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Orange Cash Prepaid MasterCard
David_Sears
Posts: 9 Forumite
Today I received clarification of a few points from Orange Cash Card Customer Service.
Using the card online
Every online transaction in a foreign currency attracts a 2.75% surcharge. Since this would apply to downloadable software priced in Dollars or Euros, computer buffs should take note. The Orange Cash Card is only ‘free’ for using ‘online’ provided every transaction is in pounds Sterling. But Orange doesn’t make this very clear in its FAQ.
Redemption Fee
Applies when a card expires and you wait over a year before asking for any outstanding funds on the card to be refunded. Whereas if a card expires and/or you close the account, if the return of funds is requested within a year, no redemption fee is due. That’s good.
Duration of the Card
24 months/2 years from the start date. Orange sends out e-mails to remind customers when their cards are due for expiry and to remind them that their cards must be used within eight weeks of expiry in order to qualify for replacements free of charge. Otherwise replacement cards have to be requested and Orange will charge another five quid for each one. Although not unique to Orange, this practice is sometimes omitted from card summaries. So you need to be wise for it.
Use of the card
You don’t have to use the card any set number of times to keep it valid. The card will remain valid for up to 24 months/two years from its start date.
Closing an account
Subject to the redemption fee proviso, once a card has expired and you wish to close the account you have six years to reclaim any outstanding balance remaining. Otherwise we might presume that you lose it.
Transferring funds
You can transfer funds from an Orange Cash Card to another Orange Cash Card account provided the details are registered on your online account. There is no additional fee for this. But you cannot transfer funds from an Orange Cash Card to any other external account – like your personal bank account. That’s not allowed.
Application and ID
You can only get an Orange Cash Card by applying online. You cannot get a card from any of the Orange high street stores – just a voucher that allows you to pay for the card during your online application. At first, the person I spoke to at Orange Customer Service was vague about the precise nature of ID required as part of the application process. But when pressed she said that, ordinarily, provided an applicant’s name and address can be verified against the electoral roll, a full-spending card is issued without further ado. However, she also emphasised that Orange can AT ANY TIME request further proof of ID, which could mean giving Orange sight of such documents as a driving licence, passport, utility bill, benefits letter and/or a letter from HMRC etc., etc. Copies or e-mails of driving licences and passports are acceptable. But all other documents must be originals - not copies or e-mails – and dated within the last three months. Naturally, once viewed Orange will send these documents back to you. But all this would be troublesome and costly in terms of postage, and you won’t know if you’ll have this extra hassle until your online application has been submitted. Whereas, if your identity cannot be verified to the complete satisfaction of Orange, you will only get a card with a reduced spending limit – which might suit most people perfectly. It is also not allowed to register cards at P.O boxes or business/accommodation addresses. I was, however, assured that Orange selects people for intensive ID checks ‘at random’ and NOT by dint of postcodes or for any other reasons you might imagine.
Further queries can be addressed to:
customer.services@orangecash.co.uk
Tel: 020 8264 8311 and press 5
Using the card online
Every online transaction in a foreign currency attracts a 2.75% surcharge. Since this would apply to downloadable software priced in Dollars or Euros, computer buffs should take note. The Orange Cash Card is only ‘free’ for using ‘online’ provided every transaction is in pounds Sterling. But Orange doesn’t make this very clear in its FAQ.
Redemption Fee
Applies when a card expires and you wait over a year before asking for any outstanding funds on the card to be refunded. Whereas if a card expires and/or you close the account, if the return of funds is requested within a year, no redemption fee is due. That’s good.
Duration of the Card
24 months/2 years from the start date. Orange sends out e-mails to remind customers when their cards are due for expiry and to remind them that their cards must be used within eight weeks of expiry in order to qualify for replacements free of charge. Otherwise replacement cards have to be requested and Orange will charge another five quid for each one. Although not unique to Orange, this practice is sometimes omitted from card summaries. So you need to be wise for it.
Use of the card
You don’t have to use the card any set number of times to keep it valid. The card will remain valid for up to 24 months/two years from its start date.
Closing an account
Subject to the redemption fee proviso, once a card has expired and you wish to close the account you have six years to reclaim any outstanding balance remaining. Otherwise we might presume that you lose it.
Transferring funds
You can transfer funds from an Orange Cash Card to another Orange Cash Card account provided the details are registered on your online account. There is no additional fee for this. But you cannot transfer funds from an Orange Cash Card to any other external account – like your personal bank account. That’s not allowed.
Application and ID
You can only get an Orange Cash Card by applying online. You cannot get a card from any of the Orange high street stores – just a voucher that allows you to pay for the card during your online application. At first, the person I spoke to at Orange Customer Service was vague about the precise nature of ID required as part of the application process. But when pressed she said that, ordinarily, provided an applicant’s name and address can be verified against the electoral roll, a full-spending card is issued without further ado. However, she also emphasised that Orange can AT ANY TIME request further proof of ID, which could mean giving Orange sight of such documents as a driving licence, passport, utility bill, benefits letter and/or a letter from HMRC etc., etc. Copies or e-mails of driving licences and passports are acceptable. But all other documents must be originals - not copies or e-mails – and dated within the last three months. Naturally, once viewed Orange will send these documents back to you. But all this would be troublesome and costly in terms of postage, and you won’t know if you’ll have this extra hassle until your online application has been submitted. Whereas, if your identity cannot be verified to the complete satisfaction of Orange, you will only get a card with a reduced spending limit – which might suit most people perfectly. It is also not allowed to register cards at P.O boxes or business/accommodation addresses. I was, however, assured that Orange selects people for intensive ID checks ‘at random’ and NOT by dint of postcodes or for any other reasons you might imagine.
