehow sign up for automatic renewal..." That can be in the 'small print'.
"...dollars are refused, the debt is void..." That I'd want to see in writing. Means that if you go into your bank with bags of coin to pay a CC bill and they refuse it(which they do or want to charge a fee), the CC debt is void.

 

[zxcvbob]

One time (many years ago) I went to pay a debt at a DR's office and the lady said "we don't take cash..."

I said "Are you telling me that you are refusing payment of this debt?"

They took the cash...

on the other hand, my childhood fantasy of buying a new car and paying for it with a truckload of pennies was dashed when I learned that the dealership didn't have to accept payment in pennies (or other coin). They would take cash (bills) but not coins, and no law required them to.

Not a lawyer, but I think the general rule is while there is no law saying they must accept cash, cash is legal tender (and says so on it), so if they refuse cash, that's their choice, but by refusing legal tender they are refusing a valid payment and thereby canceling your debt.

I might be wrong, but I've never had anyone refuse to take my money.

As I understand it, pennies and nickels are not legal tender. The formerly-silver coins are. Good luck trying to pay for anything substantial using dimes and quarters (or finding that many)

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Usually, but not always, the folks who prefer to deal in cash do so to be able to hide their profits and reduce their tax liability.

Some of us are just old fogies who prefer not to deal with anything digital that can be hacked or stolen, such as card numbers.