What Scams have you only just Realised?

Capt'n Midnight

Massimo Cassagrande wrote: »

Vouchers - you turn perfectly good money someone can spend anywhere, anytime, into Monopoly money someone can only spend in one place for a limited period of time at that sellers discretion.

They are finally talking about a law to an the time limit. Then again as Clerey's shows there are other ways of loosing out with vouchers.

Maplins for example won't let you use vouchers for online purchases.


The only vouchers that were any good were Book Tokens , back when there was no internet and every book shop took them.

At this stage the best thing to do is give a person money and a card suggesting what they should spend it on.

Massimo Cassagrande

razorblunt wrote: »

Do you know how pension investments work?

Yeah, I used to sell pensions.

Hotblack Desiato

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

There is an EU directive stating a minimum 2 years guarantee on goods, including electronics, but it wasn't brought into effect here as Sale of Goods Act rights can last longer than that.

It's in effect as a minimum afaik though

Capt'n Midnight

Irish Guitarist wrote: »

If you already own a Sony Cybershot camera and buy a newer model you'll most likely also have to buy a new battery. There must be at least seven different types of Sony battery. All of these batteries cost about a third or even half the price of the camera. There's absolutely no way this is necessary. They could easily make one type of battery to fit all their cameras.

SONY. That's your problem right there. Expensive proprietary formats every F***ing time. Because let's charge at least double for the same capacity as the rest of the industry.

Betamax.

Digital Audio Tape , for audio.

Minidisk


Memory stick and Memory Stick PRO and Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick Pro Duo and Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo and Memory Stick Micro , yes really because that's the lovely thing about standards - you can't have too many of them :mad:

Universal Media Disc "universal" if you have a PlayStation Portable

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Sony_formats
Note CD was mostly done by Philips and the 3.5" floppy was based on but different to the SONY offering.

Hotblack Desiato

Grayson wrote: »

It was actually enacted here. I also posted all the relevant sections from the sale of goods acts and none of it states that electronics are covered for longer.

:rolleyes: that's the whole point of your rights in the Sale of Goods Act, the rights are not limited to a specific length of time like a warranty is. Ultimately it's up to the court to decide what is reasonable.
You also ignored that the quote you put up was clearly talking about servicing and spare parts, not warranties

You can say that's what you were told in an incredibly rude dismissive tone,

You made a completely false assertion with no proof and when you get called out on it, complain people are being rude to you simply because you were proven wrong. Uhuh.

but I actually looked up the law everyone is quoting and it says nothing about the duration of warranties. It simply said it's up to the manufacturer.

Yes they can offer whatever warranty they like but it doesn't take your legal rights away. You said consumer law does not cover electronics after 12 months, that is just incorrect.

So I'm going to leave this thread now because it's not worth arguing with people who state something is in a law, yet won't provide a source and refuse to actually believe the source they quoted says no such thing.

LOL, that's exactly what you yourself have done. Oh well...

newmug

LadyFenghuang wrote: »

Yuri Bezmenov: Psychological Warfare Subversion & Control of Western Society (Complete) for one!

??? Please explain

martingriff

Boring username wrote: »

Most charities.

I am going to agree and disagree.

Agree as in some charities certainly milk it and could do things a whole lot cheaper if they stuck to there principles

Disagree is the sense that if people thought that all there money could go out with no overheads then that is stupid. Yes they should be more upfront with them and now it seems they are beginning to but a lot of charities are good and should not be lumped in with the bad apples or dismissed just because there is a religious order behind them.

jamesbondings

Nucular Arms wrote: »

It's actually sad how uninformed most people are about the operation of the financial system.

When the government needs more money in the supply, let's say, 2 billion euro, they approach the central bank and trade government bonds as a form of security to the central bank on a loan of the 2billion.

As you know, loans are susceptible to interest. And yet, if the central bank is the only entity that can affect the money supply, and seeing as this latest loan is for money not already existing in the money supply, the key thing to consider is.. how is the government supposed to pay off the interest of the loan? As, by definition, there is no more money in the supply in order to do so.

So where does it come from? Tax. That's where from.

You can see the effects of this fractional reserve banking even in the creation of irish water. The IMF and the eu, acting as the central bank of the nation, basically agreed to loan money to the irish government on condition that it would be paid back with interest.

