New payment requirements and the test check procedure

There is quite a lot of hubbub about the new payment policy regarding Internet-only payment methods. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, please log in and read your inbox messages.) Fraud is increasing rapidly in the GPT world, and steps need to be taken to discourage cheaters. The biggest problem is people who are using others' names and addresses (probably taken from the phone book or a mailing list) in order to seem legitimate, then using stolen or fake credit cards to complete offers and cashing out using Paypal, which doesn't check that the name you are sending the money to is the name that's on the bank account. So in order to discourage the cheaters, everyone who hasn't already received a payment through the mail is going to need to either go through the test check procedure (which I will describe shortly) or receive their next payment by a postal mail method like a check. Anyone who has already received a feathers prize gift card through the mail has had their account marked verified as well. However, you cannot request a gift card in the future to get your account verified since that's an obvious loophole. So if you have previously gotten all payments by Paypal, you will need to request a check in June and then once you receive that, you can continue using Paypal.

PLEASE NOTE: This new rule only applies to new payments. Any request that has already been put in during May is NOT affected.

Now onto the test check procedure. This will be something you can do off the payment cycle to verify your account. You do NOT have to do this if you don't want to - you can request your next payment by a postal mail method and that is fine also. This is just an additional method to verify your account.

The test check procedure will run like this:

1. You put in a request for a test check. The check will be for $1 with a fee of $3. So this will cost you $4 but you will get $1 back.
2. You will put in a form on the Test Check page to let me know you requested it.
3. I will mail you a check for $1. I will move the first form request to the completed box.
4. When you get the check and deposit it, you will put in another form with the date you deposited the check and the check number.
5. When the check clears on my end, I will mark your account verified.

Note again that this check is sent out off-cycle, so you don't have to wait a month to get it. I will send it out within a few days of receiving the request. You must actually deposit the check and have your signature on the back in order to get verified. You cannot sign it over to another person. Once it clears and I mark your account verified, then you will be able to use Paypal from that point forward.

On another note: From now until Tuesday night at 10PM EST, referrals will cost only20 feathers!