Possible to get prepaid debit cards from supermarkets?

LemonyS

Hi!

I'm looking for prepaid debit cards I can buy from shops. They don't have to be reloadable, but I would like to use them online. I thought morrisons sold them but apparently not.

They need to have the standard 16 digits and expiry date and security code. Any ideas where I can get some in supermarkets on general high street shops?

Thanks!

Buzby

No.

I thought they existed but only store (gift) cards are available. The reason is they need to have the cardholder name printed or embossed on the front - something that retailers cannot do.

You will need to order by post and pay for loading - all of them will be reloadable. .

[Deleted User]

You can buy visa gift cards from Tesco, they act in the same way as a debit card and can be used for any retailer that accepts visa - ie all of them. You have two options, standard visa gift cards come in £25 or £50 denominations but they cost you slightly more to buy because of the activation fee - £27.95 and £53.95 respectively. These can be used like any gift card in stores and you can probably use them online (check though).

The second option is V3 gift cards which come in £25 denominations and have no activation fee. These can ONLY be used online so they're a bit awkward as if the ting you want to buy is more than £25 then you can't use them. The only way around this is to combine the gift cards using the V3 website, you can have a maximum of £1000 transferred to a single card number but this carries a £1.75 fee each time. So to combine 2 cards would give you a total of £50 but cost you £1.75, three cards for £75 would cost £3.50, four for £100 costs £5.25 etc etc. I believe this fee is taken from the card balance.

[Deleted User]

Oh, I should point out that with the V3 cards you don't actually get a physical card, just a code that you activate on the website. They then send you a virtual card with number, expiry and security code etc.

Roger1

Lazyloki wrote: »

... visa gift cards from Tesco ... can be used like any gift card in stores and you can probably use them online (check though).

They are marked 'Electronic use only'. This means they cannot be used anywhere where a PIN is required, only online or on the phone quoting the 3-digit security code.

Of course, you don't actually see 'Electronic use only' until you have opened the pack, taken out the card and checked on the reverse. Similarly, the T+Cs are in a leaflet that you can only see after you have bought and opened the pack. Poor show!

There is one advantage in buying these from Tesco. Buying gift cards EXCEPT Tesco gift cards produces a bonus of 150 Clubcard points per complete £50. This means a £50 Visa gift card purchased at Tesco earns 153 points plus whatever you earn on the credit card.

caileag

Roger1 wrote: »

There is one advantage in buying these from Tesco. Buying gift cards EXCEPT Tesco gift cards produces a bonus of 150 Clubcard points per complete £50. This means a £50 Visa gift card purchased at Tesco earns 153 points plus whatever you earn on the credit card.

I think I am being thick! Why 153? I would have expected either 200 (50 standard +150 bonus) or 150 (no standard points accrued, only 150 bonus)?

reclusive46

Roger1 wrote: »

They are marked 'Electronic use only'. This means they cannot be used anywhere where a PIN is required, only online or on the phone quoting the 3-digit security code.

Of course, you don't actually see 'Electronic use only' until you have opened the pack, taken out the card and checked on the reverse. Similarly, the T+Cs are in a leaflet that you can only see after you have bought and opened the pack. Poor show!

There is one advantage in buying these from Tesco. Buying gift cards EXCEPT Tesco gift cards produces a bonus of 150 Clubcard points per complete £50. This means a £50 Visa gift card purchased at Tesco earns 153 points plus whatever you earn on the credit card.

I'm sorry but thats a load of rubbish with the electronic use only. That's not what it means at all. It means it has to be done electronically. I.e. You can't use a manual imprinter on them because the numbers are not embossed.

You can use them in store, you just have to swipe them through the card machine and sign, rather than use the chip reader.

mjm3346

caileag wrote: »

I think I am being thick! Why 153? I would have expected either 200 (50 standard +150 bonus) or 150 (no standard points accrued, only 150 bonus)?

3 points from the £3.95 activation fee.

Roger1

reclusive46 wrote: »

I'm sorry but thats a load of rubbish with the electronic use only. ...
You can use them in store, you just have to swipe them through the card machine and sign, rather than use the chip reader.

Which part of this is 'rubbish' (taken from the card packaging)?

[After activation] ... You can then shop online, over the phone or via mail order wherever Visa is accepted. ...

(My bolding.)

Perhaps they forgot to add the bit about swiping? Or perhaps prospective users should make more enquiries before relying on using this card at a retail store.

zerog

There isn't anything to swipe... you'll have to persuade the store owner to enter it is a cardholder not present transaction.