What's the cheapest pre-paid debit card in Toronto...

MIJ-VI · #1 12-22-2010, 03:59 AM

...which works well for making modest purchases on-line and which can be bought over the counter in TO?

It's high time I made some donations to a number donation-ware authors whose software I've come to rely upon.

Thank you.

MIJ-VI · #2 12-22-2010, 09:40 PM

I rarely buy anything and I'm clueless about cashless buying.

I do not wish to have a card which withdraws directly from my bank account due to concerns about fraud. Instead I'd like to buy a debit card with cash and then use the card to buy stuff on line. That way if I got ripped off I'd only lose the $ I had put into the card.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debit_c...rnet_purchases

"Internet purchases

Debit cards may also be used on the Internet. Internet transactions may be conducted in either online or offline mode, although shops accepting online-only cards are rare in some countries (such as Sweden), while they are common in other countries (such as the Netherlands). For a comparison, PayPal offers the customer to use an online-only Maestro card if the customer enters a Dutch address of residence, but not if the same customer enters a Swedish address of residence.

Internet purchases use neither a PIN code nor a signature for identification. Transactions may be conducted in either credit or debit mode (which is sometimes, but not always, indicated on the receipt), and this has nothing to do with whether the transaction was conducted on online or offline mode, since both credit and debit transactions may be conducted in both modes."

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I just need to know which brand of card to ask for and where they can be bought in Toronto other than at a bank.

hover · #3 12-22-2010, 09:51 PM

most times you can get these in the "gift card" center of your local dept. store or grocer. rarely ever at a bank. Anything branded with the VISA logo will be fine. Just bear in mind, and read the terms of useage...alot of these will deduct a per-use fee, even for balance inquiries at ATMs...sometimes up to $1.50-$2.00 PER USE. At least that was the case with that crappy VISA branded H&R Block rapid refund card I got suckered into 3 years ago...

MIJ-VI · #4 12-22-2010, 09:53 PM

Thanks hover.

MIJ-VI · #5 12-22-2010, 10:01 PM

Right then. Some of these cards have a 'CVV2":

Allegedly this 'CVV2' is the only # one has to submit in order to make an on-line purchase.

Can anyone here fill me in on this?

fdeck · #6 12-22-2010, 10:17 PM

You have to submit the 16 digit credit card number, and then some but not all websites require you to enter the CVV2 number in a separate field.

Tell you what. Send me some money, for practice.

MIJ-VI · #7 12-22-2010, 10:18 PM

Ooooh! A techie with a sense of humour!

MIJ-VI · #8 12-22-2010, 10:19 PM

Well, no credit cards for me. I need something simple.

fdeck · #9 12-22-2010, 10:48 PM

Do you use PayPal? I've got a PayPal Master Card.

MIJ-VI · #10 12-22-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fdeck

Do you use PayPal? I've got a PayPal Master Card.

I believe that a phone is required to obtain a Paypal account and I don't have, need, nor want one.

I pay 1/2 of my neighbour's Internet bill each month and access the outside world via Ubuntu running on a six-year-old PC assembled from a mix of salvaged and purchased parts.

I'm determined to keep my overhead as low as possible to free up a few bucks for offering tokens of my respect to a number of folks who have talents which I lack. I'm feeling guilty about not paying anything for the donation-ware that I've come to rely upon.

I'd also like to be in a position to render modest assistance to the occasional person I meet on the 'Net. (You know, for that feeling ya can't buy in a store?

)

wabbit · #11 12-23-2010, 05:44 PM

I use the Much Music Master Card. It's pay as you go and there are no fees for purchases or account balance checks.

http://www.muchmusic.com/muchmusiccard/

MIJ-VI · #12 12-23-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wabbit

I use the Much Music Master Card. It's pay as you go and there are no fees for purchases or account balance checks.

http://www.muchmusic.com/muchmusiccard/

Thanks anyway.

"You'll need a valid credit card, Interac Online or PayPal account to pay for it"

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"*Prior to the issuance of the MuchMusic Prepaid MasterCard card ("Card"), our partner, Mint Capital Corp. ("Mint") will validate the identity of the Card applicants with credit reporting agencies, such as TransUnion or Equifax. Such identity validation process does not constitute a credit check as it does not allow Mint to access the Card applicant's personal credit history or other personal information not required for identity validation.

Moreover, Mint's identity validation process will not impact the Card applicant's credit reporting score or be visible to other creditors. Mint's identity validation process is made visible only to the Card applicant if the Card applicant requests a copy of his or her personal credit report from the credit reporting agency."

Translation: "Here, tie one end of this string around your n**ts..."

newbold · #13 12-24-2010, 07:04 PM

Go to Money Mart.
Get a PrePaid Credit Card.

Pay it there.

Loads of them in Toronto.

Too cheap to pay the fee? Then go paypal.
Won't deal with paypal? Then go money mart.

MIJ-VI · #14 12-24-2010, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbold

Go to Money Mart.
Get a PrePaid Credit Card.

Pay it there.

Loads of them in Toronto.

Too cheap to pay the fee? Then go paypal.
Won't deal with paypal? Then go money mart.

http://www.mytitanium.ca/visa/english/fees.html

Quote:

CHOOSE THE PLAN THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU...

I'll keep looking. Thanks.