Where does the interest come from? USC, Irish water etc, etc, etc

And so when the CB want to do the same, can they? Of course they can....Quantitative Easing.....printing money....

Todd Toddington III

murpho999 wrote:

Are you serious? There are toll roads all over Europe and often dearer than the M50.

Been on a few of the new tolled roads in Spain. One toll was 7 bloody euro. There seemed to be an endless stream of them too on the way back to malaga airport

fryup

€7.50 for parking just over an hour at dublin airport yesterday :mad:

jamesbondings

fryup wrote: »

€7.50 for parking just over an hour at dublin airport yesterday :mad:

at least its not the UK they charge far more than that! the missus waited for me in stansted for 14 mins and it cost her 8 pound!! granted thats just a set down area but really who is arsed walking to the short term area in stansted!?

Wood

Euro tolls are nothing, just back from Copenhagen. One toll was c.a €85 for a trip that was maybe dublin to belfast in length. Then we had to come back.

€170 quid round trip where the petrol was less than half the price of the toll.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^

:eek: €85

were you driving over a bridge made of gold ??

arayess

bank charges...

a new one BOI recently invented ....cash handling fee.

27c per 100e
considering I paid my staff in cash until recently - i got the charges bill .. a wage run was costing me about 25e a month.
That is one transaction - I'd like 9000k please - teller: *counts it* "there you are now boss"

and I'd walk back to the shop and put it in envelopes.

robbery...staff now get it by cash transfer which they dislike.

deadybai

Wood wrote: »

Euro tolls are nothing, just back from Copenhagen. One toll was c.a €85 for a trip that was maybe dublin to belfast in length. Then we had to come back.

€170 quid round trip where the petrol was less than half the price of the toll.

I remember this happened me in Portugal also. 85 quid each way. We were wondering on the way up why was the road empty. :pac:

deadybai

Realised it over a year ago now but the Fifa PS3 games always promise to have the most up to date technology yet with improved physics and what not. Yet the game hasnt changed since Fifa 11. Now I just buy the one the year behind dirt cheap when the new one is released.

murpho999

arayess wrote: »

bank charges...

a new one BOI recently invented ....cash handling fee.

27c per 100e
considering I paid my staff in cash until recently - i got the charges bill .. a wage run was costing me about 25e a month.
That is one transaction - I'd like 9000k please - teller: *counts it* "there you are now boss"

and I'd walk back to the shop and put it in envelopes.

robbery...staff now get it by cash transfer which they dislike.

Hardly a scam in fairness, they were charging you for the service.

Also, can't believe people were still getting paid in cash and 2015 and do you realise the security risk you were taking walking back from the bank every week with €9k cash.

arayess

murpho999 wrote: »

Hardly a scam in fairness, they were charging you for the service.

Also, can't believe people were still getting paid in cash and 2015 and do you realise the security risk you were taking walking back from the bank every week with €9k cash.

do you think that charge is reasonable for taking my own money out of the branch in a 5 mins transaction? I'm not against paying bank charges but that's gouging.

my staff can be transient many of them prefer cash - i don't query their reasons. Some don't trust the banks , some don't have bank accounts. That's life on a low paid gig even though I pay them above min wage.

as for the security risk - I guess looking like a 15 stone al qaeda terrorist has served me well till now.
But seriously , security and risk are overhyped - 9k fits in my breast pocket and nobody knows. I'd rather live my life free than be paranoid at every corner.

Akrasia

arayess wrote: »

I'd like 9000k please - teller: *counts it* "there you are now boss"

Did they put the 9 million into unmarked non sequential bills?

arayess

Akrasia wrote: »

Did they put the 9 million into unmarked non sequential bills?

LOL...damn -

I demanded a plane to south america too.

osarusan

arayess wrote: »

as for the security risk - I guess looking like a 15 stone al qaeda terrorist has served me well till now.
But seriously , security and risk are overhyped - 9k fits in my breast pocket and nobody knows. I'd rather live my life free than be paranoid at every corner.

sooooo...ah....which bank is this, and when are you usually there?

Your breast pocket you say...


