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Comment by sneak | Hacker News Reader

What processing companies are available to use that don't sell your transaction data by default?

> What processing companies are available to use that don't sell your transaction data by default?

Thankfully merchants are generally opaque in terms of the metadata provided to the payment processors. I for one am thankful my card statements have "Amazon purchase" instead of the specific item purchased, for instance.

I anticipate more and more merchants to use Level 3 data (or be forced to use it):

https://tidalcommerce.com/learn/what-is-level-3-data/

I know staples.com, many hotel chains, and airlines already use this.

I would be surprised if especially large merchants (like Amazon or Walmart) would submit to this as they I would imagine they have massive bargaining power when it comes to transaction fees and would gain little in sharing that data with the payment processor.

I could see companies whose lines of business tend to have higher fraud rates take advantage of providing more data in exchange for cheaper fees.

There may be more data associated with your transaction than just what you see on the statement.

None, because basicly every credit card transaction passes through Mastercard, Visa, and American Express, and they log and datamine it.

by using physical cash

I use physical cash at every opportunity already.

How do you buy airline tickets that way? How do you purchase things online for delivery during a pandemic?

you can go to an airport, which has never closed, and buy a ticket in cash

you can purchase things in cash at Walmart, Target, etc. which has never closed during the pandemic

> you can go to an airport, which has never closed, and buy a ticket in cash

This has not been true for some time. Ticket counters require payment cards.

I asked about purchasing things online because it's not safe to shop in person at the moment.

Interesting, I remember being able to pay cash a couple years ago, but now I see most airlines stopped accepting cash, ex: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/airlines/2020/07/07/sout...

Even Amtrak is now not accepting cash anymore:

https://www.amtrak.com/purchase-train-tickets

Looks like the only option left is drive a car and fill up at gas stations which accept cash (for the time being). I'm not super familiar with EV charging stations but I don't think I've seen one that accepts cash, if that's any hint as to where we are headed.

Dark times

if there are any that don't sell your data, they are legally required to let the government see all the transaction data due to 9/11

the only way to free yourself from counterparties is to use cash or crypto. no company will help you.

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