Jan 22, 2014, 3:27 pm
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 Manager’s 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
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 Manager’s 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
T-Mobile Visa Prepaid - Bluebird Competitor for MS! (May not load w/CC)
Jun 30, 2014, 9:49 am
#2191
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
I would prefer than that they don't give me back the money and then I am free to unload as I want. I mean $3.95 was the fee for Vanilla Reloads and no one was complaining (though free Serve reloads changed the game).
Jun 30, 2014, 11:16 am
#2192
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
They are still losing money from us if they don't refund the fees. Why do you think all the other ones shut us down except Amex. One swipers aren't generating any money.
Jun 30, 2014, 11:45 am
#2193
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
But the caveat is that you have to load at least $300 at the time of loading in order for the $3.95 to be refunded. The average consumer may not want to load $300 all at once just to save $3.95. But then again, we don't know the statistics of how many customers they have that use the Tmobile that are non-MS. Not everyone is using Reloadits since a lot of stores require cash only for those anyways. Why pay an additional $3.95 to buy a reloadit if you pay with cash and people are not going to carry $500 cash on their person to load at Tmobile. You are assuming that the prepaid card community is all MSers when there are probably a lot of folks out there that are using for everyday spending.
Jun 30, 2014, 12:28 pm
#2194
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
But the caveat is that you have to load at least $300 at the time of loading in order for the $3.95 to be refunded. The average consumer may not want to load $300 all at once just to save $3.95. But then again, we don't know the statistics of how many customers they have that use the Tmobile that are non-MS. Not everyone is using Reloadits since a lot of stores require cash only for those anyways. Why pay an additional $3.95 to buy a reloadit if you pay with cash and people are not going to carry $500 cash on their person to load at Tmobile. You are assuming that the prepaid card community is all MSers when there are probably a lot of folks out there that are using for everyday spending.
Jun 30, 2014, 12:40 pm
#2195
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
As far as I know the only way to load this is cash at store or reloadits. If people have cash and don't need to buy a reloadit (with cash) for a fee what is the point of all these cards at all? People need the debit/card functionality and they obviously do buy reloadits in cash and pay the fee.
Jun 30, 2014, 12:42 pm
#2196
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
As far as I know the only way to load this is cash at store or reloadits. If people have cash and don't need to buy a reloadit (with cash) for a fee what is the point of all these cards at all? People need the debit/card functionality and they obviously do buy reloadits in cash and pay the fee.
Also you are going off on a tangent from the OPs point that I was trying to make which is not every load made on the Tmobile card refunds you the $3.95. You need to deposit at least $300 to get the fee refunded and the average consumer wouldn't necessarily want to tie up their money just to say $3.95. Also if you are going to load your Tmobile card with cash anyways, why not just go to a Tmobile store where you can load your Tmobile card FREE of charge and not even pay a $3.95 for a Reloadit? I am not talking about paying with credit but with cash. You are trying to justify that people loading with cash use Reloadit cards for the Tmobile card which is crazy.
Re-read my last post that references the OP to get some context first.
Jun 30, 2014, 1:13 pm
#2197
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
First off, keep in mind that the Reloadit network does not primarily serve the Tmobile card. The Reloadit network serves other cards like Netspend, Univision, Paypower, etc which need to be loaded via Reloadit cards. That is why the Reloadit cards exist. Tmobile is the only prepaid card that refunds you the $3.95 fee if you load a certain amount so don't lose sight of that. This is NOT the norm.
Also you are going off on a tangent from the OPs point that I was trying to make which is not every load made on the Tmobile card refunds you the $3.95. You need to deposit at least $300 to get the fee refunded and the average consumer wouldn't necessarily want to tie up their money just to say $3.95. Also if you are going to load your Tmobile card with cash anyways, why not just go to a Tmobile store where you can load your Tmobile card FREE of charge and not even pay a $3.95 for a Reloadit? I am not talking about paying with credit but with cash. You are trying to justify that people loading with cash use Reloadit cards for the Tmobile card which is crazy.
Re-read my last post that references the OP to get some context first.
Also you are going off on a tangent from the OPs point that I was trying to make which is not every load made on the Tmobile card refunds you the $3.95. You need to deposit at least $300 to get the fee refunded and the average consumer wouldn't necessarily want to tie up their money just to say $3.95. Also if you are going to load your Tmobile card with cash anyways, why not just go to a Tmobile store where you can load your Tmobile card FREE of charge and not even pay a $3.95 for a Reloadit? I am not talking about paying with credit but with cash. You are trying to justify that people loading with cash use Reloadit cards for the Tmobile card which is crazy.
Re-read my last post that references the OP to get some context first.
