This is an easy one. If you are using one of these please look at the better cards and switch.
Rush Card or any of the endless variations of the Rush card such as BabyPhat, Diamond Rush etc.
Netspend.
Account Now.
Upside or Bankup cards.
Wired Plastic.
Any of the Vision cards.
Readydebit.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
American Express Bluebird Card
This card from American Express seems ideal in that there are no fees for the average user but there have been significant numbers of complaints.
Some of the complaints are clearly user error such as people who never read the terms and conditions.
One of the common complaints is from users who tried to deposit a check via the remote check deposit. The terms and conditions clearly state that there is a one day hold prior to processing begins if a check is deposited before 8pm on a business day so if you deposit a check on a Friday before 8pm processing begins Monday. Then there is a 5 day wait before the check is cleared or rejected.
During that 5 day processing period Amex runs various credit and background reports on the user which may result in your account being frozen. Of course you still have the check and can then cash it elsewhere. Again this is all very clearly explained in the terms and conditions. The terms and conditions (member agreement) states that when you try and deposit a check this way you are giving them permission to run credit and background reports.
Another thing people did not read is that the check or even a debit card load must be from the user on the account otherwise they will see that as fraud and freeze and close the account. All of this is in the terms and conditions marked as 'member agreement' at the bottom of the opening page and most of it is also laid out in the FAQs.
Bluebird is not FDIC insured and as such cannot be used to direct deposit or any type of deposit of a Government check. Again this is clearly laid out in the member agreement.
The customer service is probably the worst customer service on the planet. The reps do not understand English very well and after an hour wait and a half hour on the phone with them you may find they don't have a clue what you are trying to explain to them.
I would recommend that if you try this card you load small amounts of cash on it at a time and be careful with it. Something as simple as a change of address may trigger your account to be frozen.
https://bluebird.com/legal/#member-agreement
Just an added note on Amex. Their 4th quarter financials came out today, profits down 47%. They are laying off 5,400 employees also. They saw the writing on the wall.
I'll wager most BlueBird customers would pay 3-4 dollars a month for decent customer service.
Edit: Amex now claims 1.6 million Bluebird customers.
Some of the complaints are clearly user error such as people who never read the terms and conditions.
One of the common complaints is from users who tried to deposit a check via the remote check deposit. The terms and conditions clearly state that there is a one day hold prior to processing begins if a check is deposited before 8pm on a business day so if you deposit a check on a Friday before 8pm processing begins Monday. Then there is a 5 day wait before the check is cleared or rejected.
During that 5 day processing period Amex runs various credit and background reports on the user which may result in your account being frozen. Of course you still have the check and can then cash it elsewhere. Again this is all very clearly explained in the terms and conditions. The terms and conditions (member agreement) states that when you try and deposit a check this way you are giving them permission to run credit and background reports.
Another thing people did not read is that the check or even a debit card load must be from the user on the account otherwise they will see that as fraud and freeze and close the account. All of this is in the terms and conditions marked as 'member agreement' at the bottom of the opening page and most of it is also laid out in the FAQs.
Bluebird is not FDIC insured and as such cannot be used to direct deposit or any type of deposit of a Government check. Again this is clearly laid out in the member agreement.
The customer service is probably the worst customer service on the planet. The reps do not understand English very well and after an hour wait and a half hour on the phone with them you may find they don't have a clue what you are trying to explain to them.
I would recommend that if you try this card you load small amounts of cash on it at a time and be careful with it. Something as simple as a change of address may trigger your account to be frozen.
https://bluebird.com/legal/#member-agreement
Just an added note on Amex. Their 4th quarter financials came out today, profits down 47%. They are laying off 5,400 employees also. They saw the writing on the wall.
I'll wager most BlueBird customers would pay 3-4 dollars a month for decent customer service.
Edit: Amex now claims 1.6 million Bluebird customers.
Best Prepaid Banking Options
For people that are locked out of Banking by Chex Systems or EWS or just have too many overdrafts prepaid cards are now available pretty much anywhere with little to no fees.
Overdraft is nearly impossible on a prepaid account. The only issue is that some of the best cards are from Banks that own a piece of Early Warning Systems and they still do not allow people on that to get their cards or branches are confused as to whether they can give an account to anyone regardless of Chex or EWS.
Here is a list of the best prepaid banking options:
Regions Bank Now Account has no fees if you use direct deposit and deposit $500 or more in a month. Cash deposits are free at a Deposit Smart ATM but cost $3 through a teller.
Regions will not give accounts to someone on EWS.
http://www.regions.com/virtualDocuments/Now-Banking-Terms.pdf
The US Bank Convenient Cash card. There is a $3 monthly fee but that's about it.
https://www.usbconvenientcash.com/index.cfm?pageid=g07
Chase Liquid Card. Liquid has a $4.95 a month fee but nearly everything else is free and they allow check deposits with $200 immediately available. Chase branches do not know whether they can give people this account without a Chex check.
https://www.chase.com/online/prepaid-card/document/Chase_Liquid_Terms_Conditions.pdf
PNC SmartAcess card. $5 monthly fee
https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Solutions.do?siteArea=/pnccorp/PNC/Home/Personal/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card+-+Fees
Overdraft is nearly impossible on a prepaid account. The only issue is that some of the best cards are from Banks that own a piece of Early Warning Systems and they still do not allow people on that to get their cards or branches are confused as to whether they can give an account to anyone regardless of Chex or EWS.
Here is a list of the best prepaid banking options:
Regions Bank Now Account has no fees if you use direct deposit and deposit $500 or more in a month. Cash deposits are free at a Deposit Smart ATM but cost $3 through a teller.
Regions will not give accounts to someone on EWS.
http://www.regions.com/virtualDocuments/Now-Banking-Terms.pdf
The US Bank Convenient Cash card. There is a $3 monthly fee but that's about it.
https://www.usbconvenientcash.com/index.cfm?pageid=g07
Chase Liquid Card. Liquid has a $4.95 a month fee but nearly everything else is free and they allow check deposits with $200 immediately available. Chase branches do not know whether they can give people this account without a Chex check.
https://www.chase.com/online/prepaid-card/document/Chase_Liquid_Terms_Conditions.pdf
PNC SmartAcess card. $5 monthly fee
https://www.pnc.com/webapp/unsec/Solutions.do?siteArea=/pnccorp/PNC/Home/Personal/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card/PNC+SmartAccess+Prepaid+Visa+Card+-+Fees
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