Further queries can be addressed to:
customer.services@orangecash.co.uk
Tel: 020 8264 8311 and press 5
0
Comments
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"Customer Service Advisor (020 8264 8311* and press 5) 50p per minute"
http://cash.orange.co.uk/terms/
The "*" is not explained.0 -
"Customer Service Advisor (020 8264 8311* and press 5) 50p per minute"
The "*" is not explained.
Yes. It does say that in the table in section 12 of the T&Cs. But elsewhere the asterisk against this number explains 'standard charges apply'. So if you're using a BT phone you'll either be charged BT's standard rate, or zero if you're on one of BT's inclusive call packages. OFCOM states quite clearly that numbers beginning 020 are London numbers with a '7' or an '8' added to denote 'inner' London or 'outer' London as was the case prior to 2000 when the dialling codes for London changed.
OFCOM has a downloadable PDF guide to numbering on their web site.
So the quote you mention from the Orange Cash Prepaid Mastercard T&Cs is probably a mistake because Orange could not generate 50p per minute from this number as it is not a premium-rate number: just a plain old-fashioned geographic number for outer London.
I'll check that and report back.0 -
Sure enough. I was right. It's an error. I checked with Orange CS this afternoon and was told that at one time they had an 0906 number that was charged at 50p per minute. Orange is aware of the mistake and are in the process of rectifying it. Meanwhile, I was assured that calls to 020 8264 8311 are charged at the normal geographic rate - NOT a premium rate. So, no worries.
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David_Sears wrote: »Sure enough. I was right. It's an error. I checked with Orange CS this afternoon and was told that at one time they had an 0906 number that was charged at 50p per minute. Orange is aware of the mistake and are in the process of rectifying it. Meanwhile, I was assured that calls to 020 8264 8311 are charged at the normal geographic rate - NOT a premium rate. So, no worries.
If it is a mistake, what a mistake to make! How many customers have they lost due to this? I have seen comments on this and other forums referring to ringing 020 and being given a Premium Rate number to ring to speak to someone to resolve a problem. This was within the past year.
For example
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4071103
I was initially very tempted by what appeared to be a good value card but if they cannot get such basic information right I have lost confidence in it.
Update: I see also that an 090, 50p per minute, number is still mentioned on the Contact Us page.
https://cash.orange.co.uk/contact/0 -
If Orange is giving out that geographic number then telling customers who use it to call a premium-rate number to discuss a very important matter then I can well understand why. In the light of what you say and the thread you referred me to I shall check this up again tomorrow. Many thanks for your input.I was initially very tempted by what appeared to be a good value card but if they cannot get such basic information right I have lost confidence in it.0 -
I'll see your inane ramblings, and raise you a neon.0
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On Monday 11th February 2013 Orange Cash Customer Services confirms that the telephone number for Orange Cash Customer Services is 0208 264 8311 or 311 from an Orange mobile. This call will be charged at a standard landline rate. They apologise for confusion on the Orange Cash web site and say that this matter is in the process of being rectified. 0
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I have found the card to be very good on the whole! An the land line phone number it is free (sort of) for me as I have unlimited landline and national calls on my Orange phone! The fact I can transfer money onto it from the bank through my phone means I can do it remote if needs extra cash on it for the missus on a spare card. More secure than carrying cash, and no fear of card cloning or bank charges if stolen and money is spent! You can always e-mail them?! They got back to me within a day!
The thing that has upset me is that both ALDI and WAITROSE do to accept the card for payment due to it being managed by Mastercard! Basically their card payment system thinks it's a credit card.
Pretty bad when I went to get fuel from Waitrose the other day... never mind being stuck at the till at ALDI with a trolley full of food having to ring the missus to drive down and bail me out? or have to put all the stuff back!
IT'S A CASH CARD!!! NOT A CREDIT CARD!!! The money is there... why will they not accept it???
Ridiculous!!
timax0 -
They only put me on a restricted card, so I hardly use it. I complained and they said tough, £5 (?) more or you stay on a restricted card - yet I was on the electoral roll at my current and previous address, so told them I think it's a scam to want more money!
It expires in May (I believe, need to dig it out), so I did make a note about 18 months ago to use it this month!
Only other times I've actually used it are to pay my credit card when some kind of promo has been on (e.g. top up £100 before X and win cash/tickets for TV Awards or whatever it was). Think I got it in the hope of 'fee-free' airline tickets, but then the airlines moved the goalposts, again!0 -
IT'S A CASH CARD!!! NOT A CREDIT CARD!!! The money is there... why will they not accept it???
Ridiculous!!
timax
Actually, prepaid MCs are generally processed as a credit card by all retailers - if the retailer doesn't accept CCs, then they won't accept these.
For it to be accepted as a debit card, it would have to be a debit mastercard, not a standard MC - it's not a debit card either, but there is no third differentiation for prepaid cards. AFAIK all prepaids are classed as credit, with the potential exception of Prepaid Maestro or Visa Electron cards, but I'm not sure these are even available any more.0
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