[radiohead]

his postal clerk didn't notice the mailbox hadn't been emptied in a year??

If he had a mail slot in the door, the postman would never notice.

I agree that with w/automatic payments, no one would notice anything was wrong for a long time. However, my experience with older people is that they don't tend to use automatic payments. They like to either send out the bills or go directly to the utility. I don't understand it, but there you are. I had a fair number of elderly clients when I practiced law and you couldn't even get them to get direct deposit for the social security check, although now I think the gubmint is trying to strong arm people into doing so.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

"the gubmint is trying to strong arm people into doing so."

---

When I got into the process of applying for SS, my bank account was totally depleted, but I had to give a bank account number anyway. I told them I was closing the account. My checks came in the mail, for several months, and stopped coming. It turned out that someone at SS had forged my signature on the form requesting direct deposit, my funds were transferring to the bank, and the bank was kicking them back to SS. I discovered this because my ex sister in law worked at the bank, and discovered the problem by chance. SS claims I signed the form, but won't let me see it.
It all worked out, after 3 months with no income.

[Old Professer]

Was it as bad as quitting smoking?

[ApplegateRanch]

I'm technically a 'senor', and do almost everything paperless & online, but refuse to automate payments/reciepts.

I want to have to look for bogus charges before paying; especially DishNetwork, since they often like to periodically add a charge for an extra reciever that we have never had.

It is much easier to dispute & pay a corrected amount, than to get a correction in a timely fashion after payment is made.

Our power & phone co-ops will send someone out if they suddenly cease getting payments, too.