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Gobank by Greendot - online banking with debit card(2016 onwards)

Old Jan 10, 2016, 7:37 pm
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Last edit by: radonc1
As of 9/18/21: WM loads are no longer free. WM will charge each load (no matter what the size) $3.74 in addition to the money being deposited into your Go Bank account.

GoBank fees and limits:

Cash deposits are limited to $2,500 per day and $3,000 per 30 days, subject to a maximum account balance of $50,000.
  • Sign up online & through the GoBank app FREE
  • Sign up with a starter kit from participating retail stores Purchase a starter kit at a participating retail location ($2.95 or less) + start your account for as little as $20, up to $500
  • Monthly Membership FREE in any month that you make qualifying direct deposits totaling at least $500. Otherwise, $8.95 per month. For more details on the Monthly Membership fee
    Keep in mind the maximum number of swipes for payment when loading prepaid reloadables including GoBank is THREE. Swiping the prepaid card is considered as FIRST swipe so it leaves you with THREE remaining swipes so plan accordingly.
Lots of $200 loads can get you shutdown. GoBank does not like paying load fees on low denomination loads. Two $500 loads is better than five $200 loads.

The monthly fee will accumulate if the account is dormant. You must call the phone number on the back to close the account.

5/29/19 - There may be a difference in which card gets free loads at WM. Getting the card online through GoBank.com sends out a Visa version. This card may not allow free loads at WM. Reports are that getting the card directly at WM will result in free loads. If anyone can confirm this, please do so.

-----------------------------
Shut down reports:

Please list your load/spend/billpay details (in a single statement/lifetime?) e.g.,
type of load, number of loads, denomination of your gc or mp, amount of your billpay, any actual swipe/dd?

lad2 (closed) - May: $2.7K 9 loads 5DDs - June: $5.5K 5 loads 6DDs - July: $4.6K 6 loads 1DD - August $9.9K 19 loads 1DD - no swipes

TheDapperDon (open) June $4.5k 5 loads. All GCs. 1 swipe. Everything else BP to CC. 1500 most loaded in one day .July - $3489 5 loads. All GCs. Several swipes. No load until below $20 or so remaining.

raghu455 (closed) May $2k 4 loads, june $7k all GCs. All BP to CC.

drdrew450 (closed) 17K in loads, unloaded all through bill pay, less than a month

cuebert (closed) $4.5k in 9 MP loads, BP out. That was fast.

sgideons (closed) May $7k 17 loads, june $17k 27 loads, july $5k 6 loads, september $3.5k 4 loads. Unloaded 90% ACH pull, 5% PP to self, 5% bill pay tool. Closed on September statement date.

MDWCommuter (closed): June only, $8k in 60 loads, all GC. $2k is most loaded in one day. Wrote 2 BP to CC checks, no ATM, no MP loads, no ACH pull, no DD, always carried at least a $1k balance

ArtemK (closed): 1st month - 5/21 - 6/21 - loaded $6,700, 6/21 - 6/30 - $4K loaded, all via GCs. Unloaded all via BP to Citi and Chase. No ATM, no MP loads, no ACH pull, no DD, no swipes.

rdover1 (Closed): 1st month - $23.6k loaded (WM GC), ~$1k spend, rest bill pay (mostly to CC)
rdover1 2nd card (closed): Closed mid cycle, survived 1st month. No bill pay, only MO. Never loaded over ~$4k. Total activity ~$12k.

T3pleShot (closed): 7k in loads at WMT, 10 loads, mostly $500, some $200, $4k billpay to CC, 5 swipes totaling about $25.

ctbarron (open): Month1 - $3.8k loaded, all bill pay out, 1 swipe; Month2 - $3.7k loaded, all bill pay out, few swipes and an ATM WD; Month3 - $4.2k loaded, all bill pay out, few swipes and an ATM WD. Zero membership fee, usually a balance of under $150.

americanindian (closed)- closed after 3 months today. had about 7.5k deposit each month, with lots of small value(<$20) purchases each month. liquidated mostly using bill pay.

rodsren (closed)- the dapperdon warned me. I was closed today after less than 5,500 or loaaing in less than 3 weeks (was going to try to keep it to 7,500 - 10,000 but didn't luck out.)

binnycode (closed, re-opened) - 7x $200 loads + 1x $700 load + 3x $500 over 2 days got me shut down. Called CSR and they re-opened my account, letting me know that "direct deposit would reduce my number of trips to walmart" lol!

tarcapone (open) old version opened October 2014 still alive February 2016. Load $1k/week ($4-$5K per month) nearly every Monday morning. Bill pay out large chunks to Credit cards. (Open) new version Opened November 2015 load $1K per week, but skipping a week each month. Bill pay out large chunks. My $1K/week is always one transaction (2x$500GC).





