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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 Jan 29, 2016, 5:36 am
  #4216  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 287
Ask the friendly store to call over and request their inventory?
isriam is offline  
Old Feb 8, 2016, 12:16 am
  #4217  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 6
Does buying RL @ Vons with CC come to the end?

It seems ever since last week the Vons System will REQUIRE a manager's override if the CC purchase exceeds some particular amount. I went there twice to check out a ~$400 RL with my favorite cashier, all got passed through their system but at the last step, when the manager came, I got turned down by "cash only" reasons.
So the $495 trick or even $400 tricks won't work by bypassing the manager's override and does this mean buying RL@ Vons won't work any more?
spunky2008 is offline  
Old Feb 8, 2016, 12:42 am
  #4218  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Left Coast
Programs: UA 1K & 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott/SPG Gold (UA comp)
Posts: 1,352
Originally Posted by spunky2008
It seems ever since last week the Vons System will REQUIRE a manager's override if the CC purchase exceeds some particular amount. I went there twice to check out a ~$400 RL with my favorite cashier, all got passed through their system but at the last step, when the manager came, I got turned down by "cash only" reasons.
So the $495 trick or even $400 tricks won't work by bypassing the manager's override and does this mean buying RL@ Vons won't work any more?
I bought one $500 RL at Von's last week and Mgr was fine. Haven't tried >1 since the talk of the screws tightening began.
weezl is offline  
Old Feb 16, 2016, 2:02 pm
  #4219  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 2
I paid around $3000 to a Chase credit card bill using bill pay, but it has been 2 weeks, the money did not apply to my bill yet. I called Chase, and I was told that they need a transmittal report, or a copy of e-check. Apparently T-mobile can not provide any of these. What shall I do? Dispute the transaction? First time happens to me. Please advise me. Thanks a lot!
Eman128 is offline  
Old Feb 16, 2016, 4:14 pm
  #4220  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11
Anyone has successfully bought RL with cc at Safeway

Went to a safeway store that sells ReloadIT card as usual, it seemed that it has been hard coded not to accept credit card payment. Anyone had similar experience?
zooplankton66 is offline  
Old Feb 16, 2016, 5:15 pm
  #4221  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 287
Originally Posted by zooplankton66
Went to a safeway store that sells ReloadIT card as usual, it seemed that it has been hard coded not to accept credit card payment. Anyone had similar experience?
Read the Safeway thread.
isriam is offline  
Old Feb 16, 2016, 8:59 pm
  #4222  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: DL, WoH
Posts: 1,253
All reloadits pulled from my go-to food lion. Game over for me unless i can find a place that loads with debit.
ricohitman is offline  
Old Feb 18, 2016, 7:21 am
  #4223  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 4
After all the BB shutdowns in Jan, I decided to get a t-mobile card yesterday to reduce my use of the BB.

1. Couldn't find a t-mobile card in any grocery stores (Philly area),
2. T-mobile couldn't process my card application online, and
3. I tried about 15 Acme and Giant grocery stores looking for reloadits and couldn't find any that didn't have "cash only" printed on them. At one store, there was a huge stack of them (without "cash only") but when I went to the register, they wouldn't scan. Manager tried 4 different cards and said they weren't "in the system." No idea what that means but I was turned away. That's before I even specified whether I'd be paying with cash or credit. I didn't bother trying to buy any that said "cash only" because I couldn't get the T-mobile card anyway.

Good news is that Kate works at one of my local WMs and the cashiers are all great about loading gift cards as debit.
cherrythepom is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2016, 4:10 am
  #4224  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 779
Originally Posted by cherrythepom
After all the BB shutdowns in Jan, I decided to get a t-mobile card yesterday to reduce my use of the BB.

1. Couldn't find a t-mobile card in any grocery stores (Philly area),
2. T-mobile couldn't process my card application online, and
3. I tried about 15 Acme and Giant grocery stores looking for reloadits and couldn't find any that didn't have "cash only" printed on them. At one store, there was a huge stack of them (without "cash only") but when I went to the register, they wouldn't scan. Manager tried 4 different cards and said they weren't "in the system." No idea what that means but I was turned away. That's before I even specified whether I'd be paying with cash or credit. I didn't bother trying to buy any that said "cash only" because I couldn't get the T-mobile card anyway.

Good news is that Kate works at one of my local WMs and the cashiers are all great about loading gift cards as debit.
Did you try going to a tmobile store to purchase the debit card?

Some stores are YMMV for using credit cards for a "cash only" reloadit card.
gw14 is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2016, 10:47 am
  #4225  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by gw14
Did you try going to a tmobile store to purchase the debit card?

Some stores are YMMV for using credit cards for a "cash only" reloadit card.
I tried one tmobile store and the sales guy had no idea what I was talking about.

I was too scared to ask at Acme or Giant to buy a reloadit that said cash only with a CC But that was probably kind of dumb. Nothing to lose, right?
cherrythepom is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2016, 1:11 pm
  #4226  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by cherrythepom
I tried one tmobile store and the sales guy had no idea what I was talking about.

I was too scared to ask at Acme or Giant to buy a reloadit that said cash only with a CC But that was probably kind of dumb. Nothing to lose, right?
Update: got the card at tmobile store, then went to an Acme that sold reloadit cards (found ones that don't say "cash only"). Asked at register to load $425. The cashier calls over the manager who says cash only. I act surprised and politely walk out.
cherrythepom is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2016, 6:18 pm
  #4227  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 287
Originally Posted by cherrythepom
Update: got the card at tmobile store, then went to an Acme that sold reloadit cards (found ones that don't say "cash only"). Asked at register to load $425. The cashier calls over the manager who says cash only. I act surprised and politely walk out.
try and try again. try for 300. who cares, as long as you can get it on a cc, its money in the bank. go at different hours with different managers. i bought tons of ones that said cash only, and still do. no issues as long as they haven't been burned by fraud.
isriam is offline  
Old Feb 19, 2016, 8:05 pm
  #4228  
XP1
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 282
Originally Posted by isriam
try and try again. try for 300. who cares, as long as you can get it on a cc, its money in the bank. go at different hours with different managers. i bought tons of ones that said cash only, and still do. no issues as long as they haven't been burned by fraud.
There is no point. Acme PA is hard-coded cash only.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25628036-post4134.html
XP1 is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2016, 5:59 pm
  #4229  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Cali
Posts: 36
Data Point

I have been using T-Mobil/Reloadit for little over a year. Spouse and I both have cards and buy Reloadit's at local Safeway. Bought $450 today (cash only printed on front) with CC and CSR asked to see last four digits of CC. Last two times I tried CSR's would not accept CC and said so very sternly. Point of post keep probing and trying politely. I also found out the days and times the "yes" person works.

Last edited by bj993; Feb 20, 2016 at 6:00 pm Reason: spelling
bj993 is offline  
Old Feb 20, 2016, 8:05 pm
  #4230  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by XP1
There is no point. Acme PA is hard-coded cash only.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25628036-post4134.html
Ah thanks so much. Good to know. It was actually NJ where the cashier asked the manager who said cash only. Any data points in Acme NJ? Also tried Stop and Shop NJ where they don't sell Reloadits anymore.
cherrythepom is offline  

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