Pre-Paid Credit Card

G

gerry3105

Guest
I'm trying to get a pre-paid credit card for my girlfriend that is going travelling for 3 months. I have found pre-paid Visa cards on the internet, but they don't seem to be available in Ireland. Is there an equivalent available here? I want to be able to top-up the card for her while she is away. I'm not looking for a Virtual card like the 3V, it needs to be a real one that she can use in hotels/restaurants etc..

Any help appreciated.
 
Normal credit card loaded with cash should do the trick.
 
But bear in mind that the CC provider may not accept liability for losses of cash on a preloaded CC that is stolen/skimmed etc. Read the terms & conditions to be sure.
 
MBNA have started doing a Visa Electron. The max you can load it with is €350 so I don't know if it's any good to you. They seem to be selling it more as a gift card. Here's the link:

[broken link removed]
 
A collegue of mine received (from BA due to a baggage delay/loss) compensation in the form of a VISA Electron card preloaded with $50 or $100 and no matter how hard he tried he could find nowhere to actually liquidate this either in the US or Ireland.
 
ClubMan said:
A collegue of mine received (from BA due to a baggage delay/loss) compensation in the form of a VISA Electron card preloaded with $50 or $100 and no matter how hard he tried he could find nowhere to actually liquidate this either in the US or Ireland.
Click to expand...
Happened to spot this card (well, a version of the Visa Electron available through MBNA) this morning. It's being advertised as a gift for Christmas.

The details given seem very vague...
Where can the MBNA Gift! Card be used? [[broken link removed]] The MBNA Gift! Card can be used to make purchases online, at retail stores and other merchants such as hotels and restaurants where Visa Electron is accepted in the Republic of Ireland.
Click to expand...
The fact not a single (explicit) example is given and the story above would have me concerned.
 
Hi,

Thanks for info so far, but these are not exactly what I am looking for. They seem to be kind of disposable cards that you throw away when the balance is gone. I want to be able to add more money to it when it gets low. Something like this idea - [broken link removed] would be perfect. But it doesn't seem to be available to Ireland for some reason.
 
gerry3105 said:
I'm trying to get a pre-paid credit card for my girlfriend that is going travelling for 3 months. I have found pre-paid Visa cards on the internet, but they don't seem to be available in Ireland.
Click to expand...
I've never come across a product like this in Ireland.

I'd say your options will be limited to giving her an additional card to your CC account or opening a CC account in her name (to which you have access to view the balance and add additional funds - make you a signed name on the account [not sure of the exact term but gives you full access to balance enquire, fund deposit/withdrawal etc.]).

Your best option is probably to call into your own bank and see what they suggest. If your not happy with the options call some of the other banks and see if they may suggest something more agreeable. It's not something I've ever seen any of them advertise (yet), so you may be tied to the traditional routes.
 
If she has a regular ATM card it should work abroad, you can lodge money to her account in the normal way.

Make sure she has internet banking. I genuinely couldn't survive abroad without it. AIB by the skin of their teeth have kept my credit card business by finally getting providing online statements, the used to just show the last 22 transactions.

If you want her to have a card that she can actually use, rather than relying on having an ATM nearby then getting her her own regular Credit Card, would seem to be the best bet.

If she has internet banking you should be able to lodge the money to her current account, and let her pay it onto her card as she requires. That removes the risk of carrying a credit balance.

I wouldn't give her a card on your account, if she's travelling abroad it's just a little too much unnecessary risk.

-Rd
 
ClubMan said:
But bear in mind that the CC provider may not accept liability for losses of cash on a preloaded CC that is stolen/skimmed etc. Read the terms & conditions to be sure.
Click to expand...

As a preloaded CC user I had a phone call on 27/12/06 from my CC security to ask if I had made a purchase on line to an electronic supplier in Hong Kong on Christmas Day for 300.29 euros.

I cancelled the card there and then and another transaction came through while we were talking to the Visa security.

I appreciate the prompt action taken by staff and can not figure out how my card has been poached as I have not lost it and am very careful whilst using it.

I buy on Ebay but I use PayPal for my purchases.
 
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