Prepaid Debit Cards
Which town is 16th Ave SW in?
A. San Francisco
B. Seattle
C. Chicago
D. Houston
In the eighties I bartended at the Gold Rush Saloon on 16th Ave. SW in Seattle. How the hell did they know that?
In which state is El Paso County?
A. Texas
B. Arizona
C. Colorado
D. New Mexico
I thought this was a great trick question. I guess most people would think Texas. But I used to spend a lot of time in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which is in El Paso County. I haven't been back there since the early nineties. So how the hell did they know I used to hang out there?
Their other trick questions were along the same lines and I was approved.
The first card I got was the Walmart Visa Card. For the first two years I could only carry a $500 max balance. Then they raised it to $3000. The card costs $3 to load and $3 a month service fee. You can withdraw a maximum of $300 per day.
Then I got the Western Union Gold Cards which you can have up to five and carry a max balance on each one of up to $10,000. But you can only load $950 per 24 hours on each card and there is a $5 load fee. There is no monthly service fee. You can withdraw a maximum of $500 per card per day.
The best prepaid card I've come across is the American Express Bluebird. Its sold a Walmart. You won't find it in the racks with the other cards they sell. They put it on rows all by itself. You can load up to $7500 with no load fee if you make yours deposits at Walmart. The other locations are a $1 load fee. There is no monthly service charge. You get Walmart Buck$ for any purchases you make at Walmart which you can spend at Walmart when you have enough saved. You can withdraw up to $500 per day. I just got this card and plan to use it at Walmart for all my purchases to see what percentage I get in Buck$.
I am pretty sure those trick questions come from stuff on your credit report, even if you think you don't have one.
Quote: jml24Wow, I did not realize what a scam these prepaid cards are. I guess it is the price you pay to "fly under the radar." You let them borrow your money for free, they charge YOU a fee, they charge the store a fee every time you use the card, and they put limits on how often you can withdraw YOUR OWN MONEY.
I am pretty sure those trick questions come from stuff on your credit report, even if you think you don't have one.
I personally like the max withdrawal per day. I get texts when my cards are used. Of course its me using them. But if someone else is using them I'm going to be quicly notified and can shut the card down before they raid all the money.
Quote: jml24Wow, I did not realize what a scam these prepaid cards are. I guess it is the price you pay to "fly under the radar." You let them borrow your money for free, they charge YOU a fee, they charge the store a fee every time you use the card, and they put limits on how often you can withdraw YOUR OWN MONEY.
I am pretty sure those trick questions come from stuff on your credit report, even if you think you don't have one.
These cards are not designed for most people and most people are not like Mickey. They are designed to take advantage of, or penalize, however you like to look at it, those who do not have regular bank accounts. In many cases the people cannot get a bank account for reasons of their own design. Therefore the companies that make them charge huge fees to people who have no other choice. As for someone like Mickey, I assume he knows the costs and feels it is worthwhile to him, while many others never even know the costs.
Quote: BozThese cards are not designed for most people and most people are not like Mickey. They are designed to take advantage of, or penalize, however you like to look at it, those who do not have regular bank accounts. In many cases the people cannot get a bank account for reasons of their own design. Therefore the companies that make them charge huge fees to people who have no other choice. As for someone like Mickey, I assume he knows the costs and feels it is worthwhile to him, while many others never even know the costs.
I tried to open bank accounts in Nevada. And this was before 9/11. But I was either living in comped rooms or weekly/monthly hotels. They didn't consider you a resident if you were living in a hotel. And they knew all those addresses. They wanted me to show apartment leases, power bills, etc. to prove I was a Nevada resident. I eventually quit trying
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports
...and then...
http://www.annualcreditreport.com/
Quote: Federal Trade Commission of the United StatesThe Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The FCRA promotes the accuracy and privacy of information in the files of the nation’s credit reporting companies. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the FCRA with respect to credit reporting companies.
A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you’ve been sued or have filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide credit reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.
Here are the details about your rights under the FCRA...
So, does buying those prepaid cards require cash only? Or could someone use a credit card (potentially with a rewards/cash-back deal) to buy them? I suspect not. Probably just folding green cash.
