Posts Tagged prepaid card
Holiday planning done securely
Vacation season is in full swing, and this year you may have decided to forgo the travel agent by booking your trip online. Booking your own vacation may be fun, but it's important not to let that distract you from spending securely online. It's easy to purchase on an unsecure site, but it is not easy to reverse the damages it can do to your bank account and sometimes your credit.
Taking precautions
It takes just a few precautions to protect yourself when booking your holidays online. This small effort will benefit you in the long run. To ensure you are spending securely and responsibly online, just ask yourself the following questions before you press that "buy" button:
- Is my PC secure? Make sure your browser is updated and your PC is protected with a reliable and up-to-date security program.
- Who am I buying from? If you are booking a flight, hotel or car reservation on a website that you've never used or are not familiar with, do some research to make sure they are legitimate.
- Is the site secure? Secure sites will often have a secure symbol like an unbroken lock or key and a secure URL that begins with https://.
- Will my personal information remain private? Make sure you have read the site's privacy policy. If the site plans to share your information with a third party, it will be stated in the privacy policy.
- Do I have proof of my booking/reservation? Once the transaction has been processed, the site will provide a confirmation of your booking or reservation. Print this out for your records.
Secure payments
The final step you can take in protecting yourself while booking your vacation online is to use the most secure payment method. Credit cards will do the trick, but can potentially give access to your personal information or credit. A prepaid card is the most secure method of payment because there is no attachment to your bank account or your credit. These few simple steps will help you plan your trip while keeping your personal information safe. Small price to pay for peace of mind, wouldn't you say?
Today’s post was written by Suzanne. She is a Marketing Program Manager and loves to shop and drive around town in her new Mini.
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Loading ...Why choose a prepaid card over a credit card?
Are you on the hunt for a credit card but tend to have trouble staying on budget, or haven’t had the chance to build your credit rating? It’s unlikely that with little, no or bad credit history you’ll be approved for a credit card, and if by chance you are approved the credit card provider will likely gouge you with high interest rates or monthly/yearly fees that will definitely not make it worth your while to even have a credit card. This is all easily avoided with a prepaid card.
No credit checks
If you’re just starting out and haven’t had a chance to build up your credit rating, you may not be approved for a credit card once you go through the mandatory credit check. The same goes for someone whose credit has suffered as a result of hard times. Prepaid cards are ideal for people like this because they won’t need to go through any sort of a credit check to be approved.
Avoid high interest rates
I remember when I got my first credit card, my interest rate was in the range of 16%, which at the time I thought was high. Over the years, it changed to an astonishing 17%! After experiencing the latest increase to 19.75%, I began to realize that maybe my credit card is not the best and only payment solution. If you’re a credit card holder with a balance on your account, imagine how much you’re putting in to interest payments alone. Enter prepaid cards – since you don’t hold a balance on the card, you won’t be at risk of having to pay outrageous interest fees.
Control your spending
Have you ever received your credit card statement and thought to yourself “Hmmmm, I don’t remember buying that” or “When did I spend that much money?!” I know I have (a lot). Credit cards are an enabler of excessive spending with high limits which you end up paying for through high interest rates. If controlled spending is your goal, then a prepaid card is the best bet for you because you can deposit however much you want and once the amount you’ve allotted has been spent, you’re done until the next time you load your card, so this keeps you more aware of where your money is going.
Do everything you would do with a credit card
With a prepaid card, you can do everything that a credit card allows you to do. Go ahead, use your prepaid card to book your flights, hotel reservations, car rentals, buy books or music online or in the real world, etc. And you’ll be doing it easier with a prepaid card because you’ll be avoiding the hassle of a credit check, annual fees and those insanely high interest rates.
Choose the Net+ Prepaid MasterCard®
You get all of the above with the Net+ prepaid card. It’s free to apply, no credit check is required, and we don’t charge any interest or monthly/yearly fees. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for your card today!
Have you got your Net+ card?
Today’s post was written by Suzanne. She is the Marketing Program Manger for eWallet strategy. She also loves to shop and drive around town in her new Mini.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Paper or plastic?
