Is that better than logging into your online banking, making an instant transfer? No need to go anywhere or pay anyone.
Paying a new person is at a minimum a 3 hour process using online payments for me if they don't accept credit card payments.
Also, my checks don't have my full name or billing address on them. Credit card payments require disclosing at least part of these (at a minimum, billing address zip code) to the payee. Wire transfers disclose the full name on the account. I want to send money, not PII.
> Also, my checks don't have my full name or billing address on them.
Return address on envelope does...
Also, aren't you worried someone will intercept check like in article and rewrite it?, non issue with electronic payments
Historically, places could be fussy about accepting checks without an address although I expect that's not generally an issue today. (Of course, lots of other ways to get someone's address especially if they own a house. It's public information in general in the US.)
But, yeah, I've never heard of this account locking thing. I can go to my major brick and mortar bank's web site and add a new payee in 30 seconds. Done.
If I have their bank routing number and account number, sure I can do that (then it's effectively the same thing as a check but without the slip of paper). But I don't always have that info particularly for informal one-off payments (e.g. yard cleaner that came to haul debris away) so it's easiest to hand them a check.