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

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

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Old Jul 11, 2014, 3:59 pm
  #2296  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 16
Originally Posted by yoyo
You are making assumptions. It was 10 cards total about 3.5K and I have been idle for over 30 days on the card and I was not going to load everything in a week.
So what were you doing before the 30 days idle period?
unnamedone is offline  
Old Jul 11, 2014, 4:00 pm
  #2297  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Originally Posted by xlax
Check up the Reloadit "safe." It may be an option for you.
Originally Posted by BADELAYS
It may be a good option, but I am not sure if the fee will get refunded. Anyone tried yet. I am sure there was a datapoint posted. The terms say no fee refund for loads from reloadit safe
thanks guys, I will check this out and decide if it's for me since I found vendors selling them for CCs.
Mamibear is offline  
Old Jul 11, 2014, 5:28 pm
  #2298  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Originally Posted by frequentflyingpenguin
Paypal administrates for T-Mobile, and the number for their risk management department is 1-855-257-2581
Dude wrong thread man!!! This isn't Paypal and trust me, I know what the correct phone number it is to Bancorp risk dept. It starts with a 408 area code.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Jul 12, 2014, 5:26 am
  #2299  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Iowa
Posts: 44
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
Dude wrong thread man!!! This isn't Paypal and trust me, I know what the correct phone number it is to Bancorp risk dept. It starts with a 408 area code.
You are correct - it does start with a 408 area code. The number that I provided works as well for those who think that returning a phone call to a regular number is fishy as hell.
frequentflyingpenguin is offline  
Old Jul 13, 2014, 12:58 am
  #2300  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 240
I recently got a 2nd T- Mobile card in my name. I just tried to load the first one with a reloadit pack. However, I am getting an error message that my card does not seem to be part of the reloadit network. However, the Reloadit pack worked just fine on my 2nd card (which is still a temporary card). Not sure if anyone else is having similar experiences.
Silverthunder is offline  
Old Jul 13, 2014, 5:52 pm
  #2301  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: DL MM, Marriott LT Titanium, AA EXP, Avis Chairmans
Posts: 1,399
Anyone have luck at buying ReloadIts in the bay/San Jose area? I've gotten turned down at Safeway a number of times. Cashiers didn't even ask how much, just said "cash only" when I handed them the refill card.
yngdiego is offline  
Old Jul 13, 2014, 5:59 pm
  #2302  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Originally Posted by yngdiego
Anyone have luck at buying ReloadIts in the bay/San Jose area? I've gotten turned down at Safeway a number of times. Cashiers didn't even ask how much, just said "cash only" when I handed them the refill card.
Nope. SF bay and SJ are bad areas for MS since some A-holes ruined it with stolen CC's and went rampant.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Jul 13, 2014, 6:00 pm
  #2303  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: DL MM, Marriott LT Titanium, AA EXP, Avis Chairmans
Posts: 1,399
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
Nope. SF bay and SJ are bad areas for MS since some A-holes ruined it with stolen CC's and went rampant.
That sucks..I may be moving back to San Diego next year. Maybe a better MS environment down there?
yngdiego is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2014, 12:03 am
  #2304  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SFO/DTW
Programs: DL PM 0.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Avis PC, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,988
Originally Posted by yngdiego
That sucks..I may be moving back to San Diego next year. Maybe a better MS environment down there?
YMMV of course. Sources running dry in SD last time I heard.
kxc262 is offline  
Old Jul 14, 2014, 11:26 am
  #2305  
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SNA/LAX
Posts: 1,407
For my record, for those that contacted the FDIC about lost funds, how long did it take for them to respond?
healthnut is offline  
Old Jul 16, 2014, 5:32 pm
  #2306  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Has anyone received any $5 refund for meeting the $500 loading for the month of June? I remember in June that some folks received an automatic refund of the $5 for the months of Apr and May.

I figured the $5 would be refunded a month later when the system realizes that you loaded more than $500 in the previous month.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Jul 16, 2014, 6:54 pm
  #2307  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 319
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
Has anyone received any $5 refund for meeting the $500 loading for the month of June? I remember in June that some folks received an automatic refund of the $5 for the months of Apr and May.

I figured the $5 would be refunded a month later when the system realizes that you loaded more than $500 in the previous month.


i too got charged the fee in June and no refund yet
Pecan Pie is offline  
Old Jul 17, 2014, 11:38 am
  #2308  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 146
do you guys know if the temp cards work with paying citi off? Univision's pin system is down so I need a new card to buy. These are also a dollar cheaper at safeway
snowboardpunk is offline  
Old Jul 17, 2014, 1:27 pm
  #2309  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: BOS .. but soon SFO
Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD
Posts: 1,528
Originally Posted by Pecan Pie
i too got charged the fee in June and no refund yet
I had the $5 fee charged in June. Called and opened a ticket to get it refunded

Got it refunded July 1, same day they blocked my card. I left on vacation and found out yesterday it was blocked while attempting to load a reloadit and got an error as someone else in this thread.

called in and was told my accoutn was blocked and that they needed to file a ticket and have fraud prevention call me blah blah. this was yesterday

in retrospect, I probably should have eaten that $5 fee than bring my activity under scrutiny.

I've been loading via RI and unloading via SERVE/GOBank loads @ WM FWIW

I've probably did $10-$15k last month
stupidzbu is offline  
Old Jul 17, 2014, 1:30 pm
  #2310  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 149
Damn yeah I would have never put eyes on my account if I was pulling that much money through it.
workaccounttoday is offline  


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