I have used my normal credit union debt card in Italy before but am thinking of bringing and using one of their prepaid debt cards that is not linked to the rest of my accounts as an added layer of protection against unwanted access.
Just wondering if anyone has used a prepaid debt card and how it went.
Thanks
Not worth the costs, IMO. Just use your debit card for getting local cash at an ATM and a regular credit card for everything else.
Use the search feature. Frequently discussed with the same conclusion -- fees too high and much less protection. Little value to pre-paid cards.
Credit cards already have built-in protection for the exact problem you mention. If you want to spread your risk (of getting one card blocked by the credit card merchant for a potential fraudulent transaction), then simply take two cards with you (credit, not debit). Why buy an additional, expensive, and ineffective product that merchants are unlikely to accept? Debit cards don't have the same protections as credit cards, so stick with the latter.
Most prepaid debit cards generally can only be used in the USA - it'll say so clearly right on the cards. There are exceptions but they're generally obscure. The fees on these cards also tend to be quite high.
I'd question what "added protection" they really offer - what actual benefit would you get?
IMHO not really a useful option, just a needless complication.
Not sure I understand the issue. You want added protection against unwanted access. Presumably this means you are afraid of losing something on your card I(which can't rally happen given how their fraud protection works) yet you are willing to pay fees in advance to not lose additional money - not to mention if you lost the prepaid card you would have no protection for it.
Our sons were given pre paid cards by their grandparents on our first trip to Europe to get souveniers. They did not work in Europe.
We take 2 credit cards with us, and 2 debit cards. If it's debit cards that you're worried about having your whole checking account compromised, this is what we do. We have a debit card from our main bank and we have a checking account with USAA that is our travel account. You can use any bank for this. We don't use this one daily at home, we just put money in it before a trip. We use this travel account to access money on our trip, with our main account debit card as a backup. For some purchases in Europe we use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
I would Not try a prepaid card. Too many people have had them and not be able to use them.
Have a Great Trip
Several people have had pre paid cards with them on tours I have been on. None of the cards worked.
You can get a travel pre paid debit card from AAA and other places. They key is it must be a TRAVEL card, not just a regular prepaid card as those do not work outside the US. Hoverer, the fees on these cards are outrageous. There is a fee for everything including just to get the card. Not worth it.
The best protection against unwanted access is to use a credit card (preferably one without any foreign use or conversion fees). If you get one from somewhere other than your credit union, there is no way anyone can get to your other accounts. Of course use your debit card to get cash from a bank owned ATM for the times you need cash, but never use your debit card for purchases. Similarly, use your credit card for as many purchases as possible but never to get cash.
Same as Mimi... 2 seperate debit accounts. The second is for Travel Only. If I find I need more in the travel account, which has only happened once in 14 trips, I just transfer between the 2 seperate accounts.
