Looking for a Prepaid Mastercard for Ryanair? Beware Escape Card & others from Tuxedo

Donnie

Deal-Hunter wrote: »

I happen to have one of these (mainly for booking Ryanair flights although I have also used it abroad and made ATM withdrawals) although I shall leave my experience so far with "No complaints" in case I go into detail and be struck down by God Himself.

Since you have one, perhaps you can be more specific with dates and exchange rates. I sure that you can appreciate that "no complaints' does not really constitute a meaningful review.
We like details, so that we can make comparisons.

kendzi1

What I understood the fairFX anywhere is the best for raynair and in the Europe (shopping). I need one card when I go abroad. Easy top-up,a cheap withdraw and a lees fee.

This is everything what I have from the fairFX card?

budgetflyer

Are there any ways of topping up the FairFX card with CASH ? One of the reasons I got the Escape card was I could go into Phones4U with cash + top it up.

BenEvans

Donnie wrote: »

Clearly there is something wrong with your ability to understand.

The card that I recommend is the FairFx Anywhere Card. They take a 1.5% commission from all transactions whilst NOT taking a cut from the Mastercard exchange rate.

ALL of the Escape Travel Money cards take AT LEAST a 2% cut from the Mastercard exchange rate.

I hope that this isn't too difficult for you to understand. Think a little harder before replying.

Read what I have written, not what you imagine.

You must appreciate how frustrating it is to have to explain such a simple concept over and over again.

You are pushing the card on to unsuspecting users by the simple act of not understanding the alternatives.

You are still pushing the cashback nonsense, when often you can get the same or better cashback through traditional channels... without losing 4% of your spending power and your Section 75 protection.

In addition, you keep bringing up the Fairfx Euro card seemingly in order to confuse the issue; when it is CLEAR that I am referring to the ANYWHERE card.

It's unfortunate that I have to write as if I am writing to a child, but it is mind boggling to me that you are still confusing the issue after all this time.

It is very simple. Perhaps you two can put your heads together in order to see your mistake.

It is not debatable. These are the facts. You are just confusing yourself by mixing up your cards and not understanding how the exchange rates are handled.

I've moved house in the last week and not been on line, so haven't seen this incredibly patronising post until now.

Donnie, it was you who decided that we were talking about the FairFX Anywhere card when I initially spoke out about the Escape Travel Money Euro card - the card that I actually used for the reasons listed above. Reasons which again you have ignored.....

I'll say it one last time and then I shan't be looking at this thread again as your comments – even when completely valid – are just too condescending to stomach. So, here we go:

I saved money using the Escape Travel Money Euro card instead of the FairFX Euro card as the free cash withdrawals made up for the marginally worse exchange rate. And the Mastercard exchange rate at time of future transactions was irrelevant as the rate was fixed when I bought the Euros.

"I hope that this isn't too difficult for you to understand"

BenEvans

verntern wrote: »

No major problems with the 'Escape' card. Free to top-up via bank transfer (takes 1 business day to be credited) or instantaneous at a Phones4U shop. Very good card for those who wish to send money abroad. I regularly send money to Brazil. Yes a £2 charge for each withdrawal but the transactions are quick and easy. The only downside if you need to contact? It's the usual non-UK call centre and frustrating to make yourself understood in English whilst the phone bill adds up!

They have a responsive Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/EZPayPrepaidCards

I've noticed it's used for customer service so you may have better luck there.

I'll say it one last time and then I shan't be looking at this thread again as your comments – even when completely valid – are just too condescending to stomach

I couldn't resist a quick peak.....

mikenco

I got one of these cards as a 'cash back' from phones4u. What a load of rubbish it is. I can't transfer the balance to my PayPal account. I don't want to spend it at the limited range of retailers. How do I just get my £20 and bin this thing?

madkitty

I use a neteller card fir ryanair-they charge 1.5% of what you are loading on to the card but then no further charges. Works all the time for me with ryanair-be warned though their virtual card doesnt

peterbaker

Yes I am also still using Neteller for Ryanair. It usually costs me 1.75% to top up immediately using a debit card so not sure if that 1.5% you mention is correct madkitty? Any, mine's a GBP Neteller card (they offer various other currencies) but I even have no qualms about using it for non-GBP priced flights i.e. single flights back to UK from elsewhere in Europe, BUT whichever card you use, do yourselves a favour and do not accept the default GBP price on the Ryanair "Purchase Now" page.

Click on "More Information" next to the smallprint GBP price and REMOVE the tick from their "recommended" box.

If you remember to do that before you click 'Purchase Now' then you'll easily save 4% immediately (if you have Neteller you will see the Neteller/Mastercard FOREX amount immediately in your online Neteller account).

I bought a non-GBP flight again tonight for which Ryanair wanted to charge a default £8.11 ... I clicked on 'More Information', removed the tick from their box and then clicked 'Purchase Now'. Moments later my Neteller account was debited with just £7.77.

As for the point of my original post, I have been annoyed again in recent weeks by another organisation (a bank) which did a full Credit Search without my authorisation and for no good reason.

There are some organisations out there showing a growing blatant disregard for our rights not only to ensuring correct personal data in the records they create, but the privacy of that data.

The Information Commissioner needs to clamp down on these organisations, and in many cases I think it also needs to clamp down on the CRA's who release and write the data without proper checks on who is accessing or creating it or why.

Tom_Nutt

I work on behalf of Tuxedo and would like to take this opportunity to clarify this situation. The process that takes place on application for any Tuxedo prepaid product is an authentication request from a credit rating agency. This is part of the money laundering regulations that require Tuxedo to verify the identity of the card applicant.

The information is shared only with Tuxedo, Experian and the card applicant. It does not appear on the applicant's credit record and is not seen by any other potential lenders and therefore does not affect credit scoring.

mnrbig

Does anyone know if the £ card is better suited for use outside the EU and America, where ATM/POS usage is high.