Update: It looks like none of these cards are available for purchase anymore. We will update this post if that changes.
Reddit user dtimm93 was the first to post this, somebody then quickly posted it to FlyerTalk. It looks like you can purchase four types of cards from MetaCard online and in much higher denominations.
- MasterCard gift card: $1,000 limit, $4.95 activation fee
- Travel MasterCard card: $1,500 limit, $6.95 activation fee
- Reloadable Visa card: $1,500 limit, $6.95 activation fee & $3 monthly fee
- Youth card: $1,500 limit, $6.95 activation fee & $3 monthly fee
It looks like you can also do ATM withdrawals with the travel card (cost of $1.50 per withdrawal), this could come in handy if you have any owner/operator fee free ATMs near you. To view these cards follow these instructions:
- Go to https://www.metabank.com/personal/cards
- Click “Buy MasterCard Gift Cards online”
Contents
F.A.Q’s
Is there a shipping charge?
No, shipping is free for all four cards.
What merchant category code is used?
It posted as SIMPLEXES ONLINE SALES. Currently unaware of anything that will earn a higher than normal category bonus on these purchases.
[Read: Find out what a MCC is & how it’s used out what MCC is used]
What credit cards can be used?
Mastercard, Discover & Visa only.
What cards code as a purchase & what codes as a cash advance?
As always, this information is accurate as far as we are aware. Use this information at your own risk, we recommend setting your cash advance limit to $0.
- Barclay Arrival Plus: Worked with cash advance limit set to lower than $1,04.95 purchase
What limits are there?
Your shopping cart cannot exceed $1,500 at any time.
How do I set my PIN for these cards?
Call the number on the back of the card & follow the prompts. You should also be able to use the last four digits on the card as the default PIN.
MasterCard Gift Card:
These look to be your standard MasterCard gift cards. You can set a PIN but cannot use this card for ATM withdrawals.
We will be doing some additional research on these cards to see what can & can’t be done. Obviously buy these at your own risk.
MasterCard Travel Card:
This card comes with a $6.95 activation fee, but you can fund it with up to $1,500. It’s also possible to set a PIN and use it for ATM withdrawals.
- Domestic withdrawals: $1.50
- International withdrawals: $3
There is also a $0.5 fee when you use your PIN to spend money which may make it an unattractive option for those looking to load this onto something else. It’s possible to do online reloads (presumably a credit card can be used) but this comes with a fee of $10.
Because of the load fee, I’m assuming that MetaBank is only envisioning that people hold a maximum of one of these cards. Purchase does require your SSN so be careful of purchasing multiple cards at this stage as it might lead to shut down. There is also a hard limit of one travel card per order.
Reloadable Visa
This card is similar to the travel card but it’s a Visa instead of MasterCard. It also has a monthly fee of $3 (waived with direct deposit). Another key difference is that this account does not charge you $0.5 per PIN transaction. Online loads and ATM withdrawals all have the same fees attached though.
Youth MasterCard
This looks to be the exact same product as the Reloadable visa, except it’s a MasterCard instead. The fee structure is otherwise exactly the same.
Received the card today, but the withdrawal limit from ATMs is set at $0 (even after assigning a PIN to the card, etc.)
ATM withdrawals are only on the non gift card cards
Oh! So I bought the wrong one, then? Were you able to ATM-churn successfully?
Just $4.95 down the tubes for me for my failure here, then. 🙂
I didn’t buy the reloadable cards either, but other people have been successful.
This company is a complete scam. Do not buy if the deal becomes active again. Their customer service is offshore and rude. I’ve still not received my cards after 2 weeks. Meanwhile, they charged my credit card the day I placed the order, and have use of my $1000 for 2 weeks. AVOID.
I received my card a lot quicker than that, what do they say when you call? Let us know if/when the cards finally arrive.
No cards are available for purchase on this link anymore. This deal is dead.
They’ve removed the link to buy the MC GCs. All they have now for online purchase is Travel, Reloadable, and Youth.
https://secure.myprepaidbalance.com/sales/
Grant or William
Is it possible to just buy these Travel MasterCards then cash them out at a fee free ATM per the description below? I dont like dealing with Walmart (and dont live around any) with BB or MS, but if these cards can be cashed out at an ATM – I’d consider trying it out.
It looks like you can also do ATM withdrawals with the travel card (cost of $1.50 per withdrawal), this could come in handy if you have any owner/operator fee free ATMs near you. To view these cards follow these instructions:
Travel MasterCard card: $1,500 limit, $6.95 activation fee
Hi,
I tried purchasing with Chase CC today and it it did not go through, though I was able to purchase using Chase CC 6 days ago without it being processed as cash advance..
🙁
Can I use AMEX gift card to buy those gift card?
Has anyone tried buying these with the DIY Home Improvement gift card? I ask because it supposedly acts like a Discover Crdit Card…?
For cards that can be used, I think you mean VISA, MC, and Discover. I don’t see option to use AMEX.
Good catch. Fixed this.
What is the advantage of this card over Visa Buxx? TD $1 for $1000 and can even use Citi cards. No CA fees. Can then use for MOs and any pin transactions.