Quote: AyecarumbaIt doesn't sound like you are under the radar at all mickeycrimm. With all the info on your spending habits tied into the debit cards, it sounds like you are clearly entered in some databases. The feds know about you, but perhaps don't have a way to contact you that doesn't involve locking down all your accounts... yet.
Why would they do that?
Quote: DrawingDeadSo, does buying those prepaid cards require cash only? Or could someone use a credit card (potentially with a rewards/cash-back deal) to buy them? I suspect not. Probably just folding green cash.
With any of my cards you can direct deposit paychecks, social security checks, etc., with no load fee. The load fees apply only to cash deposits.
Quote: mickeycrimmWhy would they do that?
Every dime you put on a pre paid card
the gov't knows about and it has to
be accounted for. If you claim your
income last year was $20K and you put
$25K on the cards, the IRS will eventually
want to know what's going on. You are
not only not flying under the radar, you
are blatantly telling them your every move.
Quote: EvenBobEvery dime you put on a pre paid card
the gov't knows about and it has to
be accounted for. If you claim your
income last year was $20K and you put
$25K on the cards, the IRS will eventually
want to know what's going on. You are
not only not flying under the radar, you
are blatantly telling them your every move.
I don't have a problem with that.
Quote: mickeycrimmI don't have a problem with that.
You said it was flying under the radar and
it's the opposite. Using cash for everything
and a fake ID is flying under the radar.
Quote: EvenBobEvery dime you put on a pre paid card
the gov't knows about and it has to
be accounted for. If you claim your
income last year was $20K and you put
$25K on the cards, the IRS will eventually
want to know what's going on. You are
not only not flying under the radar, you
are blatantly telling them your every move.
IRS budget slashed by the republicans.
Mickey is safe :-)
Quote: mickeycrimmI've been flying under the radar for a long time. I don't have any bank accounts. And I don't have a credit rating. I pack a lot of money away on prepaid debit cards. When applying for these cards Homeland Security is in the act and I have to prove who I am. I was highly surprised at how much these credit card companies knew about me. I had to answer a series of trick questions like:
Which town is 16th Ave SW in?
A. San Francisco
B. Seattle
C. Chicago
D. Houston
In the eighties I bartended at the Gold Rush Saloon on 16th Ave. SW in Seattle. How the hell did they know that?
In which state is El Paso County?
A. Texas
B. Arizona
C. Colorado
D. New Mexico
I thought this was a great trick question. I guess most people would think Texas. But I used to spend a lot of time in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which is in El Paso County. I haven't been back there since the early nineties. So how the hell did they know I used to hang out there?
Their other trick questions were along the same lines and I was approved.
The first card I got was the Walmart Visa Card. For the first two years I could only carry a $500 max balance. Then they raised it to $3000. The card costs $3 to load and $3 a month service fee. You can withdraw a maximum of $300 per day.
Then I got the Western Union Gold Cards which you can have up to five and carry a max balance on each one of up to $10,000. But you can only load $950 per 24 hours on each card and there is a $5 load fee. There is no monthly service fee. You can withdraw a maximum of $500 per card per day.
The best prepaid card I've come across is the American Express Bluebird. Its sold a Walmart. You won't find it in the racks with the other cards they sell. They put it on rows all by itself. You can load up to $7500 with no load fee if you make yours deposits at Walmart. The other locations are a $1 load fee. There is no monthly service charge. You get Walmart Buck$ for any purchases you make at Walmart which you can spend at Walmart when you have enough saved. You can withdraw up to $500 per day. I just got this card and plan to use it at Walmart for all my purchases to see what percentage I get in Buck$.
If you work anywhere legally in the last 50 years (you pay taxes and are on the books) they have that in their records. It takes like 2 seconds to look up if you enter your SSN. So this is not surprising, I remember a similar question on some such cards (granted not nearly as far back as your as I was not even born in the 80s).
As for where you hang out especially if it was in the 90s the only thing I could think of is did you have a legal apartment there? If so then that is obviously how, if not I have no clue, unless you entered that as a security questions years ago and forgot about it.
