Can I use a prepaid debit card for online memberships and/or personals?
asked:
Can I use a prepaid debit card for use of online purchases? (eg; personals sites, online memberships, etc..)? If so, what kind of prepaid debit card is required for such types of online transactions? Walmart cash card? Greendot?
Will it work with ebay?
Personals
If you’ve registered it to your name, address and SSN. The prepaid card that you purchased is a temporary card that can’t be used for CNP (Card Not Present) purchases such as over the Internet or at a gas pump until it’s been registered to your identity at which point they will mail you your permanent card. Until you’ve received your permanent card and start using that, the temporary card will function online so long as it’s been registered.
Greendot organizes the prepaid visa cards, each one is through some small bank somewhere’s in the US and indeed the cards are actually debit cards for bank accounts created for you and they become your bank accounts when you register the cards. These accounts lack many of the consumer protection that normal bank accounts have but otherwise function as regular bank accounts allowing you to receive your paycheck via direct deposit. Indeed that’s the primary market for prepaid visa cards, people who have screwed up their bank accounts such that regular banks won’t let them open one anymore. Some companies like Krogers and Walmart have made arrangements with small banks themselves to provide cards of their own for lower monthly fees than Greendot does.
If you have a regular bank account, you can request a debit card be issued on your bank account but keep in mind that debit cards are exempt for the consumer protection legislation covering credit cards. Your best bet is to apply for a credit card provided that you have an income and a reasonable credit rating.