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Gobank by Greendot - online banking with debit card(2016 onwards)

Old Oct 5, 2017, 9:31 pm
  #406  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: DL, Marriott & IHG Platty; HH Diamonte
Posts: 859
Originally Posted by GetawaysRus
It has been reported previously that GB will allow you to exceed the 3K max sometimes. I have done that on occasion. Also, even if I am trying to keep it to 3K per calendar month, I will sometimes exceed 3K in a 30 day period. But usually I'm a good boy and stick with 3K per month.

I'll be more impressed with your data point if you are able to load 4K for a number of months in a row without any issues. The risk you are taking is that you might fly above the radar and attract eyes to your account.

Like many of us, I am banned from Serve and Bluebird. So I try not to offend the GoBank gods. I'm not interested in imitating Icarus.
Just let this thread die please.
pharmawalk is offline  
Old Oct 24, 2017, 8:40 pm
  #407  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 269
Can't login today... That just me?
randomdude is offline  
Old Oct 24, 2017, 9:11 pm
  #408  
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Programs: DL, Marriott & IHG Platty; HH Diamonte
Posts: 859
Originally Posted by randomdude
Can't login today... That just me?
yes
pharmawalk is offline  
Old Dec 6, 2017, 1:39 pm
  #409  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: S Cal
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, United Silver, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,142
I'm on vacation in Palm Desert, CA. I tried using my GC.Com VGCs at 2 different WM locations (at the Money Center) to load my GoBank card. Both transactions failed. Is anyone having simular issues?

I should add:
1. One of these stores worked fine a few days ago
2. GC.Com shows that my cards have the correct balance
3. I tried several different cards. It's unlikely that all have bad mag stripes

(also posted in the gc.Com thread)

Last edited by GetawaysRus; Dec 6, 2017 at 1:53 pm
GetawaysRus is offline  
Old Dec 6, 2017, 1:55 pm
  #410  
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 95
Originally Posted by GetawaysRus
It has been reported previously that GB will allow you to exceed the 3K max sometimes. I have done that on occasion. Also, even if I am trying to keep it to 3K per calendar month, I will sometimes exceed 3K in a 30 day period. But usually I'm a good boy and stick with 3K per month.

I'll be more impressed with your data point if you are able to load 4K for a number of months in a row without any issues. The risk you are taking is that you might fly above the radar and attract eyes to your account.

Like many of us, I am banned from Serve and Bluebird. So I try not to offend the GoBank gods. I'm not interested in imitating Icarus.
Just couple months in the roll......I think it's still better to stay low with the minimum.
hickson is offline  
Old Dec 6, 2017, 8:48 pm
  #411  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 821
Originally Posted by GetawaysRus
It has been reported previously that GB will allow you to exceed the 3K max sometimes. I have done that on occasion. Also, even if I am trying to keep it to 3K per calendar month, I will sometimes exceed 3K in a 30 day period. But usually I'm a good boy and stick with 3K per month.

I'll be more impressed with your data point if you are able to load 4K for a number of months in a row without any issues. The risk you are taking is that you might fly above the radar and attract eyes to your account.

Like many of us, I am banned from Serve and Bluebird. So I try not to offend the GoBank gods. I'm not interested in imitating Icarus.
I have used my GB with impunity for over two years now. When I started, I was given the same impression that the monthly limit is 3K etc, I don't even keep track now a days, just load as much as I want and I believe I have consistently loaded 6-9K per month. I have 3 cards and may be the lucky one. If they shut me down, I don't care, after my current WF runs out, there is not going to be any significant MS left anyway for which you will need GB. The regular MS I can do that through WM/MO. It's pain to remember to DD 500 to save on monthly fee. I'm going to push the limits for next two months.
Gitangali is offline  
Old Feb 1, 2018, 2:23 pm
  #412  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: East Coast
Posts: 70
Tried loading Gbank card at wm today with visa sunny and declined multiple times. i inputted wrong pin the 1st time but was then declined again with correct pin. went outside reset pin and checked balance and all good. also checked gbank and all good there as well. back inside and declined again. anyone else having problems? just loaded with same type sunny a week ago and no problem then.

