Equifax Settlement via MasterCard - No Luck

[COcheesehead]

I was issued a prepaid debit Mastercard for my Equifax breach settlement. It’s not a lot of money, but I have tried to use it three times and it’s been rejected each time. Has anyone had any luck using the card?

 

[easysurfer]

Sounds like Equifax strikes again. How can they flub that also?

Glad I didn't hear about this settlement and didn't try.

I got suckered last time with their pretty much useless "free" credit monitoring after their breach. All that did was mess up my online sign in with them .

 

[COcheesehead]

Sounds like Equifax strikes again. How can they flub that also?

Glad I didn't hear about this settlement and didn't try.

I got suckered last time with their pretty much useless "free" credit monitoring after their breach. All that did was mess up my online sign in with them .

I use the free credit monitoring and that works fine. It’s the court settlement that is problematic.

 

[Texas Proud]

Were you buying something that was more money than the card?


I had a prepaid card once (not Equifax) and it would not let me buy anything that cost more than the amount on the card...


Do not know if you can do it now but I eventually went into a bank and they read it and gave me the money... it was my bank where I was a customer for years...

 

[COcheesehead]

Were you buying something that was more money than the card?


I had a prepaid card once (not Equifax) and it would not let me buy anything that cost more than the amount on the card...


Do not know if you can do it now but I eventually went into a bank and they read it and gave me the money... it was my bank where I was a customer for years...

Interesting. I had multiple payment options selected which should flow from one to the other. They always have. I have access to a Square account and even tried it there and it was rejected. I might try the bank route.

 

[Texas Proud]

Interesting. I had multiple payment options selected which should flow from one to the other. They always have. I have access to a Square account and even tried it there and it was rejected. I might try the bank route.

Mine would not flow to another option... the price was more than the card so the card rejected it..

 

[COcheesehead]

Mine would not flow to another option... the price was more than the card so the card rejected it..

You might be onto something. Thanks.

 

[badatmath]

I'd spend it at amazon for the exact amount in a gift card to see if that worked, assuming you will shop there. I think gas stations would work the same, the pump will cut off.

 

[COcheesehead]

I'd spend it at amazon for the exact amount in a gift card to see if that worked, assuming you will shop there. I think gas stations would work the same, the pump will cut off.

Just tried that on eBay. We’ll see if it works. It got rejected on Amazon and REI. They notify you about an hour or so after the transaction.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I'm pretty sure that this is the issue. You usually cannot use these cards as part of a multi-card payment. They run the entire value on the card and since it exceeds the card's value, they reject it. You much buy something exactly for the value of the card or less.

My conspiracy theory is that they count on many, many of these cards to be left useless with less than a dollar on them (or so) and people just cast them aside. More profit to the supplier of the card.

 

[COcheesehead]

My conspiracy theory is that they count on many, many of these cards to be left useless with less than a dollar on them (or so) and people just cast them aside. More profit to the supplier of the card.

I think the entire gift card industry is built this premise.

 

[Texas Proud]

I'm pretty sure that this is the issue. You usually cannot use these cards as part of a multi-card payment. They run the entire value on the card and since it exceeds the card's value, they reject it. You much buy something exactly for the value of the card or less.

My conspiracy theory is that they count on many, many of these cards to be left useless with less than a dollar on them (or so) and people just cast them aside. More profit to the supplier of the card.

They are supposed to pass the money onto the state... but I think some of them get around that by charging fees after a few years..

 

[brucethebroker]

I'd spend it at amazon for the exact amount in a gift card to see if that worked, assuming you will shop there. I think gas stations would work the same, the pump will cut off.

Used the gas station pre-pay for same situation on a different card. Just told the cashier that I had a $3.41 balance and he credited the entire amount on my pump. Nearly a gallon as I recall-

 

[Lucie]

I had a similar experience last year. I used it to buy a gift card on line through Home Depot for the exact amount. $7.19 I believe. Many retailers sell gift cards only for certain amounts $10, $20, $25 etc) but HD didn’t

 

[Time2]

I bought contact lenses, because they had a $120 rebate (pre paid debit Visa) that made it a really good deal I waited 4 months for the card to show up. I tried the card, some places it worked, other places it didn't. This thread had me pull it out and look at it, it expired 3/23. I'm pretty sure there's still $80 some dollars left on the card.

Just having to wait the 4 months soured me on Len's.com, so my next reorder went elsewhere. Now that it is expired, I'm even less likely to use them.