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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q. HOW DOES THE CARD WORK? IS IT A CREDIT CARD?

    This is a prepaid card. That means to use your card to make a purchase; you must first add money1 onto your prepaid MasterCard® card. This is called loading your card. Then, when you use your Card, the amount of each transaction is deducted from your account balance. This way, you cannot overspend and be charged interest, because you can only spend what you have already loaded onto the card. That means no overdraft fees or late payment fees.

  • Q. HOW DO I ADD MONEY ONTO MY CARD?

    There are 4 easy and convenient ways to add money1:

    1. 1. Add cash at a participating Western Union® Agent location ($4.95 fee)
    2. 2. Sign up for Direct Deposit2 of your Paycheck or Government Benefits check, which is free.
    3. 3. 3. Receive a Western Union Money Transfer® transaction3 onto your card Transfer money from a bank account to your card for $1

    Additional information about each way to add money to your card:

    1. 1. Add cash to your Card. Go to any Western Union Agent location (visit westernunion.com to find the closest Agent location to you) and fill out the Prepaid Services form. You only need to indicate the load amount and provide your card to the Agent Clerk & no other information is required. Your money will be available on your card within minutes.
    2. 2. Direct Deposit your paycheck or government benefits check. You can have your employer deposit some or all of your paycheck directly onto your card. A form will be provided with your card when you receive it or you can print out the form online, the website is noted on the back of your card. Once complete, submit the form to your employer. The direct deposit service is FREE.
    3. 3. Receive a Western Union Money Transfer® transaction. If someone sends you a Western Union Money Transfer, you can choose to load it directly onto your card. Simply call the phone number on the back of your card and follow the instructions. You will need the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN), which your sender can provide you. This service is FREE.
    4. 3. Transfer money from your bank account. Simply go to the website on the back of your card and register your bank account to transfer funds onto your card. Additional instructions are on the website; however this service takes approx 3-5 business days and is $1.
  • Q. WHAT ARE THE FEES?
    A. There are NO activation fees, No annual fees, No monthly maintenance or purchase transaction fees.
    • Monthly Maintenance Fee: FREE
    • Signature Purchase Transaction Fee: FREE
    • PIN Transaction Fee: FREE
    • Payroll or Government Benefits Direct Deposit Fee: FREE
    • Automated Phone Customer Service Phone Call: FREE
    • Live Customer Service: FREE
    • Online Electronic Billing Statements: FREE
    • SMS Text Alerts and Email Notifications (standard text charges apply): FREE
    • ATM Withdrawal Fee: $1.95
    • Agent Location Cash Load Fee: $4.95
    • Inactivity Fee (monthly charge beginning in month 13 of inactivity): $2.50
    • ATM Balance Inquiry/Decline Fee: $0.45
  • Q. HOW DO I ACTIVATE THE CARD?
    A. To activate your card, simply call the toll-free number that comes with your card. Then you are ready to add money onto your card and enjoy the benefits of your prepaid card.
  • Q. DO I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO GET THE CARD?
    A. You can sign up for free online. There are no activation fees and NO shipping or handling charges as well.
  • Q. IS THERE A MINIMUM AMOUNT I HAVE TO LOAD ON MY CARD?
    A. There is no minimum requirement when you use Direct Deposit, receive a money transfer or transfer money from a bank account. However, if you load your card with cash at a Western Union Agent location, there is a $10 minimum load requirement.
  • Q. WILL THIS CARD HELP ME BUILD MY CREDIT?
    A. Your prepaid MasterCard card does not build your credit, because the transaction history is not reported to credit bureaus.
  • Q. WHERE CAN I USE THE CARD/CAN I USE IT AT AN ATM?
    A. You can use the card anywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted; including online and at ATM's. Please note that a fee of $1.95 applies to each ATM transaction, in addition to any fees the ATM operator may charge.
  • Q. DOES THE CARD EXPIRE?
    A. The card does have an expiration date of 3 years and if the card remains active a new card will be sent to you automatically at no cost to you.
  • Q. ARE THERE ANY LIMITATIONS ON THE CARD?/HOW MUCH CAN I LOAD ON IT?
    1. There is a maximum load amount of $950, and there is a limit of 10 loads per month.
    2. The ATM withdrawal limit is $500 in a 24-hour period.
    3. The maximum card balance is $10,000.
  • Q. HOW CAN I TRACK BY BALANCE OR CARD ACTIVITY