Today’s post was written by guest blogger Niclas Aarestrup from Denmark. He is a travel writer and he uses his Net+ card everywhere. Follow him on Twitter today (http://twitter.com/niclasaa) and keep up with his latest travels.
I remember years back when I went on a holiday to Germany and France, armed with a bunch of Eurocheques and an EC card, the now defunct European, improved travellers cheque. The system had to give up when the popularity of international credit cards made the system obsolete, though in Germany the system continued as an ATM card on the Maestro network.
An imperfect solution
The original travellers cheque is still alive and fairly well, available at some banks and exchange bureaus. But they suffer from many of the same problems the Eurocheques had and maybe even more:
- You have to buy travellers cheques before you depart
- You buy the amount in the denominations you expect to need
- They are not easily redeemable everywhere, so when you need to cash them in you may have to look around a bit
Add to this that you pay a premium on top of the exchange rate, you will usually pay a fee to cash them in and they are only available in certain currencies. If your travellers cheques are not in the currency of the country where you cash them in, you will lose even more of your hard-earned cash to exchange fees. However, they do have 1 advantage: you can get them replaced if they are lost or stolen, even without travel insurance.
Pick up a Net+ Prepaid Card
I have personally been using the Net+ Prepaid MasterCard® for a while now in several different countries and paying in several different currencies. It has many advantages over travellers cheques. Perhaps the biggest advantage is the fact that I can use Net+ to pay at many locations. The Net+ card works at ATMs when I need cash, but it also works in hotels, stores, restaurants and onboard all the ships I’ve been travelling with lately, which reduces my need to carry large amounts of cash.
I have set up my NETELLER account and Net+ card in my local currency, which makes it easy to keep tabs on costs and also means that no matter what foreign currency I pay in, I will only incur a single exchange fee. But even if I hadn’t made this choice I could usually still spend less on exchange fees than I would have with travellers cheques.
As for security, the card is protected by the Chip & PIN system, and only the funds in your NETELLER account are available for withdrawal or purchase with certain limits to how much can be spent or withdrawn within any 24-hour period. Do remember to carry the Net+ support phone number and remember the details needed to cancel the card if you should have your card stolen (and don’t forget to report the theft to local police as well).
Control your spending with a prepaid card
If you’re going to be travelling for a while, for instance that dream trip around the world, you could set up bank transfers from your bank account to your NETELLER account at an interval you choose. This can help control your spending as well as limit any loss you might incur from theft. But if you find you need more money than you had planned, you might also be able to make additional transfers while you are on the road. 1 other smart feature is that if you have close family or friends with NETELLER accounts, they can quickly and easily send you more money if you run into problems, without having to pay high fees.
Final travel tips
As always when travelling abroad I would recommend taking out travel insurance or making sure you are completely covered by your existing policies. Not only can you get money or other valuables replaced, but if something unforseen happens, like the recent grounding of all planes in northern Europe, or if you need to go to a doctor or even a hospital, your policy will cover it.
And above all, always remember:
- Never carry around large sums of cash and don’t let anyone see what you have inside your wallet
- Never let anyone see or know your PIN
- If at all possible, never let your Net+ or other debit and credit cards out of sight. This can be hard at bars and restaurants but unfortunately apply even more so in these locations where skimming of cards can happen in mere seconds. Luckily the increasing use of the chip function eliminates this risk.
- Make sure you have the phone numbers and details available if you should need to close your cards.
- And above all of this, always use common sense when travelling
Safe journeys this summer!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Net+ wins Best Gaming Prepaid Card Award
I am delighted that the prepaid card industry, along with you – our valued members – have really embraced our Net+ prepaid MasterCards®. When we launched the Net+ card services program in 2008, we intended to create the best prepaid card program around.
And thanks to your loyalty and input, Net+ prepaid cards have garnered yet another award! Last month we were thrilled to find out we won the Best Gaming Prepaid Card for the second time. That came on the heels of winning Best New Prepaid Card Product Launch at the Cards & Payment Europe awards last June.
