Free Skype

[fatmouse76]

Just a general question, I had downloaded the free version of Skype, and had not entered any details yet. But when it was installed ,out came my name and email and handphone number.

How did it get my details ?

Does it mean that everyone can have access to my details?

Thanks in advance.

[zzm9980]

Did you install it on your phone, or a laptop? What do you mean it "came out". Did you call someone, or see it somewhere?

Most likely it is reading your contacts/address book to get the information.

[Brah]

Glad Skype came up today, I have a question, though separate from the OP.

Does anyone use paid Skype (to landlines and mobiles) and if so, how long did it take for your account to be activated from the point of purchase, and, what was your purchase method?

[durain]

fatmouse76

do you use msn messenger? if you do, then skype probably got it from there as msn messenger is merging to skype (since skype is now a microsoft product)



brah

i dont use the skype but my brother does. just checked with him and he said once payment taken for the skype credit, you can use it immediately. payment was via paypal.

[zzm9980]

Glad Skype came up today, I have a question, though separate from the OP.

Does anyone use paid Skype (to landlines and mobiles) and if so, how long did it take for your account to be activated from the point of purchase, and, what was your purchase method?

I've seen it take the full 24-48 hours they sometimes claim. Usually it is when I use a US card from Singapore or something that trips up their fraud detection.

I now only refill when I'm VPN'ed to the US and with a US card.

[Strong Eagle]

Glad Skype came up today, I have a question, though separate from the OP.

Does anyone use paid Skype (to landlines and mobiles) and if so, how long did it take for your account to be activated from the point of purchase, and, what was your purchase method?

I've got both outward dialing and in inward skype number in the USA. Both are activated within a few minutes of payment... and that was on a USA credit card, paying over the Skype website from Singapore.

My USA credit cards are all set up so they know I make charges from this end of the world.

[fatmouse76]

hi yes i have Yahoo Messanger.

[nakatago]

Glad Skype came up today, I have a question, though separate from the OP.

Does anyone use paid Skype (to landlines and mobiles) and if so, how long did it take for your account to be activated from the point of purchase, and, what was your purchase method?

I just bought some Skype credit for calls to landlines. Paid using PayPal, readily available almost instantly.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Been doing the same for the last 7 years. I have an annual subscription though, but not worldwide - only to the US/Canada. With unlimited time (fair usage says that is 10,000 minutes/month or roughly 5.55 hours/day) and about the only long distance calls are to my relatives where we do tend to spend a lot of time, especially my mom who is getting on in years. And with a local US number. It's easy for them to call me with just a local call. Well worth it.

[Brah]

This may sound either naive or make me look like a Luddite, but does anyone have concerns about PayPal and identity or credit card theft?

Separate question - anyone using Google Wallet?

[zzm9980]

This may sound either naive or make me look like a Luddite, but does anyone have concerns about PayPal and identity or credit card theft?

Separate question - anyone using Google Wallet?

Your biggest concern with PayPal will be using it to sell things via eBay. PayPal almost always sides with the buyer, even with extensive evidence to the contrary. If you're a buyer, you'll be OK, but I *strongly* recommend only ever linking credit cards to your account, never a bank account. And I recommend only AMEX at that.

Anecdote time:

I sold a laptop via PayPal right before I moved to Singapore (lightening my moving load). The buyer received it, then claimed I sent a piece of plastic. I had UPS invoices that included the laptops weight and dimensions, geo-tagged photos of the laptop being packed at the UPS store, tracking and signed confirmation the entire way. I had a signed statement from the UPS store owner (they're franchised) taken by the local police department, a full police report, and a stellar eBay feedback rating of 400+ positive and no negative. The only way I could have done what I was accused of is if the UPS store was in on the scam with me, repacked the fake laptop after we packed and sealed the real, and then lied to the police in a statement all on my behalf. All of this submitted to PayPal didn't matter, they sided with the buyer.

To my luck, I withdrew the money almost immediately before the item was shipped, so they couldn't claw it back. Instead they charged my linked AMEX card for the disputed amount. (~$1400 USD). I called Amex and disputed it and won immediately. They didn't even ask for any of my documentation I gave to PayPal. The guy at Amex candidly said they get a lot of these complaints about PayPal and 99% of the time PayPal has no justification and can't back it up, so they would only come back to me for evidence if PayPal had anything valid. They didn't.

[zzm9980]

Separate question - anyone using Google Wallet?

Yes, a little bit, despite my employer. I'd use it more, but don't mostly limited because the phone my employer would like me to use doesn't support it.

That said, it's just like Paypal (but a hell of a lot more trustworthy IMO), with a mobile wallet component if you have a supported smart phone and are purchasing via NFC. When I bought my Nexus 7, I rooted it and forced Google Wallet to install. Installing it at the time gave you a $10 USD credit. I went and spent it at Starbucks by touching the tablet to the NFC reader. It was a little awkward due to the limited range of their reader (it expects a card flush, not a tablet in a case), but worked OK.

[whoisit]

This may sound either naive or make me look like a Luddite, but does anyone have concerns about PayPal and identity or credit card theft?

Separate question - anyone using Google Wallet?

Well.. I am paranoid when it comes to paying for anything online. But I guess that may be because of my profession and I get paid to be paranoid .

I check for all sorts of things before I enter my details on a payment page. The SSL cert, the page behavior, URL changes, the intermediary, reviews of the company etc., and watch my credit card statements on what is being charged.

The thing is even if the company has best of intentions and ensures the software has no security holes, there are too many vectors for something to go wrong. Things often fall through the holes. Awareness & mitigation are the key for e-commerce transactions.

[fatmouse76]

isnt skype supposed to be free?

[nakatago]

isnt skype supposed to be free?

Only for other skype contacts. It's still costs money to connect to ordinary telephone networks. Blame the telcos.