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T-Mobile Visa Prepaid - Bluebird Competitor for MS! (May not load w/CC)

Old Jan 22, 2014, 3:27 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: XP1
Warning: The T-M website contains an apparent Bill Pay function. Attempting to use it to pay credit card bills, or probably any significant $ amount bills of any sort, will get your account frozen. Ditto large scale ATM or MO withdrawals. The one method of unloading likely to keep you under the radar is small scale WM BP. Also likely to get you shut down, according to consensus reports, is running much more than $5K a month thru your account. You ignore this advice at your own risk.

SUMMARY

1. FAQ's
2. Free to use for TMo customers.
3. Issued by Bancorp
4. Load at T-mobile store (Registers are HARD CODED not to accept anything other than cash.)
5. or Reloadit, (find a grocery store that sold reloadit cards with a cc)

List Stores hard coded for cash or Credit Card accepted
T-Mobile (cash only)
Home Depot (cash only, hard coded)
Harris Teeter - Bought with CC on 2/16/14, hard coded denied CC on 5 APR 2014
Winn-Dixie - Hard coded for cash (debit may work, untested) as of Oct-2015
Meijer (Cash/Debit including VGC)
Giant Eagle/GetGo (Cash, Debit including VGC )
Safeways/Vons/Pavilions in California - most only Cash
Food Lion - Manager override now required. Many stores cash or bank debit only, but registers are not hard coded.
Save-A-Lot: Hard coded cash only
BigY: At least some stores have gone cash only as of 1/8
Acme in PA: Hard-coded cash only (Source)

Note on ReloadIt Cards
These come in two main flavors, up to $500, and up to $950 (there are ones that go up to $50, too). Both are $3.95 load fee. The older grey cards, have CASH ONLY on them. Even if the cash register is coded to accept it, many cashiers will be hesitant to even try, or get shut down by manager.
The maximum value reload will be $2,500.00. There is no maximum number of times you may value reload your Card Account per day; however, the maximum dollar amount of value reloads you may make to your Card Account in one day is $2,500.00. We will accept direct deposits larger than $2,500.00, but any direct deposit value reloaded to your Card Account will count against the $2,500.00 daily limit.
Value Reload Fee: Each time you value reload $300.00 or more to your Card Account in a single transaction, you will receive a credit for any fee you paid. If you are a T-Mobile Wireless Customer and value reload your Card Account at a participating T-Mobile Wireless location, you will receive a refund at the register (and will pay no fee for your value reload). If you value reload your Card Account for $300.00 or more via another method, we will issue a credit to your Card Account in the amount of the fee you paid.

In practice, a ReloadIt >= $300 loaded via the safe will receive credit for the fee. However, the terms formally state "Please note: Value reloads made from Reloadit Packs that have been placed in the Program Managers Reloadit `Safe' are not eligible for any fee credit." so this is not guaranteed.

The Limits:
Daily limit: $2500 during a rolling 24 hour period
Monthly limit: ?
Annual Limit: ?
Max Bill Pay (per transaction): = $5000 (tested March 6th, can do 'at least' a second for the same amount to the same payee momment later).
Daily ATM limit: $500 (rolling 24 hr rather than calendar day)

Total monthly bill pay limit: ?
The maximum value of your Card Account is restricted to $10,000.00

T-Mobile Prepaid Customer Service Email: [email protected]

If you need to escalate to the FDIC, Bancorp's registered FDIC# is 35444.
If you want to try to open an FDIC complaint or investigation you can send one in electronically at
http://www2.fdic.gov/IDASP/DIRSInfoRequest.asp

Alternative FDIC link to file complaint
https://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp

FAQ
  • My fee did not get refunded. Has there been a policy change? ReloadIt Fees are processed overnight and could take 24 hours after you reload the card. As of 9/2015, ReloadIt cards added to the safe prior to loading on T-Mobile will still get the $3.95 refunded.
  • What is a safe transaction amount? There is no definite safe or unsafe amount. However, starting the last week of Jul 2015, people have been reporting the account frozen after transactions larger than $1K.
  • Can I use the BP Feature? It works well for some people. Many have reported getting shutdown after using it. A few have reported having the payments lost. Like all MS activity, use at your own risk.
  • Should I mix in some regular spending to make it look like this is my primary card? If it makes you feel better, go for it. However people who do this still get shutdown.
  • I can't log in. Did I get shutdown? Possibly. But more likely the website is having technical issues. Call in, o try to make a swipe purchase and test it out.
  • If I pay my taxes with this card, will I get shutdown? Large purchase raise red flags. Taxes are no different and there are reports of people being shut down for doing this.
  • What is a T-Mobile wireless customer? A qualifying T-Mobile wireless customer can be either a postpaid or prepaid customer. Source: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24790705-post3703.html
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T-Mobile Visa Prepaid - Bluebird Competitor for MS! (May not load w/CC)

Old Jul 23, 2014, 8:16 am
  #2341  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Originally Posted by rambo
I am getting this error message when I try to login:

At this time we are experiencing technical difficulties. Please contact customer service.