Why gamers love our prepaid cards
It makes sense that our online gamers prefer the cards. After all, the cards are free to get and are linked directly to your NETELLER account. Plus, you can get instant access to your money by using the Net+ card(s) for online and offline purchases without having to wait or even pay a fee. And if cash in hand is important, the Net+ Chip & PIN prepaid card is great for withdrawing cash at ATMs with some of the highest limits plus points on every transaction.
To all you gamers out there, do you agree? Do you use the Net+ cards to get instant access to your winnings? If so, which card version do you prefer?
Today’s post was written by Nicole. She is the Marketing Manager for Consumer Products on our Brand and Group Marketing team.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...NETELLER: a year in review
We’re so busy around the NETELLER office that we don’t always take time to reflect on all of our accomplishments. That’s why I’m going to take a moment to go through my personal highlights for 2009. Before I get to that, I just want to say how much I love working with such a dedicated group of people. The pride these guys take in helping all of you get the most from your NETELLER membership is truly inspiring.
I promised you highlights, so here they are:
New services, countries and deposit options
We launched our Money Transfer service to help you send money easily and securely to family and friends wherever they may be. We also tweaked our NETPoints program to give you more opportunities to win seats at great tournaments, earn NETPoints on Net+ transactions and secure online money transfers, as well as give VIPs a chance to earn free deposits. But that wasn’t the only perk we gave our VIPs in 2009 – we rolled out tons of great VIP benefits. And because you asked for it, we also lifted IP blocking for all our members so you can access your account from almost anywhere in the world!
Net+ Chip & PIN and virtual prepaid cards gave you more
Our award-winning Net+ cards gave you the ability to control your spending and the freedom to securely shop online without the worry of your card number being stolen thanks to its one-time generated card numbers — and at 750 EUR, the Chip & PIN cards give you some of the highest ATM withdrawal limits in the biz. And finally, the Net+ ninja has you protected wherever and whenever you use your Net+ cards.
Special offers
2009 was all about cash giveaways and promotions, and the response from you guys was overwhelming. We awarded 6000 EUR to some fantastic players in our Luck or Skill promotion, sent out great offers from top gaming merchants like PKR, Purple Lounge and Full Tilt, and opened up our Showcase to members worldwide so that wherever you live, you can keep up with the latest promos from your favourite sites!
Online community
We know that you guys live your lives online and with an expanded presence on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the NETELLER blog, we’re meeting you on your turf. For those of you who wanted to come onto our turf, we gave you a chance to literally become the next face of NETELLER with the Be a hero contest.
And it was great to get to know a lot of you rally race car fans thanks to our sponsorship of rally racer Robert Fagg. His blogs really took us into the mind of a rally car co-driver and some of the videos are priceless, like when he hit a tree.
We heard you
It’s easy to forget that the internet is all about making connections. We really pushed ourselves to connect with more of you in 2009. Poker in the Park and Betsson Estoril LIVE gave us a chance to meet many of you face-to-face. One of the best ways to stay connected is through the newsletter that we launched in September to provide you with all you need to know about NETELLER as we move forward.
I am pumped for 2010! Keep an eye out for more tournaments, more giveaways and a lot of great ways to use your NETPoints and so much more!
Today’s post was written by Krista. Krista is the Brand and Marketing Planning Manager and she’s also an avid runner and a die-hard soccer player.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...High ATM withdrawal limits on Net+ prepaid cards
Today’s post was written by Nicole. She is the Marketing Manager for Consumer Products on our Brand and Group Marketing team.
If you’re like me, you probably don’t give ATM withdrawal limits a second thought, until you need quick access to your cash. I like prepaid cards with high withdrawal limits because having enough pocket money on-hand is good, especially if you’re nowhere near a bank or a cash machine.
No low limits with Net+
When choosing a prepaid card, consider how ATM withdrawal limits compare to withdrawal fees. I’m always cautious of any card company that offers low ATM withdrawal fees because most of the time they also have low withdrawal limits. And that’s not very helpful.
That’s why I’m pleased my Net+ prepaid card offers high ATM withdrawal limits. Just make sure the bank machine you’re using doesn’t have low restrictions. That way you can better access your cash when you need it, in just 1 withdrawal.