Jun 30, 2014, 3:22 pm
#2198
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Melbourne, Florida, USA
Posts: 2,983
Also if you are going to load your Tmobile card with cash anyways, why not just go to a Tmobile store where you can load your Tmobile card FREE of charge and not even pay a $3.95 for a Reloadit? I am not talking about paying with credit but with cash. You are trying to justify that people loading with cash use Reloadit cards for the Tmobile card which is crazy.
Jun 30, 2014, 10:10 pm
#2199
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: SAN
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 428
Steering this back on topic a bit-
Has anyone been charged an ATM fee at an in-network ATM? I mis-entered my PIN on round 1 of a previous withdrawal and figured that may have caused the fee to hit, went back to the same spot and got hit with the $2 again.
This was at a CVS that's Allpoint that I have used several times before for free and still shows up on the ATM finder as in-net. Of course I'm not going to call for the $2, getting the $3.95 fee covered is still worth it.
Has anyone been charged an ATM fee at an in-network ATM? I mis-entered my PIN on round 1 of a previous withdrawal and figured that may have caused the fee to hit, went back to the same spot and got hit with the $2 again.
This was at a CVS that's Allpoint that I have used several times before for free and still shows up on the ATM finder as in-net. Of course I'm not going to call for the $2, getting the $3.95 fee covered is still worth it.
Jun 30, 2014, 10:20 pm
#2200
Suspended
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ILG/PHL
Programs: Amex Plat, AA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Gold, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,075
Steering this back on topic a bit-
Has anyone been charged an ATM fee at an in-network ATM? I mis-entered my PIN on round 1 of a previous withdrawal and figured that may have caused the fee to hit, went back to the same spot and got hit with the $2 again.
This was at a CVS that's Allpoint that I have used several times before for free and still shows up on the ATM finder as in-net. Of course I'm not going to call for the $2, getting the $3.95 fee covered is still worth it.
Has anyone been charged an ATM fee at an in-network ATM? I mis-entered my PIN on round 1 of a previous withdrawal and figured that may have caused the fee to hit, went back to the same spot and got hit with the $2 again.
This was at a CVS that's Allpoint that I have used several times before for free and still shows up on the ATM finder as in-net. Of course I'm not going to call for the $2, getting the $3.95 fee covered is still worth it.
Jul 1, 2014, 6:57 am
#2201
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Man this game is really getting harder. I threw some Reloadits into the mix with VGCs. That way if they questioned what I was buying with CCs, I could say VGCs. And low and behold, that's exactly what happened when the CSR came over to do a store override. I pulled the VGCs out the bag and showed her. She tried to tell me that those were cash/debit only...(same chick that shot me down on Reloadits), but I definitely corrected her. (Had a manager approve them before.) I showed her my card (WF) and she assumed it was debit anyways so no issues. Then she printed out some receipt of numbers and scratched my CC onto the printout. I asked why since I don't want my CC just sitting out there. She said that it was so if someone tried to claim that it was a stolen CC on this huge amount, that they could verify it was me.
Jul 1, 2014, 7:06 am
#2202
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 149
Always the successful people who are most paranoid...
I don't have a store where I can buy VGCs and Reloadits at the same time, but two stores I've gone to say they will accept debit for Reloadits. I guess I can now go from OV to Reloadit, at least until a cashier decides to call me out on using a gift card as a debit card. That will be fee free with the T-Mobile card though so not too bad!
Who knows how long that train will last.
I don't have a store where I can buy VGCs and Reloadits at the same time, but two stores I've gone to say they will accept debit for Reloadits. I guess I can now go from OV to Reloadit, at least until a cashier decides to call me out on using a gift card as a debit card. That will be fee free with the T-Mobile card though so not too bad!
Who knows how long that train will last.
Jul 1, 2014, 2:36 pm
#2203
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 121
data point on getting your card blocked. Took my card and the wifes card to wm today. Both cards have nearly identical monthly loads. 4.5-6k/month past three months. Today, for the first time I loaded bb and gb from the TM cards . >400 each. This was at 730am. Both cards blocked by 3pm.
never did wm mo. light billpay >400 occasionally. Mostly everyday spend and cb. second tm card for me now. Tried to reapply a la mvd and got rejected.
never did wm mo. light billpay >400 occasionally. Mostly everyday spend and cb. second tm card for me now. Tried to reapply a la mvd and got rejected.
Last edited by Szamboti; Jul 1, 2014 at 2:42 pm
Jul 1, 2014, 2:51 pm
#2204
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
data point on getting your card blocked. Took my card and the wifes card to wm today. Both cards have nearly identical monthly loads. 4.5-6k/month past three months. Today, for the first time I loaded bb and gb from the TM cards . >400 each. This was at 730am. Both cards blocked by 3pm.
never did wm mo. light billpay >400 occasionally. Mostly everyday spend and cb. second tm card for me now. Tried to reapply a la mvd and got rejected.
never did wm mo. light billpay >400 occasionally. Mostly everyday spend and cb. second tm card for me now. Tried to reapply a la mvd and got rejected.