Its not any of my business, but out of sheer curiosity, why don't you use banks? Do you not trust them or do you have a moral/philosophical objection to using them?
Quote: EvenBobYou said it was flying under the radar and
it's the opposite. Using cash for everything
and a fake ID is flying under the radar.
Where did you come up with fake ID? I've never had one. Flying under the radar was meant about my paying cash for everything. So I don't have a credit rating. I learned it from my grandfather. He bought a house and 40 acres in 1935 on credit for $500. It was a family project, cotton and corn, to pay the farm off. After that he never bought another thing on credit for the rest of his life. It makes life very simple. If I can't pay cash for it I don't want it. I don't complicate my life by buying things on credit.
I have to carry around enough cash to put my plays down. I don't take the chance that a cop will lift my money in a traffic stop....or that it will get stolen. Whatever town I'm in, when the money builds up, I drop by Walmart or a Western Union office and deposit the money. So I'm not an easy mark for anyone.
Quote: mickeycrimmWhen I shop at J.C. Penney's they always ask me if I have a J.C. Penney credit card. I always respond no. Then they offer me a 10% discount if I apply for one. So I apply. A couple of weeks later I get a letter in the mail saying I don't have any credit history so they can't issue me a card. I've done this a half a dozen times. If they keep offering me a 10% discount I will keep applying.
Having no credit history is different than not having a score. You almost certainly have a score but it is probably not to great without any current credit lines.
As far as those questions. Those come from a company called lexis nexis. They compile their data from various sources including pre paid card. Google lexis nexis and yoyou can get all the info. You can also opt out of them so they stop storing your info.
Quote: mickeycrimmIt makes life very simple. If I can't pay cash for it I don't want it. I don't complicate my life by buying things on credit.
I have to carry around enough cash to put my plays down.
Mickey,
I think that you are looking at this backwards. I used to buy everything with cash (still use it for a fair amount of things) but have changed my tune in the past few years. I established a credit history and opened a credit card that gives cash back. I buy all of my everyday things on credit and pay it off monthly. I pay no interest and get 1.5% cash back on all purchases. If you use a local bank you can go into a branch pay it off with cash. You would be surprised how fast your cash back racks up buying necessities and other nonsense.
Quote: mickeycrimmWhere did you come up with fake ID? I've never had one.
I don't have one. My point was,
that's flying under the radar,
cash for everything. It's what
drug dealers do.
When I had the cab co, the gov't
wasn't monitoring taxi companies
yet so none of the drivers paid
taxes, it was an all cash business.
The only guy I knew who ever got
caught was a long time driver who
got careless and paid cash for a
car that was over $10k. The IRS
swooped in over a year later wanting
to know where somebody not paying
taxes got money to buy a car.
They did a forensic audit on the previous
seven years and he had to pay taxes
on the figures they came up with. He
said it was frightening how accurate
their figures were in assessing how much
he made every year.
However, it makes me wonder why the ordinary drug store where I purchased it had a huge rack of them to choose from. They clearly must sell well.
Quote: AyecarumbaThe data on each of these applications is stored. The fact that you attempted to open a line of credit, how much was asked for, and the decision is also stored.
Yeah, applying for credit card, loan, short term apartment, whether you get it or not goes on a credit report.
They are always looking at stuff you are applying for, not just actually getting.
Quote: SlackJawYokelMickey,
I think that you are looking at this backwards. I used to buy everything with cash (still use it for a fair amount of things) but have changed my tune in the past few years. I established a credit history and opened a credit card that gives cash back. I buy all of my everyday things on credit and pay it off monthly. I pay no interest and get 1.5% cash back on all purchases. If you use a local bank you can go into a branch pay it off with cash. You would be surprised how fast your cash back racks up buying necessities and other nonsense.
Somehow I think this is not a benefit to people like mickey, he just wants to be able to stash away cash without anyone knowing his spending habits. Also quick access for plays.
Quote: terapinedIRS budget slashed by the republicans.