Knowledge is more money in your wallet
Do your research, and spend more time enjoying your money and less time at the ATM thanks to high withdrawal limits on a prepaid card like Net+.
Do you have a Net+ prepaid card? Tell us what you think of its high withdrawal limits.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Hassle-free travel with my Net+ prepaid cards
We’re excited to welcome guest blogger Niclas Aarestrup from Denmark. He is a travel writer and he uses his Net+ card everywhere. Follow him on Twitter today (http://twitter.com/niclasaa) and keep up with his latest travels.
As a travel writer, I need to book numerous hotels, sightseeing tours and tickets depending on where I’m traveling. Like many of you, I end up paying for all of these with credit and debit cards.
Protect your cash and pay with plastic
From a consumer standpoint, it is better to use plastic to pay, since you’re usually better protected than when you pay with cash or use a wire transfer service. Also, many hotels require a credit card upon check-in, though some will accept a cash deposit instead. But having your fun money tied up in a costly deposit may limit daily excursions or the number of times you dine out.
In most cases you’re not punished for paying with plastic, however, in some European countries like Denmark, Sweden and the UK, customers can be charged for paying with credit or debit cards, regardless of the issuer. National laws in these participating countries require stores to clearly display the added fee and are limited on how much extra they can charge. Rest assured, tourist-friendly stores rarely add any fees.
So what do you do if you aren’t able to get a credit card, or like me, don’t feel entirely safe spending on a card that comes with a high limit and interest charges?
Benefits of a credit card minus the risk
This is where the Net+ physical and virtual prepaid cards come in handy. For one, the physical prepaid card is accepted worldwide and protects you with chip and PIN secure technology. Plus, I have first-hand experience that NETELLER does indeed keep an eye out for suspicious transactions and thus minimizes credit risk even further. It also gives you the same benefits as a credit card that you would use in the “real world” to buy airline tickets, shop or book hotels.
The Net+ virtual prepaid card has added security in that it generates a one-time use number that can never be used again. That means your virtual card number is always protected and it becomes unusable or worthless to anyone who attempts to intercept your information online.
Traveling and transacting with my virtual prepaid card
I’ve really been enjoying the convenience that my Net+ virtual prepaid card offers me. For instance, it works well for reserving hotel rooms, although its expiry date means it’s only valid for around a month.
It’s also great to pay for tickets and tours online, but be careful as you may be required to show or swipe the physical version of the Net+ card you used for payment when picking up your tickets. The virtual card also works well for buying guidebooks online that you might want for your next big trip.
First class acceptance
I have used the Net+ prepaid card to buy several airline tickets and have had absolutely no problems. With that said, you should be able to buy tickets anywhere else the card is accepted. Hotels are more than happy to accept the card, as are most stores and ticket vending machines for public transit that you might come into contact with as a tourist.
Why cash is still good
Using a credit or debit card on your holiday can almost eliminate the need to carry cash, but not completely. The main reason is that not every store, restaurant or office accepts credit or debit for payment. For example, in Denmark some merchants won’t accept international credit cards, only the national DanKort.
When it’s time to make a payment, some online payment systems that handle credit card transactions may be temporarily offline. Again this has happened a few times in Denmark, as well as in other places, so always have some cash on-hand. With that said, still feel safe with your Net+ card in your wallet, knowing it’s a widely-accepted, secure method of payment and will enable you to carry less cash.
Tell me where you have used your Net+ physical or virtual prepaid cards.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...The evolution of the credit card
Today’s post was written by Nicole. She is the Marketing Manager for Consumer Products on our Brand and Group Marketing team.
Years ago, you’d see people listening to their favourite music on clunky, over-sized portable CD players, but over time we saw tiny MP3 players emerge and take their place. Technology definitely revolutionized how we listen to our music – from playing songs off our computers to listening to tunes on a 1-inch player.
Virtual security
A similar comparison can be made about credit cards. Their technology is continually advancing to help protect your money. For instance, the major credit card brands recently introduced virtual prepaid cards that contain next-generation security features and are especially designed to protect you from fraud and identity theft whenever you pay online.