    A. You can manage your card or check your balance online, over the phone or with SMS4 notifications. The toll-free number and website are listed on the back of your card. There are no fees for online or automated calls for balance and transaction inquiries. You can also sign up for free balance and transaction notices through SMS notifications.
  • Q. WHAT IF MY CARD IS LOST OR STOLEN?
    A. If your card is lost or stolen, call the phone number on the back of your card immediately. Your funds are protected by MasterCard's Zero Liability policy5. You may not be liable for unauthorized use of your Card provided that you notify us immediately after learning of the loss or theft of your Card.
  • Q. CAN I USE MY CARD AT THE GAS STATION?
    A. Yes, you can use your card at the pump. There will be a pre-authorized amount held that can be higher than your purchase and the difference will be available at a later time. You can avoid this pre-authorized amount held by going inside and asking the clerk for the amount of Gas you need.
  • Q. IS A HOLD PLACED ON MY CARD AT RESTAURANTS?
    A. Yes, there will be a pre-authorized amount held at your time of purchase for a tip; however the difference will be available at a later time.
  • Q. CAN I GET THIS CARD FOR A MINOR? UNDER THE AGE 18?
    A. Unfortunately you must be at least 18 years old to enroll for this card. We are not currently able to enroll minors.
  • Q. CAN I USE THIS CARD TO SEND WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFERS?
    A. Yes, you can use a prepaid MasterCard card to send Western Union Money Transfer transaction online at westernunion.com or over the phone at 1-800-CALL-CASH or with your pin at participating Agent locations. Remember, you can use this card anywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted.
  • Q. CAN I TRANSFER MONEY FROM ONE CARD TO ANOTHER?
    A. We currently do not have a feature to transfer money from one card to another.
  • Q. CAN I USE THE CASHBACK FEATURE AT RETAILERS?
    A. Yes, you can use the cashback feature at participating retailers to get cash off your card. There is no additional fee for this service.
  • Q. CAN I WITHDRAW MONEY AT A WESTERN UNION AGENT LOCATION?
    A. No, you cannot withdraw money at a Western Union Agent location; however you can use any ATM that features the MasterCard logo. Please note that a fee of $1.95 applies to each ATM transaction, in addition to any fees the ATM operator may charge.
  • Q. HOW DO I GET THE $10 FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT6?
    A. If you sign up for direct deposit, we will automatically load $10 onto your card within 60 days from your first direct deposit being received.
  • Q. 21. WHAT IS MY PIN# AND CAN I CHANGE IT?
    A. Your PIN # is the last 4 digits of the phone number you enrolled your card with. You can easily change your PIN by calling the number on the back of your card.
  • * The Western Union Prepaid MasterCard is issued by MetaBank® pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated.
  • 1Load transactions: (i) that exceed certain dollar amounts or (ii) that implicate certain regulatory issues may be restricted by us as outlined in the individual Cardholder Agreement.
  • 2The card is subject to load and account balance limits. If a direct deposit exceeds these limits, the transaction will be denied and you will need to obtain your funds some other way. Only certain funding sources may send direct deposits to your card. See Cardholder Agreement for details. Check with your funding source to find out when the direct deposit of funds will commence. Funds availability is subject to timing of the source's funding. Your card account and associated direct deposit account number are for the purpose of initiating a direct deposit to your card and cannot be used for pre-authorized direct debits, which will be declined if presented for payment.
  • 3The card and future money transfers to the card can only be sent or loaded to cards with addresses in the U.S. except Arizona, PO Boxes and U.S. territories. Maximum receive limit: $950/day/card account.
  • 4Standard message and data rates may apply.
  • 5MasterCard's Zero Liability Policy covers U.S.-issued cards only and does not apply to the cost of replacing the card, ATM transactions, PIN transactions not processed by MasterCard or certain commercial card transactions. Cardholder must notify issuer promptly of any unauthorized use. Consult issuer for additional details or visit www.mastercard.com/general/zero_liability.html. Refer to the Cardholder Agreement for fees on card use, replacement and card account closure. Certain conditions and exceptions apply.
  • 6Sign up for direct deposit within 60 days of receiving your card and receive $10 onto your card within 60 days of completion of eligible deposit. Subject to load and card account limits.