Mickey is safe :-)
Yeah they also target Republicans. Hope he isn't flagged in the system as one. :)
They limit you to the number of some of Green Dot prepaid debit cards. PER ADDRESS 3 I believe. Even if there's a family, and 2 people already have one, or even former tenants at the same address. EVEN WITH PROOF that it's all separate real people.Quote: mickeycrimmI've been flying under the radar for a long time. I don't have any bank accounts. And I don't have a credit rating. I pack a lot of money away on prepaid debit cards. When applying for these cards Homeland Security is in the act and I have to prove who I am. I was highly surprised at how much these credit card companies knew about me. I had to answer a series of trick questions like:
Which town is 16th Ave SW in?
A. San Francisco
B. Seattle
C. Chicago
D. Houston
In the eighties I bartended at the Gold Rush Saloon on 16th Ave. SW in Seattle. How the hell did they know that?
In which state is El Paso County?
A. Texas
B. Arizona
C. Colorado
D. New Mexico
I thought this was a great trick question. I guess most people would think Texas. But I used to spend a lot of time in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which is in El Paso County. I haven't been back there since the early nineties. So how the hell did they know I used to hang out there?
Their other trick questions were along the same lines and I was approved.
The first card I got was the Walmart Visa Card. For the first two years I could only carry a $500 max balance. Then they raised it to $3000. The card costs $3 to load and $3 a month service fee. You can withdraw a maximum of $300 per day.
Then I got the Western Union Gold Cards which you can have up to five and carry a max balance on each one of up to $10,000. But you can only load $950 per 24 hours on each card and there is a $5 load fee. There is no monthly service fee. You can withdraw a maximum of $500 per card per day.
The best prepaid card I've come across is the American Express Bluebird. Its sold a Walmart. You won't find it in the racks with the other cards they sell. They put it on rows all by itself. You can load up to $7500 with no load fee if you make yours deposits at Walmart. The other locations are a $1 load fee. There is no monthly service charge. You get Walmart Buck$ for any purchases you make at Walmart which you can spend at Walmart when you have enough saved. You can withdraw up to $500 per day. I just got this card and plan to use it at Walmart for all my purchases to see what percentage I get in Buck$.
I wanted 2 separate cards for various legitimate reasons(you can have more than one) I wanted them separated for Hotel rooms when using RFB incase casinos tried to screw me/ same with online (when online purchases were available )
WITH NO WARNING OR NOTHING After I deposit and tried to set up the online features on a 2nd card for myself. They canceled ALL of them. Including my GF's (we have same address)
I had to jump through hoops and prove who I was, with certified letters and a bunch of crap, just get all MY money sent via check. On top of that, they now they deny me and her for anything associated green dot OR blue bird cards(Blue Bird is a good deal but they deny people for various reasons, I heard even based on location). My sister with my same last name had trouble getting A GD card (lives in a different state even)
So F**K Green Got debit cards, I think GD was mainly made for Walmart suckers.
Quote: DrawingDeadSo, does buying those prepaid cards require cash only? Or could someone use a credit card (potentially with a rewards/cash-back deal) to buy them? I suspect not. Probably just folding green cash.
To answer your speculation, there's a whole subculture of hobbyists buying pre-paid debit cards (that can have PINs associated with them) using rewards credit cards, then off-loading the prepaid debit cards onto Bluebird (or Serve) cards at Wal-Mart (or online). People do this for the miles and points to fly and stay in hotels.
Edit: Bluebird/Serve can be easily liquidated to cash through bill pay or withdrawals. The term is "manufactured spending," buying cash with a credit card to earn points, then liquidating.
Quote: WizardHowever, it makes me wonder why the ordinary drug store where I purchased it had a huge rack of them to choose from. They clearly must sell well.
The unbanked and the poor (and the intersection of these two groups) need them for multiple transactions such as renting a car or a hotel room, paying utilities, etc. There are multiple transactions in this country that are more expensive or impossible without a debit/credit card. Unfortunately, pre-paid cards do have higher fees than do credit cards (if paid off monthly), which further hurts those without good credit. Unfortunately, pre-paid cards are also viewed suspiciously and have been subject to fraud concerns because people have used them to fund or launder money for illegal activities.
