Question

frank is worried about identity theft. he does not like to give access to his checking account to anyone but the bank. what is the best option for him to pay his bills? frank should telephone in his payment to the company. frank should pay his bill online. frank should set up automatic withdrawals for the company he is paying. frank should mail a check to the company.

Explanation:

To determine the best option for Frank, we analyze each choice:

• Telephoning payment may involve sharing account info over the phone, risking identity theft.
• Paying online can be secure if using trusted platforms, but still involves providing access (though to the bank's secure system in many cases, but Frank is worried about giving access to others).
• Setting up automatic withdrawals gives the company ongoing access to his account, which Frank wants to avoid.
• Mailing a check: When Frank mails a check, only the bank (for processing) and the company (to deposit) handle the check. The check has his account info, but mailing a check means he doesn't give direct access to his checking account to the company otherwise (unlike automatic withdrawals or sometimes online payments where the company might have access to initiate payments). Since Frank only wants the bank to have access, mailing a check is better as the company only gets the check (not direct access to the account for withdrawals beyond depositing the check, and he retains control over when the check is sent).

Answer:

Frank should mail a check to the company.