/googles chloroform/

razorblunt

Massimo Cassagrande wrote: »

Yeah, I used to sell pensions.

Explains the "used to" at least :-)

RoboRat

Inheritance tax: Somebody over the course of their lifetime builds up assets, paying tax along the way for the accumulation of those assets... often paying double / triple tax such as income tax, VAT, stamp duty, household tax, USC etc. Then when they die and these assets are passed to someone, another tax has to be paid. Absolutely ridiculous. I have seen people who have inherited a house having to sell it because they cant afford the inheritance tax and getting bugger all for what was left to them.

Honestly cannot see the need for an inheritance tax.

_Tombstone_

RoboRat wrote: »

Inheritance tax: Somebody over the course of their lifetime builds up assets, paying tax along the way for the accumulation of those assets... often paying double / triple tax such as income tax, VAT, stamp duty, household tax, USC etc. Then when they die and these assets are passed to someone, another tax has to be paid. Absolutely ridiculous. I have seen people who have inherited a house having to sell it because they cant afford the inheritance tax and getting bugger all for what was left to them.

Honestly cannot see the need for an inheritance tax.

And as far as i know we have the privilege of being the highest in the world for that particular tax.

Joe prim

Akrasia wrote: »

Biggest scam ever is IMRO charging shops and businesses that play music over speakers

I used to work in a shop and play cds to keep myself entertained. I don't think Tom Waits, Sigur Ros, Alphastates, Lamb or any of the other non mainstream bands I was listening to ever saw a cent of the fee IMRO extorted out of the shop.

They never asked us what music I was playing. I bet yer man from boyzone got most of the money.

Thinly disguised "I have very non-mainstream and progressive taste in music"post.

AlphaRed

IvaBigWun wrote: »

Last I checked, lifting heavy things correctly for an hour a couple of times a week does build muscle.

And that's how gyms scam people. By their lack of knowledge. Believe it or not there are many different ways to lift heavy things a few times a week to get many different results. Not to mention having the right diet. For example you could lift to become a strong man and look like a barrel or you could lift like a fitness model and look like Rob Riches.

The world has become profit before people. Every year businesses have to make more than they did last year, this means coming out with B.S. that people don't need and it confuses them, this is especially so in the fitness industry. You know that ab roller that will give you a 6 pack, when the truth is abs are made in the kitchen.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

The lotto is the biggest scam going.

Grayson

_Tombstone_ wrote: »

And as far as i know we have the privilege of being the highest in the world for that particular tax.

A quick google shows that we'e not.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/estate-and-inheritance-taxes-around-world

Japan is 60% higher than us.

KomradeBishop

RoboRat wrote: »

Inheritance tax: Somebody over the course of their lifetime builds up assets, paying tax along the way for the accumulation of those assets... often paying double / triple tax such as income tax, VAT, stamp duty, household tax, USC etc. Then when they die and these assets are passed to someone, another tax has to be paid. Absolutely ridiculous. I have seen people who have inherited a house having to sell it because they cant afford the inheritance tax and getting bugger all for what was left to them.

Honestly cannot see the need for an inheritance tax.

Inheritance tax is an odd topic, where people seem to miss the nuance, that the person who is being taxed, is not the person who has died and has already paid their taxes, but the person who is receiving income from the inheritance, and who must pay taxes on all their income (no matter what type - so long as they meet minimum income bounds for a particular tax).

Just about every transaction in the economy is taxed - when you buy a complex good made up of many components, such as a smartphone (or better yet, a car), the components have likely accumulatively gone through dozens/hundreds of taxes by the time the final product is put together and sold to you.

So, saying inheritance tax is unjust, is a bit like complaining about paying VAT on the final sale of a product, after all the components have already been through dozens of other taxes - or for paying VAT on a second hand product (e.g. car), when the person who originally bought it already paid VAT.

Nobody is entitled to a tax-free income - not even from family.

Deise Vu

Grayson wrote: »

A quick google shows that we'e not.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/estate-and-inheritance-taxes-around-world

Japan is 60% higher than us.

Never mind the rate, feel the exemptions.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/10/03/how-tos/inheritance-tax-in-japan-may-not-be-the-burden-you-imagined/#.VYLFYflViko

_Tombstone_

Grayson wrote: »

A quick google shows that we'e not.

http://taxfoundation.org/article/estate-and-inheritance-taxes-around-world

Japan is 60% higher than us.

