AccountNow Complaints: Tips on Debit Card Selection and Review of the AccountNow Prepaid Card

Have you made a decision to use a prepaid debit card to make payments? Then you might find yourself confused about the number of prepaid debit card offers in the market today.

You’ll come across several attractive debit card offers such as the AccountNow Prepaid Debit Card but after doing an internet search you may read various AccountNow Complaints that will make you search again for a better debit card. But then your next searches on the other debit cards also turned-up various consumer complaints. So what do you do next?

How do you determine which prepaid debit card is right for you? The usual way is to check prepaid debit card reviews and comparisons online. But we’re sceptical about the charts and recommendation of others. We prefer to trust our own research. So below is a suggestion on how to go about your research and how to make up your own mind on what is the best prepaid debit card for you.

Step 1: There is a list of prepaid debit card ‘features and terms & conditions’ in the next section. Organize them in order of importance to you.

Step 2: Under each criteria, check the items that are most relevant to you based on how you are going to use the card (for travel, your children’s allowance account, online bill payments, internet purchases , for credit building, and etc.); and cross out those features that are unimportant to you.

Step 3: Search online for the information of the cards that most interest you. Start your search with the prepaid debit cards recommended by your family, friends, or trusted colleagues.

Step 4: Pick the card that meets most of your needs. Don’t expect all of your needs to be met by one card, so at least identify the card that meet your most important needs.

1. Ease of the Debit Card Application Process

*Is application and approval fast and easy?

*How long before you can get and use your debit prepaid card?

2. Safety

*Is it insured by the FDIC?

*What is the policy on customer liability regarding fraud & identity theft?

*Does it have pin technology?

*Is the prepaid debit card company accredited by the Better Business Bureau? (This will ensure that the card company will fulfil its obligations to its card holders and that it has a fair system for resolving customer issues and complaints.)

3. Credit Profile Improvement

*Can it help build your credit history?

4. Fees (Know and check all of them!)

*Cost of setting-up the card or Activation Fee

*Price of setting-up recurring deposits

*Card loading fees

*Monthly maintenance fee

*ATM withdrawal fees (local and overseas currency exchange fees)

*Transaction fees (signature transactions, pin transactions)

*Is there an Annual Fee?

*Are you required to maintain a minimum balance?

*Other Fees/Hidden Fees: How much does it charge when you contact customer service, check account balances, card renewal fees, and card inactivity?

*Will you be charged overdraft fees?

5. Convenience

*Number of Cash load locations

*Can you reload your prepaid debit card online?

*Can you reload your card 24/7?

*How widely accepted is the card? Does it have a VISA or MasterCard logo?

*What is the maximum prepaid debit card load?

*What is the maximum amount you can withdraw from your card?

*Is the card internationally accepted?

*Is it easy to contact customer service? Are they helpful? (Try calling or e-mailing customer service with regards to applying for a card and see the quality and speed of their response. Also ask friends about their experience with the specific prepaid debit card company you are interested in.)

6. Comprehensive Card Services

*Does it enable you to pay bills online? If yes, how much is the service fee?

*How can you check your prepaid debit card balance? What kind of usage/transaction reporting service does it provide (online, SMS, e-mail, phone)?

*Can you enable text message alerts?

*What other helpful services does the company provide its customers that other card companies are not offering?

7. Additional Benefits

*Are there any additional benefits for specific card users such as students, travellers, people building credit, employees on corporate expense account, and others?

*Does the debit card offer any travel insurance?

*Does the prepaid debit card offer any line of credit which you can tap for emergencies?

8. Bonus/Rewards

*Does it have a sign-up bonus?

*Does it offer rebates?

*Does it award you commission on referrals? How much and for how long?

like with other prepaid debit cards you need to watch out for fees that can rack up like loading fees in retail networks and ATM withdrawal fees.

However, there is an easy way to reduce your debit card fees. Just use your AccountNow debit card for purchases instead of cash withdrawals and use direct deposit instead of loading them through retail networks.

Still, the AccountNow card may not be the right debit card for giving your kids an allowance since they will more likely use it to withdraw cash from the ATM. And if you are a frequent overseas traveller, there are other prepaid cards that can offer you travel insurance.*So avoid AccountNow Card Complaints by choosing the right debit card that matches your needs.

However, if your main purpose in getting a prepaid debit card is to:

- get extra help to 're-build your credit profile' minus the big activation fee;

- enjoy the convenience of having a debit or prepaid card to make purchases without transaction fees adding up;

- and have a way of getting extra cash through sign-up bonuses, rebates, referral commissions and other means;

*then you can be happy choosing an AccountNow debit card.

And you can also feel secure that you are making the right decision because AccountNow has been given the A- rating by the Better Business Bureau, which means the company behind the card is serious about responding to the concerns of its customers.