account now visa

smootsloot70 · #1 01-06-2011

ACCOUNT NOW website very clearly states that they accept ach transfers from PAYPAL. Have seen conflicting info on this site. Does anyone have the real story? I just don't get how they can state this in their ads and website i f it is not true. I just ordered 3 of these cards for that specific reason, was this a mistake?

jbluntz · #2 01-06-2011

They state it on their website because that's for 1 card with the same info in paypal, if you're using different info on paypal then what's on the card and you get more cards then you're allowed then you might have some problems and you might not.

smootsloot70 · #3 01-06-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jbluntz

They state it on their website because that's for 1 card with the same info in paypal, if you're using different info on paypal then what's on the card and you get more cards then you're allowed then you might have some problems and you might not.

All 3 cards are in different names with real ss#'s-My MOM, AUNT, COUSIN-so this should be ok , right? Sorry to be so paranoid , just can't make any mistakes this time or I am going to have to jump of the nearest bridge!!!

HurricaneHuntr · #4 01-06-2011

careful with the female names. those can be tough, sometimes i wish my sisters had non gender specific names lol.. but id never use their social anyway

PatricePeyret · #5 01-06-2011

Although PayPal Terms & Conditions do not consistently state it, withdrawals into prepaid cards (other than their own) are forbidden.
Even though a prepaid card usually comes with an ACH number similar to that of a checking account, a prepaid card is not exactly the same as an individual checking account.
PayPal generally cannot tell whether a prepaid card is anonymous (not embossed with your name) or has been properly registered according to the USA Patriot Act (i.e. has your name embossed on it and was shipped to your address). So in order to comply with Anti Money Laundering rules, they decline withdrawals into prepaid cards.

Prepaid card companies claiming that they can receive funding from PayPal accounts are simply not thruthful.
By the way not only PayPal, but also most banks in the US will refuse to send money via ACH into a prepaid card, for the same reasons.

The only card that can receive funds by bank transfer from any US bank account is the UPside Visa card which uses the eBillme service for this. If you want to receive money into this card from a family member (say, you are a student and need money from your parents) or from a customer (say, you are a freelancer or self-employed contractor), you simply initiate a funding request from the card account to the person who will pay you. The payer can then use eBillme to fulfill your request, as long as his/her bank has a online bill payment service.

rsot · #6 01-06-2011

Welcome to the forums Patrice - a well though out post from the get go. Looking forward to further contributions.

koopa314 · #7 01-06-2011

Well ... I transfer to my AccountNow Visa and it works just fine .. On more then on occasion actually

tmansback · #8 01-07-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by PatricePeyret

Although PayPal Terms & Conditions do not consistently state it, withdrawals into prepaid cards (other than their own) are forbidden.
Even though a prepaid card usually comes with an ACH number similar to that of a checking account, a prepaid card is not exactly the same as an individual checking account.
PayPal generally cannot tell whether a prepaid card is anonymous (not embossed with your name) or has been properly registered according to the USA Patriot Act (i.e. has your name embossed on it and was shipped to your address). So in order to comply with Anti Money Laundering rules, they decline withdrawals into prepaid cards.

Prepaid card companies claiming that they can receive funding from PayPal accounts are simply not thruthful.
By the way not only PayPal, but also most banks in the US will refuse to send money via ACH into a prepaid card, for the same reasons.

The only card that can receive funds by bank transfer from any US bank account is the UPside Visa card which uses the eBillme service for this. If you want to receive money into this card from a family member (say, you are a student and need money from your parents) or from a customer (say, you are a freelancer or self-employed contractor), you simply initiate a funding request from the card account to the person who will pay you. The payer can then use eBillme to fulfill your request, as long as his/her bank has a online bill payment service.

Are you saying you can't get deposits from paypal from a prepaid card. I've had just about every prepaid card and never had a problem getting a paypal payment on the card end. Now if the deposit isn't in the cardholders name that might be a problem. Paypal has no problem limiting accounts from prepaid accounts after awhile. Never heard anything about paypal declining transfers into a prepaid account.

Now google and many merchant accounts will not transfer into a prepaid account. I haven't used google in awhile. Things may be different. Last I remember they will make the first deposit but will notify that another bank account must be used for future deposits.

PatricePeyret · #9 01-08-2011

Linking a prepaid card to a PayPal account is one thing.
Withdrawing funds from a PayPal account into a prepaid card (to add money to the prepaid card balance) is another.

Here is what the PayPal policy says about withdrawals:
You may withdraw funds by electronically transferring them to your bank account, requesting a physical check through the mail (U.S. Users only), or using your PayPal ATM/Debit Card (eligible Users only).

You can always try to pretend that your prepaid card is a bank account by providing the ACH number that is associated with the card. This may work a couple of times until the PayPal risk management team catches the fact that you have not provided a bank account number. They will suspend your account when that happens.
This is not a speculation on my part: I have discussed this directly with the PayPal management and they confirmed that hey can't allow the funding of a prepaid card account from a PayPal account.

tmansback · #10 01-09-2011

Well that is kind of what I said in my post. If paypal will limit your account that is on the paypal end of things. It sound like you suggested that prepaid cards were not being truthful that you could receive payment from paypal. I'm saying the prepaid card will take the transfer. To the answer the OP accountnow would take the transfer.

