Quote:
Originally Posted by classicman
Damn, that sucks. I've not had the problem, but like UT said, use a prepaid card not attached to your accounts. I recently got a US Bank Reliacard. Not only is it completely separate from your personal accounts, but I get an email & text the moment anything goes through - literally. I got gas at a Wawa yesterday and before I screwed on the gas cap and got in the car I had already received a text of the transaction.
I might be a little bit of a control freak, but that right there is the awesum!
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There are 2 hitches I've run into over all the years with prepaid cards.
I got one once for the specific reason that I would be traveling, had promised to cover the motel room the 1 night we needed it, and I deliberately put more on the card than I knew the room would cost. Turns out it wasn't enough! Unused card with full original balance was rejected at the front desk. I called the phone number on the back and finally got to someone who told me the problem--the motel must have changed some policy somewhere and not told us. I called bullshit on the grounds that my neighbor had, back then, a
14-year history of trouble-free stays at the place and no they had NOT changed policies without telling us. He now has a 22-year history of otherwise trouble-free stays at the same place.
Finally the card people admitted the real truth: "We require a full 20% over the cost of the room to honor the card. It's to cover toiletries, vandalism, and missing towels." I snarled back that I did not enjoy being treated like a thief and that I hoped the call was being recorded because "this whole situation has pushed me into a panic attack that may require an emergency room visit in a state where my medical insurance is not honored and I do not believe this represents
appropriate customer service!" And with that I hung up on the poor service drone who had no authority to help me. The motel in question is in Idaho.
Also, while visiting the Oregon Zoo, which is built up the side of a very large hill, I attempted to use a different prepaid card to secure the deposit on a wheelchair for the biker neighbor. He has cerebral palsy and his feet are on sideways, so hills are bad. The card was refused because it did not have my name or photo on it. Now I just either take cash or grit my teeth and keep a CLOSE eye on my debit card. At least my bank is accustomed, after 8 years, to my sudden flurry of small spending 700+ miles from home every July. So far as I know they have never denied any of those charges
.