Rant: Netspend

[winbig]

After this month, I'm officially through with Netspend. So I go to get gas earlier, and get $10 worth. Ok, fine. No problem.

I go inside to use the ATM to get out $100. Errr.........it doesn't work. Ok, fine. I drive a mile out of my way to hit up another ATM. Errrrrrrrrrrrrrr...It doesn't work.

Keep in mind I have over $300 on my card at this point.

So, I drive home, my plans ruined for the night. I check their website to try and get my balance, thinking something isn't right....well, their site is down, imagine that. The "exterior" pages come up just fine, but once I try to log in, I immediately get the "outage" page.

So, I call Netspend, and find out my balance is actually over $40 less than what it should be. I immediately ask her wtf is going on, and what the last transaction was. She reads off to me that my last transaction was for $58!.....errrrr, wtf?

She then goes to tell me that by using my card at the pump, they pre-authorize a set amount....wtf? I've been using this SAME GAS STATION forever, and have NEVER come across a charge or pre-auth for using my card at the pump. She says that once they post the correct amount of the transaction, the remaining balance will be available again. Who knows when that might be. This is a big chain, and I'm sure that they run batch transactions probably several days past the date of purchase.

I know for a fact that this gas station has NEVER held money because I paid at the pump, because I've checked my balance in the past not long after getting gas, and there has never been any additional funds placed on hold.

OK WHATEVER.

So I ask her about their website being down 9 times out of 10 for the past month. First excuse: There's an outage. Yea, whatever. Second Excuse: They're performing maintenance. Uhhh....maintenance on a server doesn't take a solid month or more. Third excuse: They're performing upgrades. Yea, whatever. I re-assure her that it's not her fault, she can't fix it and all that good stuff and immediately hang up.

F*** YOU NETSPEND.

I'm moving over to WP.

Oh yea, I never got an answer as to why my card wouldn't work at TWO different ATM's at TWO different locations. She told me to go try another one. YEA F***ING RIGHT. It's 32 degrees outside and the closest no-charge ATM (that I haven't tried yet) to me is 3 miles away. I'm not getting cold again nor wasting my gas to try something that probably isn't going to work.

All I know is it better work tomorrow. I have bills to pay and as of now I can't access any of my money.

edit: She did confirm that there were no outages in regards to ATM withdrawals in my area, and that there's no reason that I shouldn't be able to get money from one. In other words, they have no clue.

[/rant]

 

[anniemac]

Winbig, I know where you are coming from. However, the authorization hold on the card isn't Netspend's fault. Some gas stations do it, some don't. I have found around here that the big stations, Exxon etc, do it. That's why I always go in and pay at the cashier. It's a pain in the butt but at least I have all my money available.

As far as your card not working at an ATM, I have also had that problem. In the little town that's close, one bank ATM won't take it and but the other one will. Go figure.

Now this crap about the website being down all the time. That's a crock. I don't know what they are doing but it doesn't take weeks to do it.

 

[winbig]

Winbig, I know where you are coming from. However, the authorization hold on the card isn't Netspend's fault. Some gas stations do it, some don't. I have found around here that the big stations, Exxon etc, do it. That's why I always go in and pay at the cashier. It's a pain in the butt but at least I have all my money available.

As far as your card not working at an ATM, I have also had that problem. In the little town that's close, one bank ATM won't take it and but the other one will. Go figure.

Now this crap about the website being down all the time. That's a crock. I don't know what they are doing but it doesn't take weeks to do it.

Well, unless Netspend or the gas station changed their policy has yet to be determined....like I mentioned, I've never had a pre-auth for gas posted to my card in several years that I've been using NS...and this is at different gas stations, as well...

In regards to the ATM, this is also the first time ever that it hasn't worked for me [when there's not a network outage in my area]. I have an inkling that somehow the website outages are connected in some way. When the site isn't working, it's only not working when you try to log in and access your account information. The rest of the site works fine as if nothing is wrong. This clearly indicates some sort of severe database problems.

The website is up again, finally, and I'd lay 100:1 that if I went back to the same ATM I tried earlier, I would be able to get money out.