Oh, it was prime time or some such on RTE that said we were, it was only in the last few weeks it was on.

Shops charging extra for X% free products.

Qualitymark

KomradeBishop wrote: »

Inheritance tax is an odd topic, where people seem to miss the nuance, that the person who is being taxed, is not the person who has died and has already paid their taxes, but the person who is receiving income from the inheritance, and who must pay taxes on all their income (no matter what type - so long as they meet minimum income bounds for a particular tax).

But Irish inheritance tax is far too high:

http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/property-mortgages/our-inheritance-tax-regime-one-of-toughest-in-the-world-31291580.html

Ireland has one of the most severe inheritance tax regimes in the western world, according to key US economic think tank.
The rate that the tax is imposed at is the seventh highest in the countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
And the tax kicks in here at a much lower value than in other western countries.

Also, the amount you can inherit before paying tax has halved, hitting people hard if they inherit a family home:

http://kclr96fm.com/families-nationwide-could-be-facing-huge-inheritance-tax-bills

Rising property prices are pushing many people over the threshold for the amount you can inherit before tax which has dropped from €500,000 to €225,000.

KomradeBishop

Unsurprisingly, the think tank behind those stats is well known for fraudulent research:
https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Tax_Foundation#Criticisms

There are several hundred think tanks you can pick from, putting out garbage research like that, to give you the answer you want.

You get the first €225,000 tax free - that's one of the best deals out of any type of tax on income.

Acacia

" 5 euro credit for Vodafone, please."

"That'll be 5.50."

"Wait, what?"

Not really a scam, but feel totally mugged when it happens all the same.

Hotblack Desiato

Wood wrote: »

Euro tolls are nothing, just back from Copenhagen. One toll was c.a €85 for a trip that was maybe dublin to belfast in length. Then we had to come back.

€170 quid round trip where the petrol was less than half the price of the toll.

Øresund_Bridge?

Tomagotchye

Billpay phones...just because

RoboRat

So, saying inheritance tax is unjust, is a bit like complaining about paying VAT on the final sale of a product, after all the components have already been through dozens of other taxes - or for paying VAT on a second hand product (e.g. car), when the person who originally bought it already paid VAT.

VAT is a tax on consumer spending. The customer pays VAT on the final item, ie the car, the hundreds of components may have had VAT applied throughout the process but most companies are VAT registered and can claim back that VAT, or the products are exempt as they may have been bought from another jurisdiction.

To put it simply, If the manufacturer makes a car, they have to charge VAT to sell to the distributor, they then sell to the garage and add their VAT... the manufacturer claims back their VAT. The garage then sell the car to a customer and the distributor claims back their VAT. Once the car is sold to the customer, the garage can claim back their VAT so therefore VAT is never really a cost in the chain. The person left paying the VAT is the customer, hence why VAT is a tax on consumer spending.

Also, I have never paid VAT on a second hand car, I have paid what they are asking and I can guarantee if its a private sale, no VAT has been paid.

What you are suggesting is not relevant. Its more relevant to say that it would be scandalous if someone received a birthday present and had to declare it and then pay a special tax on it when the purchaser has already paid a tax in the form of VAT.

Inheritance tax is wrong. it is not an income source, its a gift from somebody who has died so its wrong to apply yet another tax to it.

Enjoy Heroin Responsibly

Commission/Transaction charges on foreign exchanges -although not as bad as advertising "0% commission" but giving a crap rate.

TOMP wrote: »

Standing charges on ESB/gas etc. 20 years ago there were none.

There have always been standing charges on ESB bills

Telephone line rental is a bigger scam though -Especially when one only has the damn thing for broadband

DuffleBag wrote: »

TV licences

Surprised thread got to 156 posts before that came up

RoboRat wrote: »

Honestly cannot see the need for an inheritance tax.

Because you don't see anything wrong with a sense of entitlement to an unearned, untaxed windfall either ?

RoboRat

Because you don't see anything wrong with a sense of entitlement to an unearned, untaxed windfall either ?

