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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 Mar 7, 2014, 8:31 am
  #826  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
Yeah, 17k in one month is a great way to get shutdown.
heyeaglefn is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 8:47 am
  #827  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 437
Originally Posted by caljr
I agree 100% with what you said above haloseven. I am gonna shift my tactics.

I got my card re-enabled yesterday after a conversation with a polite but firm member of their (my assumption) fraud squad. The person told me that what I was doing was "cashing out" and it wasnt going to be allowed. The net of a rambling conversation was it was loading then bill paying to financial institutions was the problem. Other bp would be ok, phone electric etc.

hope this helps. imo bill pay to FI is third rail of this card and will get you zapped.

happy friday all
Thank you for sharing this. This is a good motivation for me to start using this card for something else other than BP FI. ^

The fact that they have a term for it probably means its something they were trained to look out for.
vinhboy is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 9:47 am
  #828  
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 113
Originally Posted by vinhboy
Thank you for sharing this. This is a good motivation for me to start using this card for something else other than BP FI. ^

The fact that they have a term for it probably means its something they were trained to look out for.
Did you have to send in documentation
recklessmax is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 9:53 am
  #829  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angles
Posts: 2,101
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
Bancorp doesnt know that reloadit packs are purchased with credit and will assume the worst with cash. It even says so in the Add Money page where u add reloadit packs with cash. Same with BB..amex probably assumes VRs are purchased with cash.
Bancorp doesnt know that reloadit packs are purchased with credit?
Who thinks Bancorp does not know what MS is? (K.I.S.S.)
prasha11 is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 10:35 am
  #830  
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: JFK
Programs: *$ Gold :)
Posts: 1,061
Originally Posted by prasha11
Bancorp doesnt know that reloadit packs are purchased with credit?
Who thinks Bancorp does not know what MS is? (K.I.S.S.)
It receives money from reload networks - Vanilla, Green dot, Blackhawk... So technically, form of original payment can be hidden from them. Even reload networks might not know form of payment as retailer who sell the cards just transfer funds to them.
Retailer->Reload Network->account.

They can assume that all reload packs were purchased for MS purposes.
With the same success they can assume all reload packs were purchased with cash. They just can't be sure.
pier11 is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 11:04 am
  #831  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 829
The party is about to end.

Not one (1) , but four (4) formerly friendly stores told me today "cash only".

We have nobody to blame but ourselves for killing the golden goose.
MaineCoon is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 11:50 am
  #832  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 920
It would have happened soon enough anyways. Even if we all went and only bought $300 on CC, somebody would have caught on and the same outcome would have happened.
hitman1420 is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 12:17 pm
  #833  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 274
Originally Posted by MaineCoon
The party is about to end.

Not one (1) , but four (4) formerly friendly stores told me today "cash only".

We have nobody to blame but ourselves for killing the golden goose.
Were the registers hard-coded, or did it just seem like a memo went out and the cashiers were reciting store policy?
MarcusBWI is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 12:55 pm
  #834  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 829
Originally Posted by MarcusBWI
Were the registers hard-coded, or did it just seem like a memo went out and the cashiers were reciting store policy?
Registers are not hard-coded, and they never were, even for the old style rlits w/cash-only.

The freaking cashier goes to the manager, manager opens her big book, and there it is, very clear memo: "cash only".

She is not going to override the corporate policy.
MaineCoon is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 1:10 pm
  #835  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,060
Weird situation. I pulled (ACH) 1.8K from my card/account to pay my Discover bill, from the discover card website. The payment went through on Discover's side - but TMobile shows NADA! I called TM asking - if they see a payment that I cannot - they said, that there is no payment of any kind on your card/account!

I called discover - they said the card is paid and that it looks to be a full payment.

So - ...? Anyone know what is going on? I double checked with the TM folks that it was pulled from my account - by checking my account number with them (the account number is not the same as the debit card number)

Any ideas?

I was hoping to do another pull - but not beofre this is straightened out first
raccah is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 1:18 pm
  #836  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: The Phoenix Desert
Programs: Hilton Cubic Zirconia, Marriott Fools Gold
Posts: 1,692
Originally Posted by raccah
Weird situation. I pulled (ACH) 1.8K from my card/account to pay my Discover bill, from the discover card website. The payment went through on Discover's side - but TMobile shows NADA! I called TM asking - if they see a payment that I cannot - they said, that there is no payment of any kind on your card/account!

I called discover - they said the card is paid and that it looks to be a full payment.

So - ...? Anyone know what is going on? I double checked with the TM folks that it was pulled from my account - by checking my account number with them (the account number is not the same as the debit card number)

Any ideas?

I was hoping to do another pull - but not beofre this is straightened out first
Free money!!! Woohooo! Lol. I haven't tried ACH with tmo yet, but with my local CU it sometimes takes 2-3 days before the money is pulled out of my account even tho the CC is already showing the credit for payment. How long ago did you initiate the ACH?
skitch23 is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 1:35 pm
  #837  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,060
Originally Posted by skitch23
Free money!!! Woohooo! Lol. I haven't tried ACH with tmo yet, but with my local CU it sometimes takes 2-3 days before the money is pulled out of my account even tho the CC is already showing the credit for payment. How long ago did you initiate the ACH?
ACH happened on Tuesday night and credit at Discover was Thursday, nothing showing at TM yet
raccah is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 1:57 pm
  #838  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 53
Originally Posted by MaineCoon
The party is about to end.

Not one (1) , but four (4) formerly friendly stores told me today "cash only".

We have nobody to blame but ourselves for killing the golden goose.
Are you talking about reloadit or T-Mobile debit card? I did buy my T-Mobile debit card at my local supermarket with cc. Also, do you mind telling us city and state?
tommyhtown is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 2:14 pm
  #839  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 829
Originally Posted by tommyhtown
Are you talking about reloadit or T-Mobile debit card? I did buy my T-Mobile debit card at my local supermarket with cc. Also, do you mind telling us city and state?
I am talking about reloadit cards.
MaineCoon is offline  
Old Mar 7, 2014, 2:17 pm
  #840  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by raccah
Weird situation. I pulled (ACH) 1.8K from my card/account to pay my Discover bill, from the discover card website. The payment went through on Discover's side - but TMobile shows NADA! I called TM asking - if they see a payment that I cannot - they said, that there is no payment of any kind on your card/account!

I called discover - they said the card is paid and that it looks to be a full payment.

So - ...? Anyone know what is going on? I double checked with the TM folks that it was pulled from my account - by checking my account number with them (the account number is not the same as the debit card number)

Any ideas?

I was hoping to do another pull - but not beofre this is straightened out first
Your Discover account will show "Returned Online ACH Payment" and the payment will be rescinded in a few days. I know because I tried the same thing. It took four days for the payment to get rescinded. No free money.
saru is offline  


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