IDT Prime prepaid debit card - Scandalous!

cambsgirl_2

Also these debit and credit cards have mastercard or visa on them
If you have a solo or electron you cant use them at places that only accept mastercard or visa
Thats why I have aTuxedo card
Tanya

cambsgirl_2

Oh do sites know if the card is prepaid?
I thought if it had mastercard on it then it was accepted wherever mastercard was
Can they tell if it is a prepaid card?
Tanya

PROLIANT

cambsgirl wrote: »

Oh do sites know if the card is prepaid?
I thought if it had mastercard on it then it was accepted wherever mastercard was
Can they tell if it is a prepaid card?
Tanya

Because the chip on the card has an embedded code in it as well as the card number first four digits tell the merchant that it requires full authorisation.

cambsgirl_2

does anyone know if I can use the prepaid mastercard on QVC?
Thats the only reason I am getting it
Tanya

cambsgirl_2

what is the point then?
Surely all the places that say no electron or solo but allow mastercard will say no then if they can tell the difference between a prepaid mastercard and a normal mastercard credit card?
Maybe I shouldnt have paid to get a prepaid card.
I wasnt aware of this
tanya

skyrider007

cambsgirl wrote: »

does anyone know if I can use the prepaid mastercard on QVC?
Thats the only reason I am getting it
Tanya

There shouldn't be any problem.

GaryFromLondon

I lost my IDT prime card today - so googled IDT to contact them and came accross this forum, so thought I'd add my two pennies worth.

I have no bank account at the moment, my last bank account added exhorbitant charges which cut a long story short they were meant to take me to court over but never did. As a result I have no bank account. I have no passport, and don't drive. I think you can see where I'm going here. It's almost impossible for me to open a bank account because of this - lack of ID.

I use a number of online sites, in fact I'm very much into I.T. As well as purchases I use some online service sites (audio books etc...) Anyway if it were not for my prime card I simply wouldn't be able to use them.

I do spend a fair bit on the card probabally about 50 a week on average recently. I am aware of the charges but have happily agreed to them as prime provide a great service, and were it not for the card my online life would be severely cut down.

It's immensely convenient being able to go to any 'paypoint' shop (theres one or more in most high streeets) and just top the card up. To use 50-pounds I get charged about 2 pounds by the time it's loaded, and charged out - but as the director said in a diplomatic way, where is the company meant to get it's profits from if it doesn't charge a charge for using the card? As a percentage it's reasonably high I guess, but it's a small price to pay for someone that doesn't have a regular debit card.

All the sites I use just class it as a mastercard so I've had no problems with getting it accepted online.

It's hassle free - quick and easy. I for one am a very satisfied customer. Of course I haven't tried to cancel my existing one yet, or replace it, but if the small interaction I've had with the companies customer services to date is anything to go by I'm sure it won't be too much of a problem.

Very one sided I know but I thought the thread and IDT deserved a bit of a balanced view, and as a satisifed customer I hope I've provided it!

One day I'll have millions in the bank, and many great bank account ;-) but for now the prime card is a very useful utility for me!

Cheers,

Gary.

polajoo

I'm at work, needed to buy something online for delivery TOMORROW, no money on my card but £30 in my wallet. I bank with the Co-Op and the nearest one of those is miles away.

Voila - done in 5 minutes. A quick walk to the local shop, part with £25, and my £20 item is now being delivered tomorrow.

Thanks IDT - worked a treat.

Would I use it again? Probably not, the charges are quite high. I may just leave it in my wallet and see what happens. It's only got a couple of quid on (£3 to buy, 50p transaction charge, £2.50 left) so I'll see what happens.

I may spend the rest of the money on making it "reloadable" so I can top it up if the same thing happens again.

I'd probably use it more if the transaction charges were reduced or removed, and the maintenance fees, etc. I'd be quite happy to top it up regularly and use it for my junk spending, food, drinks, etc... just so I don't go overdrawn and end up being charged £30.

We'll see

MrOrchard

GaryFromLondon wrote: »

I lost my IDT prime card today - so googled IDT to contact them and came accross this forum, so thought I'd add my two pennies worth.