Quote: harvson3The unbanked and the poor (and the intersection of these two groups) need them for multiple transactions such as renting a car or a hotel room, paying utilities, etc. There are multiple transactions in this country that are more expensive or impossible without a debit/credit card. Unfortunately, pre-paid cards do have higher fees than do credit cards (if paid off monthly), which further hurts those without good credit. Unfortunately, pre-paid cards are also viewed suspiciously and have been subject to fraud concerns because people have used them to fund or launder money for illegal activities.
With respect to renting a car, in my experience prepaid debit cards (or even "real" debit cards linked to a checking account) won't fly. They want a real credit card so if you trash the car, they can charge you for it. What happens if you use a pre-paid card with $200 on it and run out with a car?
Anyway, one of my groomsmen at my wedding tried this, and got stranded 90 minutes away from the wedding. He made it eventually (on a bus) but it was a clusterf**k.
Quote: harvson3The unbanked and the poor (and the intersection of these two groups) need them for multiple transactions such as renting a car or a hotel room, paying utilities, etc. There are multiple transactions in this country that are more expensive or impossible without a debit/credit card. Unfortunately, pre-paid cards do have higher fees than do credit cards (if paid off monthly), which further hurts those without good credit. Unfortunately, pre-paid cards are also viewed suspiciously and have been subject to fraud concerns because people have used them to fund or launder money for illegal activities.
You really have to do your homework to find the better cards. A lot of them are just horrible, $5 load fee's, $8 a month service charge, and $1 per transaction. Just horrible.
It cost $5 / year and no transaction fee for purchases with a $5000 maximum balance. Cash or cash like withdrawals are subject to fees. It is linked with my bank account and I can load it on-line directly from my bank account with instant access to the funds.
It has all the protection and add-on values of a basic credit card from the same bank.
Like Mickey says it is just one more place to have cash stashed. You don't want all your eggs in one basket if things ever go sideways on you.
Mickey, check out Target's Red Card if it ever comes to your area. Great card with even lower fees and better ease of access than Bluebird.
Quote: teddysI had a lot of fun racking up miles using Bluebird, Vanilla Reload, and Credit Cards. Until I didn't anymore . . .
Mickey, check out Target's Red Card if it ever comes to your area. Great card with even lower fees and better ease of access than Bluebird.
I'll check it out.
Quote: GWAEHaving no credit history is different than not having a score. You almost certainly have a score but it is probably not to great without any current credit lines.
If you don't have any accounts that are being reported to the credit bureaus, you don't have a score.
If you've never had any accounts reported to the credit bureaus, you don't have a history.
(Useful credit score seminar at a financial institution one evening. Free pizza was OK, too.)
Quote: mickeycrimmWhen I shop at J.C. Penney's they always ask me if I have a J.C. Penney credit card. I always respond no. Then they offer me a 10% discount if I apply for one. So I apply. A couple of weeks later I get a letter in the mail saying I don't have any credit history so they can't issue me a card. I've done this a half a dozen times. If they keep offering me a 10% discount I will keep applying.
FWIW, Macy's has the same promotion. Might as well do it there, too. :)
Quote: zrxmaxOne way I stash cash is simply to buy money orders made out to myself.
You're turning something liquid, cash, into
something that's a pain to get rid of. Even
my bank won't cash MO's anymore, you
have to deposit them and wait. And you
can buy as many Walmart MO's as you like,
but they won't cash them for you.
Quote: mickeycrimmI was highly surprised at how much these credit card companies knew about me.
There's a humorous story that came out of the collapse of the USSR and subsequent Capitalist practices moving in. Turned out that, yeah, the KGB/secret police/whatever had all kinds of dossiers on certain people, and a lot of people, sure. But when it came to the needs of the new businesses offering credit, there was nothing in place, and it was quite shocking and eye-opening to the Russkies the extent of information that was now to be collected.
The secret police were stunned, they just had nothing like that!
People started complaining about privacy intrusions!
Thanks Bob I was wondering about that.Quote: EvenBobYou're turning something liquid, cash, into
something that's a pain to get rid of. Even
my bank won't cash MO's anymore, you
have to deposit them and wait. And you
can buy as many Walmart MO's as you like,
but they won't cash them for you.