Embrace your online world
Security in “real world” transactions is knowing that your physical card is always protected from shady individuals, thanks to the added security of chip and PIN technology.
In the online world you don’t have the same protection, which is why virtual prepaid cards have their own unique security features. Most generate a one-time use number, CVC and expiry date each time you make an online purchase, thus keeping your card details safe from hackers or thieves.
There are various incarnations of the virtual prepaid card out there. For example, PayPal only offers a virtual debit card accessible from the toolbar, whereas NETELLER offers up two convenient options of its Net+ virtual prepaid card. You can either access your virtual “web card” from your NETELLER account or the desktop version that notifies you when you can use it at a checkout page. With cards like these to choose from, you can pay online to your heart’s content.
Have you ever used a virtual prepaid card? Tell us which one and what you thought of it.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Go for a virtual prepaid card when shopping online
Today’s post was written by Nicole. She is the Marketing Manager for Consumer Products on our Brand and Group Marketing team.
Whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that credit cards have made our lives a whole lot easier when buying items online. But I’ve found that convenience can sometimes come at a price.
For instance, each month I’m in a panic to make sure that I pay my credit card bill on time so that I don’t incur the high interest charges. And I hate the idea of dealing with the headache of a fraudster getting a hold of my credit card number.
Better than a credit card for online payments
I’ve now found a better way to buy my favourite items online – I use my Net+ virtual prepaid card. Here’s why I think the virtual card is better:
1. Contains next-generation security features
Because the card generates one-time use card numbers, it means I get a new number each time I want to make a purchase online so I never have to worry that someone will get a hold of my card number.
2. Helps me to control my spending
Let’s face it – in today’s economy no one wants to rack up debt. I use my virtual prepaid card to make sure I don’t spend more money than I have. Plus I never have to worry about paying monthly interest charges.
3. Gives me direct access to the money in my NETELLER account
Since the card is linked directly to my account, I just put money in my account and voila, it’s instantly available on my card – no additional work needed.
4. Lets me set aside some “fun money”
Not sure about you, but I like to keep the money I have for monthly bills and entertainment separate. So I use my virtual card online to pay for games, music, books or whatever else makes me smile that day.
5. Makes online shopping simpler
I tap away on a keyboard all day, so when it comes to avoiding additional keystrokes I do. This is why I love that the virtual card auto-fills the payment web forms for me and since I downloaded NETELLER Desktop it also detects cashier pages for me as well. To see how it works, check out the prepaid virtual card demo.
So now you’ve read about why I think a virtual prepaid card is so great, why don’t you check it out for yourself? Just sign in to your account, go to the Net+ cards tab, get the virtual prepaid card and see if you agree.
What have you purchased online with your Net+ virtual prepaid card?
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Are prepaid cards the new credit cards?
Today’s post was written by Gareth. As NETELLER’s Localisation and Communications Specialist, Gareth manages our translations and multilingual content.
Credit cards are great for young people, but they can also bring trouble. I should know. I had a nasty experience when I was only 19, getting into debt with a credit card I could not handle.
The dark cloud of debt
I wasn’t earning enough money to pay it off, and the debt hung around my neck for months. The interest rate was a punishing 18%! When I finally paid it off, I was poorer, older and wiser. To this day I keep a close eye on my debt obligations, and always pay them off each month.
I recently saw an article about how credit card companies in America are not issuing credit cards to people under 21. It makes sense – young people are often not perceived as mature enough to handle credit, which in my case was true. To paraphrase a famous quote, with credit power comes debt responsibility.
Prepaid cards are a good choice
In many countries they make it hard for young people to get credit cards. It’s for your own protection, right? Maybe, but that’s not much comfort when you’re at the checkout page of your favourite music website, or booking a hotel, and the only payment options are credit cards.
That’s why I enjoy using our Net+ prepaid cards. They offer the convenience of regular credit cards, allowing me to shop online or in person almost anywhere, plus let me make ATM withdrawals. But because it is a prepaid card that is connected to my NETELLER account, I never spend more money than I actually have.
Tell me how you use your Net+ card.
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