I have no bank account at the moment, my last bank account added exhorbitant charges which cut a long story short they were meant to take me to court over but never did. As a result I have no bank account. I have no passport, and don't drive. I think you can see where I'm going here. It's almost impossible for me to open a bank account because of this - lack of ID.

I use a number of online sites, in fact I'm very much into I.T. As well as purchases I use some online service sites (audio books etc...) Anyway if it were not for my prime card I simply wouldn't be able to use them.

I do spend a fair bit on the card probabally about 50 a week on average recently. I am aware of the charges but have happily agreed to them as prime provide a great service, and were it not for the card my online life would be severely cut down.

It's immensely convenient being able to go to any 'paypoint' shop (theres one or more in most high streeets) and just top the card up. To use 50-pounds I get charged about 2 pounds by the time it's loaded, and charged out - but as the director said in a diplomatic way, where is the company meant to get it's profits from if it doesn't charge a charge for using the card? As a percentage it's reasonably high I guess, but it's a small price to pay for someone that doesn't have a regular debit card.

All the sites I use just class it as a mastercard so I've had no problems with getting it accepted online.

It's hassle free - quick and easy. I for one am a very satisfied customer. Of course I haven't tried to cancel my existing one yet, or replace it, but if the small interaction I've had with the companies customer services to date is anything to go by I'm sure it won't be too much of a problem.

Very one sided I know but I thought the thread and IDT deserved a bit of a balanced view, and as a satisifed customer I hope I've provided it!

One day I'll have millions in the bank, and many great bank account ;-) but for now the prime card is a very useful utility for me!

Cheers,

Gary.

You sound very much like a salesman.

"I am aware of the charges but have happily agreed to them as prime provide a great service, and were it not for the card my online life would be severely cut down."

"if it were not for my prime card I simply wouldn't be able to use them. "

"It's immensely convenient being able to go to any 'paypoint' shop"

"It's hassle free - quick and easy."

The post does smell a little fake, especially as you have no passport, driving licence etc for no real discernable reason. Oh, and your spelling and grammar is faaar to good for your average forum, let alone an untravelled, passportless, bank accountless poster etc etc.

I'm probably wrong though. Probably. Almost certainly.

nickoxford

Really people . . . . considering the smart people posting here there seems to be a lack of REAL understanding about this product. First I should admit to being a user of this type of product and for being a "middle class" demograph with my own credit cards.

I use these products for online purchases only. So many people criticise this product because it does not fit their need. Clearly this card is not for everyone....it is obvious that it addresses a mixed audience with as many reasons for using such a card as not.

How often do you see reps from the companies post to these fora ? Exactly, hardly ever. The IDT spokesperson makes a case which clearly shows a use and value. Again, whilst this won't appeal to everyone, respect to Mr King for responding here.

In many other threads, Martin Lewis clearly advises people to look out for those "renewable subscriptions" which apply to the credit card used at sign up. Often the repeat business does not offer "new user" attractiveness of the original offer.

I just used my Prime card to subscribe to McAfee antivirus software. They clearly state on their website that they will use the original card to deduct the next subscription (in a year). I want the choice in a year to select a different provider or to get the best deal with the same provider. OK, so I should get a reminder....but this is exactly the sort of example that will (certainly has in the past) slip through the net and the first I will learn is the CC statement the following year. What I save in the startup deal for this product more than pays for the transaction fee and the card fee, spread over a number of transactions is soon absorbed. Of course I use the non-recharge cards and get a new one every 6 months or so.

So this will seem wasteful to some people but 4 quid a year for the 2 cards and a 2% transaction fee is acceptable to me !

Likewise I have a magazine subscription which does the same. In both cases I get very prompt and clear information from these companies saying that the card process has failed and sometime offering a better deal for renewal than the plain "auto charging" deal !

So there you have it..... it's not for everyone, but it clearly works for both the banked (like me) and the unbanked mentioned in some of the other posts !

Thanks to the new financial regulations users now have great choices and they can be made in an informed way. Charges are published.

If the cost outweighs the advantages you just use a different product ! I like to have the choice .... well done IDT, I like your product !