Really Frustrated!

[mommy22boys]

Ok, so I'm gonna try to make this as short as possible...

I had this $15 prepaid rewards card. I traded someone some frees for the code to access the survey to earn the $15 card. Once it arrived, I had to do ANOTHER survey to activate it. The surveys weren't super long but they sure weren't quick and easy either.

The card had a ton of restrictions... a long list of things that wouldnt automatically deactivate it (using wrong pin, trying to use on more than $15 purchase, trying to use at ATM or pay at the pump, using less than 3 days after activation, expired in 6 months, etc....)

So as much as I would have liked to save it for Christmas gifts like I do most gift cards, I really just needed some groceries to get us through till payday. So I tried to use it at Hy-Vee grocery store. I was specific w/ the cashier to punch in $15 debit & I would pay the rest a diff way because it was prepaid and that all it had on it. He argued w/ me saying that it would just automatically take off $15. I told him no... he assured me that's how their registers work. So I tried it, it got declined cause my total was $17.xx, and the card deactivated. So there was $15 down the drain. The manager came over and they acted like I was stupid. I needed the groceries so I ended up having to pay w/ my debit card which was pretty much all the money in my bank account.

I tried to call the customer service number on the card and a recording came on that said to go to the website for help. The website says to call that same CS number so I'm guessing I'm not getting my card reactivated.

It's so aggravating! I don't know if I'm more aggravated at the cashier for not listening to me... or the card company for making the whole thing so complex... or myself for going ahead and swiping the card when I had a bad feeling. Ugh! It just sucks because I was really counting on using it to get the things I needed today so I wouldn't be COMPLETELY broke for the next week and a half. UGH!!!!

[mommy22boys]

oops... I meant to say a long list of things that WOULD deactivate it. UGH! lol

[jen276here]

Try calling the # back and automatically pressing '0' regardless of what the menu says. Sometimes the option to speak to someone isn't included in the menu, but '0' usually does it (unfortunately, not always). If that doesn't work, is there an e-mail address? If that doesn't work, consider contacting the Survey company or if you are up to it, Better Business - Use the online form and explain there was a problem w/ the card and there is no communication option to get it resolved. Good Luck!

[shelleyf]

I am so sorry this happened to you. I have the same card by Campbell's right? Well that is one of the companies that is doing it and my friend and I both have useless cards. I was and am still so upset about it. I will pray things get better for you. I am in the same boat so I definitely understand hardships. It is not fun.

[3timesoccermom]

I'm really sorry about that - $15 is $15!!! If the number gives you an option to "press 1 for English, 2 for Spanish" press nothing. Sometimes they even have "if you have a rotary phone stay on the line." Of course you don't have a rotary but they don't know - stay on the line for that.

I hope you get it worked out.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

What company is this that issued the card? Sounds like some sort of scam to me...

[shelleyf]

What company is this that issued the card? Sounds like some sort of scam to me...

Mine came from Campbells, some of them are from Bullseye, Schick Hydro and I forget what others.

[mommy22boys]

It's like amc survey company or something. The company that issues the card IS the survey company. It's from a survey that was on a bottle of Curell.

I kinda felt like it was a scam too... I mean I've done several rebates and such and received prepaid cards and they are always Visa or Mastercard... and now that I look at this card it's Maestro... which I think is like European or something. It has the same symbol as mastercard but it's called maestro.

I'm still annoyed that the cashier wouldn't listen to me either way. At least if he would have did the $15 debit like I asked, I would be able to rule out the deactivation being his fault!

Ugh! I dont even know what to think of this!

[motherofmolly]

i got one of those cards too...i tossed the paper work that came with it and suposably the pin number was on that to activate it....the number that you call just goes to a voicemail for you to leave a message...no other choices...kind of like when you call someone's house and get the answering machine...

in all honesty, it would be easier to make your total less than $15 and then use it on that.

[CW&M Mom]

You can also just purchase a $15 gift card at the store your at...and then your able to use that gift card however you need to.

I got a $10 one from prilosec today and that is how I'm going to use it.