They have already place a hold on the account and I am preparing the docs that they are asking for. Does this mean that I am shutdown already? Anyone else seeing the same error message
I had this error when my account was locked and it wasn't released until I sent in the docs.
cdancer20 is offline  
Old Jul 23, 2014, 10:41 am
  #2342  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 824
I logged in fine this morning
exarkun is offline  
Old Jul 23, 2014, 3:10 pm
  #2343  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 319
Originally Posted by Zgirl
I've been getting the same error message for weeks. Their mobile app works flawlessly, never giving me grief.
i got the same message too. i had a moment of panic cuz it looked exactly the same as last time when I got blocked... I tried logging in again and didn't get the message. everything seemed to be functioning I have 1k of RLs to be loaded... load or not
Pecan Pie is offline  
Old Jul 23, 2014, 9:06 pm
  #2344  
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 657
my card and my wifes card were both shutdown, opened a second in my name put 4K through already...so theres that
drdrew450 is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 7:35 am
  #2345  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
T-Mobile Visa Prepaid - Bluebird Competitor for MS! (May not load w/CC)

I'm more surprised someone still using IE
heyeaglefn is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 8:33 am
  #2346  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
My card was shut down. After 3/4 months was able drain the balance, now I see $5 charge. I cant buy any cards with CC to load. Do I cancel it or let it accumulate the monthly charges and deal with it when I find some use for the card?
prasha11 is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 9:31 am
  #2347  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 149
Wow, did a bill pay and it went through in one day successfully.

Not sure how you all are getting so unlucky with it!
workaccounttoday is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 9:33 am
  #2348  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
T-Mobile Visa Prepaid - Bluebird Competitor for MS! (May not load w/CC)

Yeah keep bill paying and let us know how that turns out
heyeaglefn is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 9:40 am
  #2349  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 639
Originally Posted by heyeaglefn
Yeah keep bill paying and let us know how that turns out
Exactly. There is no more unprofessionally run card than this, they are clueless.
member7777 is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 9:43 am
  #2350  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: None
Posts: 135
Originally Posted by member7777
Exactly. There is no more unprofessionally run card than this, they are clueless.
Why allow features that don't make it feasible and better yet why not learn from other companies to make it work (Amex)?

Doesn't need deep pockets. Scale, Float, Co-Branding, Cross-sell.

In other notes - I think the unbanked masses are not subsidizing the MS masses.
BADELAYS is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 10:01 am
  #2351  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 105
Originally Posted by rambo
I am getting this error message when I try to login:

At this time we are experiencing technical difficulties. Please contact customer service.

They have already place a hold on the account and I am preparing the docs that they are asking for. Does this mean that I am shutdown already? Anyone else seeing the same error message
Last night I tried to login via the app and it failed (said to call in to customer service); I then
tried to login via the web and got the same message that you posted.
I was a slightly concerned about a shutdown since I did a small unload to BB earlier in the day.

Anyway, this morning I was able to do a web login and a reloadit without a hitch.
nopoints is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 11:01 am
  #2352  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,493
Originally Posted by workaccounttoday
Wow, did a bill pay and it went through in one day successfully.

Not sure how you all are getting so unlucky with it!
Great! Let us know how much you do with your Tmobile card strictly with BP before you start getting hit with the hammer. Just remember your quote.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Jul 24, 2014, 11:14 am
  #2353  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
[QUOTE=BADELAYS;23249537 why not learn from other companies to make it work (Amex)?[/QUOTE]

different goals.....
prasha11 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2014, 1:37 pm
  #2354  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 519
I been doing mile churning game by doing VR-BB and GC-BB, but VR option is not working anymore and no problem with GC-BB. Last week I went to Hy-Vee and tried to buy reloadit card with my AA Exec card and cashier sold me 2 cards without any hesitation. I did not know how to use reloadit at that point and I read, you can load it to t-mobile prepaid card. Next I went to t-mobile store and bought temporary card and loaded it with $50 cash, later I registered my card on t-mobile site and loaded my 2 reloadit cards. Next day I bought another 2 cards and loaded it to my tm prepaid card.

Now I am thinking following options to take out money:

1. Use t-mobile bill pay to my credit card bill (is it safe? Am I on radar for shutdown?)
2. Use for tm card for small purchase and withdraw money from ATM
3. Use tm card to pay college fees, I think college is taking debit card - I still have to check with office.

Can anyone suggest me the best route so I can preserve my card from shutting down?

Thanks.
mak101 is offline  
Old Jul 28, 2014, 1:42 pm
  #2355  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
1 and 2 will definitely lead to a shutdown eventually as stated many times in this thread.
heyeaglefn is offline  

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