Also, had 2 other sunnys that worked fine for mo at same wm minutes after the 1st one was declined the load.

Last edited by Dockdogs; Feb 1, 2018 at 2:29 pm
Dockdogs is offline  
Old Feb 1, 2018, 2:41 pm
  #413  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
Originally Posted by Dockdogs
Tried loading Gbank card at wm today with visa sunny and declined multiple times. i inputted wrong pin the 1st time but was then declined again with correct pin. went outside reset pin and checked balance and all good. also checked gbank and all good there as well. back inside and declined again. anyone else having problems? just loaded with same type sunny a week ago and no problem then.

Also, had 2 other sunnys that worked fine for mo at same wm minutes after the 1st one was declined the load.
Always assume a single day/store event, is just network issues. Revisit another day before reporting.

Had problems one day last week, even switched VGC that wouldn't load either. Same Go loaded fine next day.
ElPresidente is offline  
Old Feb 1, 2018, 2:51 pm
  #414  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Gold, Marriott Platinum, ALL Gold
Posts: 206
Originally Posted by Dockdogs
Tried loading Gbank card at wm today with visa sunny and declined multiple times. i inputted wrong pin the 1st time but was then declined again with correct pin. went outside reset pin and checked balance and all good. also checked gbank and all good there as well. back inside and declined again. anyone else having problems? just loaded with same type sunny a week ago and no problem then.

Also, had 2 other sunnys that worked fine for mo at same wm minutes after the 1st one was declined the load.
Last week I went to WM to load $2K worth of MetaBank VGC I got about an hour before at Staples. I usually load $600 at a time with 3 swipes without an issue. I had one card that kept failing with a wrong pin error code so I walked out after loading only $1800 (Tried loading it alone at $200 and it also failed). Sat down on bench and looked up VGC on website and it showed charge by WM and then refund for the multiple transactions I had tried and $200 balance was still on card. Later that day I stopped at a local grocery store and swiped the card for a $200 money order and it processed no problem. I chalked it up to some sort of internal WM processing error.
JeffD is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2018, 5:04 am
  #415  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 821
I have had 3 Go Bank cards for over 3 years and I was told you should not load them more than 3K per month etc. I have done much more than that and yet still live. May be I lucked out. In any case, I don't see there is going to be any voluminous MS opportunities where it would be nice to have this as a back up in case the WM cuts out MO.

Only down side is, it requires 500 DD in order to keep it fee free. As long as MO continues, it will meet my small MS needs from here on. Any suggestion on whether I should CLOSE the accounts or keep it.

It is funny how these things go, many would like to have this card while I want to CLOSE it!!
Gitangali is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2018, 5:35 am
  #416  
soy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,651
I find it great for getting rid of Staples/OD $200 Gebbits as you can load at WM cashiers rather than the money center.
Also useful for bill pay to organizations that only take ACH/Check
soy is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2018, 11:27 am
  #417  
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 2,242
Originally Posted by Gitangali
I have had 3 Go Bank cards for over 3 years and I was told you should not load them more than 3K per month etc. I have done much more than that and yet still live. May be I lucked out. In any case, I don't see there is going to be any voluminous MS opportunities where it would be nice to have this as a back up in case the WM cuts out MO.

Only down side is, it requires 500 DD in order to keep it fee free. As long as MO continues, it will meet my small MS needs from here on. Any suggestion on whether I should CLOSE the accounts or keep it.

It is funny how these things go, many would like to have this card while I want to CLOSE it!!
Is that with 3 SSNs, or did you manage to get 3 cards using only 1 SSN?
gnomey is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2018, 12:02 pm
  #418  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 821
3 SSNs
Gitangali is offline  
Old Feb 13, 2018, 9:33 am
  #419  
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,166
Tried a Target branded $50 VGC to load my prepaid card and the system said tender not allowed. I'd heard this was a Vanilla network card so tried another store for $49.99 and got the same error. Balance is gtg. I wonder if WM no longer accepts Vanilla cards at all by the POS.
Superorb is offline  
Old Feb 17, 2018, 2:59 pm
  #420  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 305
Please forgive if my question is too naive, but - how difficult is to get a GoBank card? My various Serve and BlueBird cards were shut down maybe 2 years ago or so. I have not tried to open any other GC-drainining cards since. Is GoBank worth trying for or I should not even bother?
in4tar is offline  

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