This is what my actually experience is. I've had just about every prepaid card. Had just as many bank accounts. I've not seen a difference in if an account get limited based on if its prepaid or regular bank account. I've had prepaid cards that have taken in tens of thousands of dollars over time.

Many regular banks now offer prepaid cards. I'm not sure how paypal would no the difference since some have the same routing as there regular bank accounts.

What prepaid card is anonymous? Even the prepaid cards that you buy in the store now have to go threw ID verification before they are activated. I believe because of the Patriot act every prepaid card has to get your information.

koopa314 · #11 01-10-2011

I'll go ahead and say AccountNow works great ... It specifically says on my AccountNow statement "Paypal Transfer" ... and clearly paypal doesnt have a problem with it because I've been making transfers for over 500.00 USD for quite sometime now ... I just actually went to the ATM to pick a 700.00 dollar transfer from paypal off of my AccountNow card ... So ..I say go for it .. Its been working for me just fine

PatricePeyret · #12 01-10-2011

Let's put it that way: PayPal has a stated policy that they don't want to send money via ACH to prepaid card accounts, only to bank accounts.
You are correct that a prepaid card ACH accounts looks like the ACH account of a checking account.
You are also correct that prepaid cards will accept ACH sent to them. This is the nature of the ACH network.

However, when PayPal catches a withdrawal into a prepaid card, they will suspend the PayPal account.

So you can do this at your own risk.
For certain prepaid card companies to advertise something that is against the rules of the other party is not truthful.

veggiegymrat · #13 01-12-2011

So all prepaid cards w/direct deposit need SS#'s? So you can't use f-ke information? I thought that was the point of using them in the first place?! Grrrr...

holymoly · #14 01-12-2011

If you need SSN. There is no faking it. Less you are one of the programmers who can guess correctly on 8% of SSN made.

tmansback · #15 01-13-2011

No you can't use fak information on a prepaid card. That why I'm a little perplexed by some of the things that PatricePeyret said. Prepaid cards are connected to real banks. They ask for same verification process that you would if you was applying for a regular checking account. Which means SSN, Birthdate, address verification. Some even verify by asking you things that are on your credit report. The prepaid cards in the store will let you buy them and load them at a physical location. To use the card online or to use the direct deposit you have to provide SSN and the Birth date that goes with that SSN.

If you could just fak the information you could use prepaid cards for any kind of illegal activity. Since the Patriot act the government wants to know exactly who is transferring money from or to a bank.

Many reason why people might use prepaid cards. First they are easy to apply for. You can go online and find dozens upon dozens of different prepaid card accounts. You fill out the information and if you pass the ID check a week later your card comes in the mail. You don't need an opening deposit. You could apply for 10 different prepaid cards in one day and not spend a penny. Some will even give you the account information right after your application passes verification.

The other reason would be fear of paypal, amazon, ebay going into your account. Prepaid cards can take money like a checking account but the only way to get money out of the account is by using the card. If Ebay, Amazon, Paypal try to take money out of your account it will just bounce back to them.

Another reason people might use prepaid cards is because some cards account number will change when you ask for a new card. Meaning lets say Amazon shuts down your account. Instead of getting a whole new checking account you call the prepaid card and say you lost your card. They charge you a fee and you get a new card with a new account number. Cards that account number is related to the card number you can do that. Some cards the old account number will still work for your account as well for deposits.

Obviously one reason would be your in chexsystems and not easy for you to find a regular bank account.

Now I agree that Paypal will not love the use of prepaid cards. Not for the reasons that PatricePeyret said. I've not heard about any anonymous cards for a long time. I haven't seen anything saying Paypal doesn't allow prepaid cards and these cards are misleading the public. If Paypal didn't allow they should just block the routing numbers of the prepaid accounts.

To me Paypal will not like the prepaid accounts for selfish reasons. Paypal likes individuals who add money to the system. You can't add anything to the system with a prepaid account. I've had a paypal employee tell me that one way to keep your account from getting limited was to keep adding money to your paypal account threw your checking.

A prepaid account would make you stand out more. They will think you have bad credit or in chexsystems. In Paypal's mind the worst credit you have the more likely your going to not deliver on your goods. Just like many merchant accounts they bail if that is a possibility.

tnc17 · #16 12-20-2013

Hello,

My point is today i applied for the Visa Prepaid card but i didnt register any account. I just register new on but bank took all my details. Of course on the card will be written my real name. I am in Europe not US. Now I will open Paypal and eBay account. Question is.

Will I have to use real name & address with new email account for Paypal or I can just type the card number, write my girlfriend name & Address?
Also little info for withdraws to Visa prepaid card without account. This is a real not I will have it in my hand in 3 weeks. 1st I will receive the PIN# then I will go to bank to get the card. This card does not have monthly limit from the bank, it will have limit how much I will load in it. if I g to bank and deposit 300$ then I will have 300$ to spend. I believe someone can help me.
Thanks A lot.