But anyways, I'm still moving over to Wired. I'll have to switch over my direct deposit, but that's no biggie. I want access to my account information 24/7, and NS has proven that they can't provide this service any more.

 

[LaurieJim]

I have had the same thing happen, i was told they set me at a pre- auth for 80.00 when you pay at the pump, they told me sorry, it will clear when the merchant does his thing lol, its frustrating, when you have a 100.00 and put 20.00 in gas for the car and expecting to have 80.00 or a little less to play on when you get home, just to find its less than 20.00 showing...............I feel for you, know that feeling to well.........laurie

 

[winbig]

I just remembered an instance a few months ago. I had a whopping $15 on my card. I went to a gas station and put $10 in; and I paid at the pump. What happened to the pre-auth?

 

[LaurieJim]

I just know im very careful about how i use netspend now, this also goes for reserving hotel rooms, i was told to swipe the card inside myself, anywhere i use it, havent had any problems again, knock on wood!!!!!!!!! ..........laurie

 

[nisosbar]

Cake Poker used to do this on my card; pissed me off, and I stopped playing on Cake Poker, ha. Nobody else has done it, in my experience, but yeah, it sucks.

 

[missmichelle]

Don't ever use it to rent a car. They hold funds for 90 days. Yes 90 days.
How crazy is that?

Michelle

 

[WagerWitch]

Maybe I'm missing something here - but THIS PRACTICE of holding funds is COMMON on ALL CREDIT CARD COMPANIES.

At a Gas Station they usually hold 50 - 100.
Hotels 100 - 150
Cars - 200 or depending on price registered by company.

This is NOT an UNCOMMON Practice.

 

[winbig]

Maybe I'm missing something here - but THIS PRACTICE of holding funds is COMMON on ALL CREDIT CARD COMPANIES.

At a Gas Station they usually hold 50 - 100.
Hotels 100 - 150
Cars - 200 or depending on price registered by company.

This is NOT an UNCOMMON Practice.

I guess I'm the oddball here, then. Common or not, as I said before, this is the FIRST time it's happened to me..

The same goes for Hotels. Of course the security deposit hold is put on the card by the Hotel, but that's it, and it comes off as soon as you check out.

 

[lost2much]

Hey winbig, I had that happen a long time ago with netspend double charging my card as a hold for casino deposits. Hasn't happened in a couple of years now so hopefully it won't again. I thought I read here somewhere that WP isn't accepting gambling transactions anymore. With all the other options gone, NS may be our only "choice" if we want to keep playing.

 

[WagerWitch]

I guess I'm the oddball here, then. Common or not, as I said before, this is the FIRST time it's happened to me..

The same goes for Hotels. Of course the security deposit hold is put on the card by the Hotel, but that's it, and it comes off as soon as you check out.

No kidding?

You've never been placed on a hold before?

WOW - you're so freaking lucky!

It's happened to me so many times it's like - DUH... In fact - the only time it doesn't happen is when I go in and pay for it.

Whenever a hotel puts it on - it takes 5 days for it to come off - gas takes about 10 days - and rental cars between 30 and 60 days.

And this has been on MANY cards that I have. Netspend being only one of many that I use - and being the ONLY prepay card that I use.

I have learned to use on SPECIFIC CARDS for specific things.

I think with the advent of PREPAID and the usage of Debit - these things should be fixed - but the CC industry doesn't seem to agree with me.

 

[kakata]

I just remembered an instance a few months ago. I had a whopping $15 on my card. I went to a gas station and put $10 in; and I paid at the pump. What happened to the pre-auth?

Tha's exactly why they do hold funds...
you put 10 of gasoline cause your balance was 15 , but an 18 wheeler's dishonest truck owner, could fill up for 400,......... cause when the pump start cant be stopped.

 

[Holland87]

#13 in their FAQ's................

Can I pay at the pump for gasoline?

Yes. You will need to have a minimum available balance of $75 to $100. If you purchase gas at the pump and the merchant obtains an authorization for $75, NetSpend will hold this amount for the merchant. If the total purchase comes to $30, the merchant will complete the transaction by collecting on the $30. The remaining $45 will be released back into your account.

I found out the hard way too. Then, I went looking and found the above. I probably should have done that the other way around to save myself the headache.