Tax has already been paid, multiple times by the person who died... so no, I don't see the need to tax it, in the same manner as I don't see the need to tax a present/gift, or if a hard working parent gives their child an expensive gift or some money.

Not everything HAS to be taxed, especially when the government have already whetted their lips on it already.

KomradeBishop

RoboRat wrote: »

What you are suggesting is not relevant. Its more relevant to say that it would be scandalous if someone received a birthday present and had to declare it and then pay a special tax on it when the purchaser has already paid a tax in the form of VAT.

Inheritance tax is wrong. it is not an income source, its a gift from somebody who has died so its wrong to apply yet another tax to it.

If the birthday present is expensive enough, it is not exempt from tax - gift tax.

Inheritance and gifts are income - not an income stream such as a wage, but an income of money - and almost all transactions and sources of income, are subject to taxes (if they pass thresholds for a specific tax).

Optimalprimerib

LadyFenghuang wrote: »

:-/

A post office you buy it over the counter. An individual license for one dog for one year is twenty Euro. For one lifetime (meaning you never have to get one again for that dog, it's the dog's lifetime not yours you still need to for other dogs) is 140 Euro.

PLEASE get one!

What are they for? If your dog is licensed or unlicensed and bites someone, it has to be put down either way.

Qualitymark

KomradeBishop wrote: »

Inheritance and gifts are income - not an income stream such as a wage, but an income of money.

Most inheritances are homes.

Dog licence, Optimalp, is compulsory for all who have dogs. It's planned to make it conditional on having the dog microchipped, which will probably mean another stratospheric price rise - it's gone up from €6 to €12.50 to €20 in the last few years.

Enjoy Heroin Responsibly

Qualitymark wrote: »

Most inheritances are homes.

Your point being ?

Fear Ciarrai

Mass cards
Mass and cards

Hotblack Desiato

RoboRat wrote: »

Once the car is sold to the customer, the garage can claim back their VAT so therefore VAT is never really a cost in the chain. The person left paying the VAT is the customer, hence why VAT is a tax on consumer spending.

Good post, but <cue nitpick>
Yes, ultimately the consumer pays all the VAT. A consumer consumes, they don't create value they destroy it and pay heavily for the privilege.

It's not quite correct to say that there isn't a cost all along the chain though. VAT is a tax on added value, it's not quite the same as a straight 'sales tax' which US states, etc. operate.

Businesses can claim back VAT but they still have to pay the difference between the VAT on their inputs (materials, etc.) and the VAT on their outputs (goods.) Ultimately they don't pay this, it's the next link in the chain (wholesaler or retailer) that pays it, and they claim it from the next link (retailer or consumer) but it is a tax on the value added at each step along the way. The consumer pays it, but it'll be remitted to Revenue piecemeal by each link along the chain.

I can only presume that the reason it's done this way is anti-evasion, a sales tax imposed only on the end transaction would be easier to get around with free offers, cashback, money under the counter or whatever.

Inheritance tax is wrong. it is not an income source, its a gift from somebody who has died so its wrong to apply yet another tax to it.

I don't agree, up to a point (e.g. the cost of a modest home in Dublin) there should be no tax, but inherited wealth above that should absolutely be taxed and taxed heavily. There is no privilege in life like inherited privilege. Inheritance tax in the UK was a big factor in bringing the landed gentry to heel and not before time.

Enjoy Heroin Responsibly

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

I don't agree, up to a point (e.g. the cost of a modest home in Dublin)

Why should some people get their houses for free ?

Hotblack Desiato

Enjoy Heroin Responsibly wrote: »

Why should some people get their houses for free ?

It's just an approximation of what the average Joe or Jane (if an only child) could expect to inherit, at the most.

You couldn't really call inheriting the semi-d you've lived in all your life 'wealth'.

Enjoy Heroin Responsibly

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

You couldn't really call inheriting the semi-d you've lived in all your life 'wealth'.

Getting free house = no rent/mortgage = more money for other stuff = wealth ?

Hotblack Desiato

I take it you're not arguing against taxing inherited wealth above that level.

If you want to argue for taxing inherited wealth below that level be my guest, but bear in mind that the more people you draw into the tax net the more opposition there will be - and the less you'll get off each one, so there comes a point where politically it's not worth the hassle.