Ok - I got $900 in Coast Visa cards only to find they were hard to use,
awkward, annoying, and sometimes downright stupid.
Today when I took one to a grocery and tried to use the $50 it wouldn't work
and I called to check on the balance and discovered $45 had mysteriously
disappeared in 3 $15 transactions. It turned out that when I had tried to use
it yesterday to pay a Cingular bill, when I first tried Cingular took $15 as a
"preactivation" fee. (which would be returned to the card within a few days
after the transaction goes through). I tried to pay $50 so now the card was
worth $35 so it didn't go through. I tried again, another $15, again,
another $15. (Are u getting this?)
At any rate I called the Visa Help number (1-866-261-3596) and they
cheerfully put back the missing $ and explained a few things.
If you try to use these for paying wireless bills, hotel bills, gasoline
bills - they will take a $15 "preactivation" amount off the card first. This
money will come back into the card in about 3 days.
If you try to use these for paying for food, they take a 20% "preactivation"
amount. Apparently this has nothing to do with the tip.
If you use it at a retail store - you should be okay, or a grocery. As long
as your bill is less than the $50 card. If it is over $50, then you may have
to pay the difference in cash FIRST, then use the card. So if you are at a
grocery store and have a $72 bill, pay $22 in cash first (or with a real
credit card), then pay $50 with the Visa card.
This may not be entirely correct, because I was able to buy $102 worth of
groceries today, and use 2 cards. For unknown reasons I had to pay $49 with
one card first, then $50 with another, then $1 from the first card, and then $2
from a card that had a $5 balance.
All in all - an incredible hassle and very confusing.
If your cards do not work or you have any problems - call that phone number
above to try to find out what is going on. Also, you can check on the card's
balance.
Remember, a $2.50 fee is charged for each cash transaction or ATTEMPTED cash
transaction. Also after 6 months a $2.50 per month fee will be tacked on to
each card.
You can get a PIN for the cards by following the procedures if you call
1-866-261-3595. It looks like you need a PIN to make the card into a Debit card.
For most transactions you should choose VISA (not Debit).
According to the fine print on the instruction sheet "some merchants will
accept a transaction for an amount greater than the goods or services and will
refund the difference to you in cash "cash back."
I don't know who will do the above, but if you find a merchant who will do
this, it might be a good way to use the card. Buy $25 and get $25 in cash
back with your merchandise. ???
'
At any rate, watch out for the "pre-activation fees" since this will lower
your balance and make you unable to use the card until the fees come back in a
few days.
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