David, from Leigh in Essex, had the same thought when he had a similar call from Santander following an unexpected payment he had made by cheque.

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Businesses in Cyprus have been insisting on payment in cash, rejecting card and cheque transactions.

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With no end in sight to the crisis, businesses in Cyprus have been insisting on payment in cash, rejecting card and cheque transactions.

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As now, anyone paid by cheque will deposit it in their bank, to be sent on to various clearing houses, which route the cheque back to the issuer's bank for payment approval and the transfer of funds.

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So if you are hoping to defer a payment, do not do it with a cheque.

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Consumers wanting to buy goods by mail order may be unable to pay by cheque because the seller will be unwilling to accept a payment that carries a levy of nearly 25%.

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The structure of the charges can vary depending on payment method (by direct debit, pre-payment meter, or credit transfer such as cheque), on whether it is an internet-only tariff, which part of the country the customer lives in, if the deal involves a fixed price, when the deal was launched, how long it lasts, and so on.

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Cheque accounts, credit cards and wire transfers provide means of payment for the exchange of goods and services, and financial assets.

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