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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 Aug 1, 2014, 11:37 pm
  #2386  
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Join Date: May 2014
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Originally Posted by saru
I haven't touched my T-Mobile debit card since April, and it's been dead with a zero balance since. I still got the survey with the $10 reward. I don't know if I have a cc-enabled way of loading it anymore, so it's mostly useless. I suppose I could subsidize my phone bill by $10.
It involves an extra step but unless the store doesn't even take debit OVs are a good option to buy ReloadIts to load these. Since the $3.95 is reimbursed it doesn't cost anything extra to buy with OVs.
payeco is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2014, 11:33 am
  #2387  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: AA PLT 2MM
Posts: 2,026
Well, my account has been shut down for months now and I got the survey as well.

I ended up just giving them a very low rating, and explained it by saying something along the lines of: You guys advertise a bill pay feature, and in fact it works quite well, I was really pleased with it, however, what you do not disclose is that if you use the bill pay feature, then some back office department will close your account for 'not using the card as intended'.
thehawk75 is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2014, 2:31 pm
  #2388  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by thehawk75
I ended up just giving them a very low rating, and explained it by saying something along the lines of: You guys advertise a bill pay feature, and in fact it works quite well, I was really pleased with it, however, what you do not disclose is that if you use the bill pay feature, then some back office department will close your account for 'not using the card as intended'.
The last use of my T-Mobile debit card was to load my Bluebird at the WMT retail purgatory. Since that's a POS transaction, would that appease Blackhawk better?

Actually, I'll consider using Tmo debit to pay Evolve so I don't have to use multiple cards as well as to be able to post date payments.
saru is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2014, 2:41 pm
  #2389  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
Originally Posted by saru
The last use of my T-Mobile debit card was to load my Bluebird at the WMT retail purgatory. Since that's a POS transaction, would that appease Blackhawk better?

Actually, I'll consider using Tmo debit to pay Evolve so I don't have to use multiple cards as well as to be able to post date payments.
One of my accounts just got shut down for loading Serve, so unless you keep it very small amounts, they won't like that either.
heyeaglefn is online now  
Old Aug 2, 2014, 2:52 pm
  #2390  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
Originally Posted by payeco
It involves an extra step but unless the store doesn't even take debit OVs are a good option to buy ReloadIts to load these. Since the $3.95 is reimbursed it doesn't cost anything extra to buy with OVs.
What u say makes sense to me, can u buy Reloadits using debit card (OVs) at Vons, Albertsons or at any store? I tried, all doors closed for me.....

I still wonder how are the guys still manage to get shut down? must be loading with something
prasha11 is offline  
Old Aug 2, 2014, 9:08 pm
  #2391  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 71
Originally Posted by heyeaglefn
One of my accounts just got shut down for loading Serve, so unless you keep it very small amounts, they won't like that either.
When I got shut down four months ago for doing BP, I was told I had to use it for everyday expenses and Walmart Serve loads seem to have worked fine, with an occasional Citi payment and other small retail transactions. I also recently did a Serve load at FD as well.

Did they know specifically what you had used the card for at Walmart?

Last edited by viag8; Aug 2, 2014 at 9:55 pm
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Old Aug 2, 2014, 9:49 pm
  #2392  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 47
Love it! I've been earning an extra 30K points per month for absolutely free since January. Now they'll pay me for my opinion. Awesome!

Hello,

Your name was randomly selected from our group of T-Mobile Money Services customers. We value your opinion and would love to hear about your experience with the T-Mobile Visa® Prepaid Card so that we can continue to offer a more improved product and meet the needs of our valued customers.

Please take 5 minutes to fill out the following survey and as a thank you for your time and feedback, we will credit $10* to your account.

To begin the survey, click the link below:
CBDTREE is offline  
Old Aug 3, 2014, 7:00 pm
  #2393  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Just curious...if you have a $0 balance right when the monthly maintenance fee is suppose to be charged (ex: 3rd of each month), does Tmobile still charge you that monthly fee and you have a $-5.00 balance?

I still had $0.11 in my account, until today, and the 3rd of each month is when they charge me the monthly maintenance fee of $5.00 and my balance currently shows $-4.89.

On a side note, I can't access the survey any more from my email. Perhaps they met their quota for the survey? I think its lame that it closed so quickly if that is the case. It says in the email that you had until 8/15/14 to fill out the survey.

Last edited by ericdabbs; Aug 3, 2014 at 7:11 pm
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Old Aug 3, 2014, 8:37 pm
  #2394  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: PHL
Posts: 930
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
Just curious...if you have a $0 balance right when the monthly maintenance fee is suppose to be charged (ex: 3rd of each month), does Tmobile still charge you that monthly fee and you have a $-5.00 balance?

I still had $0.11 in my account, until today, and the 3rd of each month is when they charge me the monthly maintenance fee of $5.00 and my balance currently shows $-4.89.
You just answered your own question. I had a $0 balance, and when they charged me, it was -$5.
commdiver is offline  
Old Aug 4, 2014, 1:22 am
  #2395  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,509
Originally Posted by commdiver
You just answered your own question. I had a $0 balance, and when they charged me, it was -$5.
The difference is that I had a balance..albeit a very tiny balance of $0.11. I guess I was assuming that if you have some sort of balance that it would trigger the monthly maintenance fee. I figure if you have a zero balance it might not trigger it. I guess it doesn't matter.
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Old Aug 4, 2014, 2:57 am
  #2396  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 45
Originally Posted by CBDTREE
Love it! I've been earning an extra 30K points per month for absolutely free since January. Now they'll pay me for my opinion. Awesome!
How are you MS'ing 30K per month on the T-cards without getting shut down? And do you have a source for reloadits where you can buy with a CC up to 30K?
sangkancilguru is offline  
Old Aug 4, 2014, 8:00 am
  #2397  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
Originally Posted by sangkancilguru
How are you MS'ing 30K per month on the T-cards without getting shut down? And do you have a source for reloadits where you can buy with a CC up to 30K?
Clearly he has a source and I imagine he isn't doing billpay. It's not that hard. I was doing the same or more split across 2 cards until my reloadits went cash only.
ibleed0range is offline  
Old Aug 4, 2014, 8:13 am
  #2398  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 47
Originally Posted by sangkancilguru
How are you MS'ing 30K per month on the T-cards without getting shut down? And do you have a source for reloadits where you can buy with a CC up to 30K?
30K points, $5K per month (Surpass 6x per $1). Needed to top off for the Grand Waliea in Maui. The store listed in the wiki "<500 no manager approval" has been my best bet.
CBDTREE is offline  
Old Aug 4, 2014, 8:44 am
  #2399  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,036
Originally Posted by CBDTREE
30K points, $5K per month (Surpass 6x per $1). Needed to top off for the Grand Waliea in Maui. The store listed in the wiki "<500 no manager approval" has been my best bet.
Lol nevermind. I was doing $30K+ a month on a 5% card and some CITI exec not 30K points.
ibleed0range is offline  
Old Aug 4, 2014, 10:02 am
  #2400  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 319
I just checked my july Tmobile load/unload. I ran 14k through 4 cards (only 2 SSNs). did a few bill pays from Tmobile. Most are 7-11 billpays and MOs. Seems to be staying under the radar.
Pecan Pie is offline  


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