I thought I asked the WM-money store about that and they said no they won't cash them.
Sounds like a hassle to me. If you're going to to that just get cashier's checks.
I remember thinking what kind of BS is that.... you won't even cash your own money orders.
Quote: AxelWolf
I remember thinking what kind of BS is that.... you won't even cash your own money orders.
There are tons of MO scams now, everybody
is leery of a MO over $20. Your bank will take
them but it takes 10 days sometimes before
it's turned into cash in your account. They're
handy for paying bills, that's about it.
What's wrong with a money belt, they make
some real good ones now that hold a lot of
cash.
Quote: EvenBobThere are tons of MO scams now, everybody
is leery of a MO over $20. Your bank will take
them but it takes 10 days sometimes before
it's turned into cash in your account. They're
handy for paying bills, that's about it.
What's wrong with a money belt, they make
some real good ones now that hold a lot of
cash.
Where can I buy a money belt, or order one online?
We have been over this before. It's nice to have different options and access to money when you need it without the risk of having someone steal your cash.Quote: EvenBobThere are tons of MO scams now, everybody
is leery of a MO over $20. Your bank will take
them but it takes 10 days sometimes before
it's turned into cash in your account. They're
handy for paying bills, that's about it.
What's wrong with a money belt, they make
some real good ones now that hold a lot of
cash.
Quote: mickeycrimmWhere can I guy a money belt, or order one online?
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dfashion&field-keywords=money%20belt&sprefix=money+be%2Cfashion
Quote: EvenBobhttp://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dfashion&field-keywords=money%20belt&sprefix=money+be%2Cfashion
Thanks.
pockets you iron on the inside of your
pant legs. If I can fit $5K into pill bottle,
I bet 10 of these in your pants could
hold $50K. And what robber makes you
take your pants off. I just ordered them.
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Pockets-Money-Pants-Graham/dp/B00FSOVM0U/ref=sr_1_41?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1419893987&sr=1-41&keywords=money+belt
Quote: EvenBobThese look the most interesting. They're
pockets you iron on the inside of your
pant legs. If I can fit $5K into pill bottle,
I bet 10 of these in your pants could
hold $50K. And what robber makes you
take your pants off.
"Brigands demand money or your life. Women require both."
Quote: mickeycrimmWhere can I buy a money belt, or order one online?
Buy? I have a Binions money belt you can have. Just the sight of it reminds me of a failed kiosk swipe.
Quote: RogerKintBuy? I have a Binions money belt you can have. Just the sight of it reminds me of a failed kiosk swipe.
A what?
Quote: mickeycrimmWhere can I buy a money belt, or order one online?
The best place to get money belts is at WalMart, Target, or KMart. The ones from KMart are the most comfortable to wear. The WalMart ones are little bit too large but will still work well. They usually cost $7.50. These money belts will typically hold $20k in 100s.
I finally had my wife start making them for me out of custom fabrics so that they looked more fashionable (black fabric suit style fabric). They're also more comfortable, and she was able to custom size them. I even keep a version as my wallet, in place of a traditional wallet, because they zip shut, can lay flatter, fit in your front pocket if needed, and you can carry casino chips in them without fear of them falling out.
By the way, don't try to wear them through airports anymore. Take them off and put them in your computer bag.
Repeated credit applications... show that you are constantly being turned down for credit and thus guarantee you a negative report.
Prepaid debit cards... You pay fees and charges and its just easier to go open a darn bank account.
Don't forget PayPal. Limit on monthly transfers, but no charges. Download their app to your phone and pay at various merchants such as home Depot. All you need is an email address and a verified bank a/c.
Postal money orders take six months to clear and are often bought in one dollar denominations and then altered.
Internet scams abound about: cash our money orders, keep 200.00 and send us the rest. Of course the money order bounces and the endorser is on the hook for the full amount. Many of the money orders are obvious forgeries with misspellings.
I've heard that Tobacconists rent out humidors if you need a safe deposit box.
A few years ago Bank of America let zillions of immigrants without a social security number open up accounts so I don't see why it would be a problem for you to get one.
