Buy prepaid visa/mastercard From Woolies/Coles using AMEX

Lozy on 17/06/2013 - 09:44
Last edited 17/06/2013 - 09:57

It's time for my car rego to be paid, WWW.TMR.QLD.GOV.AU Don't acccept AMEX.
I'm wondering if anybody has managed to load up a prepaid VISA/MASTERCARD at Woolies/Coles using an AMEX?
I want the QFF points from my AMEX so thats why I'm trying to see if this works.

-I called the prepaid hotline (Woolies) and asked if I can use the card to actually pay the bill with tmr.gov.au, just like a normal VISA/Mastercard…

-The response was: "Um, I don't see why not, its like a normal Visa/Mastercard, BUT, I do know that some places dont accept them." (They couldn't name the places that didn't accept)

And in response to the charging up from an AMEX they said "I'm not sure, I don't think so because its credit to credit, but you can always try I guess…"

Ideas?
Regards

Financial

Comments

  • whitty on 17/06/2013 - 10:27

    Won't the fees for the prepaid card be more than the QFF points are worth?

    • ozy on 17/06/2013 - 10:31

      -Card costs $2.95
      -You load it up (with up to $1000) then free to spend on credit.
      I'd get 701 QFF points (for my $701 bill including the $2.95 to buy the card)

  • otigan on 17/06/2013 - 15:12
    +3

    I work at a Woolworths store and at my store you can only pay cash or efptos for those Prepaid credit cards. I think it may say on the back in the term and conditions though. What you could possibly do is buy wish gift cards with your credit card then use the gift cards to then buy the Prepaid master card. (Its frowned upon but you can do it). However their is a limit on a Wish card of $500.

    • ozy on 17/06/2013 - 15:17
      +1

      WOW thats a great idea! Thank you! Now to see if I can pay my rego in two payments.

      • [Deactivated] on 17/06/2013 - 22:11

        [+] for WOW reference

        • ozy on 17/06/2013 - 22:12

          Cheers.

      • ozy on 23/06/2013 - 18:29

        You can pay for your rego in two installments, in the shop!
        Just can't do it over the Phone/Via Bpay/On their website or using an AMEX.

    • ozy on 23/06/2013 - 18:30

      Cheers for the reply Otigan but you just Can't Do It..

  • Pratty on 17/06/2013 - 19:42

    I'm in the same boat as you. I'm not going to go to the lengths you're going to though. Good luck. :P

    I had a thought. Do Aus Post accept Amex? Could we try paying rego through them and getting the extra points?

    • ozy on 17/06/2013 - 19:44

      Nope they wont accept Amex at AustPost..Sorry

  • Bab on 18/06/2013 - 08:32
    +1

    Isn't buying a gift card using a credit card considered a cash transaction?

    • ozy on 23/06/2013 - 17:53

      No, I can confirm you can buy gift cards using amex and its considered credit.

  • ozy on 23/06/2013 - 18:22

    I can also confirm that buying a gift card using the amex, then trying to buy a prepaid credit cared DOESNT WORK!
    1. I loaded up a giftcard using my AMEX for the max $500.
    2. I purchased a prepaid mastercard ($3.95)
    3. I then tryed to load up $500 (Also the max) on the PP credit card (PPCC) using the giftcard. FAIL!!

    -Using the giftcard is like "USING CASH", loading the credit card requires you to use "cash/debit card"
    -Problem is when loading the PPCC, the giftcard is trying to withdraw a cash amount from the card, rather than using the cash amount on the card to make a purchase (like a Debit card).

    That said you would think "well, the PPCC can be loaded using a debit card, so why wont this work"..
    Then you look at the T&C's for the gift card,…
    In summary it says the card can be used for Purchased in Woolworths (And affiliates/Sub Companies).. No CASH CAN BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE CARD.
    -Purchases are withdrawn from the card then like a Credit Card until the balance reaches $0.

    So what did I do with my useless $500 Gift Card and my unloaded $3.95 PPCC?
    Went to the customer service desk and spoke to a staff member who asked her supervisor if she could buy the giftcard from me for $500 and then use the cash she has to load the PPCC for me as a cash transaction.

    Q:Why would she do that you might ask (God knows I did!)
    A:Her boss hadn't paid her wage in full and she had to wait a fortnight to get the pay, so if she did this she could refund the card as a merchant and she gets the "500 cash" back (Which she "gave" to me) ;) then when the till is out 500 at the end of the day she says "oh I have this card to refund, but i'll keep it as an advance till my pay comes in then refund the rest"

    I nearly hugged her! saved my ass and stuck it to the boss man! True Ozbargain spirits united!.

    **Dont try this, most people are not that creative, plus I nearly spewed when I realised I had a loaded card ($500) and couldnt use it out side of the Woolies maze of companies…

    QFF point =500, Priceless.

    • tooblue on 27/06/2013 - 14:50

      My head hurts

      • ozy on 27/06/2013 - 15:52

        Lol- sorry, to sum it up, It doesnt work.

  • Bab on 23/06/2013 - 18:29

    I tried at Woolies but the system didn't let the assistant transfer money from gift card to prepaid debit card. The system stated cash out unavailable from gift cards.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2013 - 18:49

    Ozy, unless things have changed in the last year, you can't renew a licence on the tmr website using a prepaid card. That's because of the need for confirmation details.
    Things may well be different for rego payments, but anticipate being disappointed when you go to try. Just in case, don't leave it until the last minute.

    • ozy on 23/06/2013 - 18:57

      Yeah I should have added that I used the PPCC for a major vet bill that came up, then bit the bullet and paid the rego using my visa debt card…
      PS I think I read that as of next month you pay an extra 0.4% of your rego bill, if you use a CC. (New to QLD, as until then there has never been a %fee added)
      Bastards!

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