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Benefits/Signing Up
What is the primary benefit of using the AdvantageTM Card? The AdvantageTM Card provides an easy way for you to give to a non-profit organization such as a charity, club, school, or religious institution. In today's busy world, convenience is always appreciated. The AdvantageTM Card puts you in control and eliminates the need for selling items door to door because 3% of the value loaded on the card goes to the non-profit organization, making it practical because you can use the card to purchase things that you really need from wherever you want. How do I enroll for the AdvantageTM Card? Is there a credit check? Simply complete the paper enrollment form or enroll online at www.theadvantagecard.com/signup, indicate the initial amount of funds that you would like to load on the card, and your AdvantageTM Card will be mailed to you at your home address. Since the AdvantageTM Card is not a credit card, there is no credit check, and no interest charges. The available funds will be based solely on what you decide to load onto the card. How do I start the AdvantageTM Card Program in my club, school or parish? Call us at 714-772-8872 or send an email to info@theadvantagecard.com and request an information packet. One will be sent to you immediately. General Card Knowledge/Account Maintenance How does the AdvantageTM Card work? The AdvantageTM Card is a prepaid card, not a credit card. The spending limit is determined by the value loaded onto the card. When you sign up, you determine the amount of money that you would like to load on the card. Of that amount, and for every subsequent load, 3% will go to your designated nonprofit organization. The funds are then easily transferred from your checking account or savings account to your AdvantageTM Card. Simply use the card at millions of locations that accept Visa® debit cards. How do I re-load funds onto my AdvantageTM Card? Re-loading is easy. 1) Go to www.theadvantagecard.com, click on my account and register your checking or savings account that you want to use for loading funds, 2) Type in the amount you would like to load on the card, 3) Load funds at your convenience from the website or by calling 1-866-785-0859. The minimum amount you can load is $25.00; the maximum amount you can load is $750.00. Please be aware that there is a load fee in the amount of $1.00 each time funds are loaded onto your card. You can also set up the option of a re-occurring load amount to be placed on your card on a scheduled basis. Please be aware that funds loaded from your bank savings or checking account onto your AdvantageTM Card must be actually received before being available on the AdvantageTM Card balance for you to spend. This may take up to 3 to 5 business days. As always, make sure you check your balance before making purchases. Why may it take up to 3 to 5 business days for funds loaded from a bank savings or checking account to become available? Money loaded from a bank savings or checking account must actually be received before being available on your AdvantageTM Card balance for you to spend. That is, your bank must send the money through the electronic system (known as the "Automatic Clearing House" or "ACH" system) that banks utilize to move money between themselves. That process may take up to 3 to 5 business days. How much money can I load to the AdvantageTM Card account? You can load any amount between $25 and $750, as long as you do not load more than $1,500 during any 15-day period. Your card balance can never be greater than $3,000.00. Does my home address have to match the address on my funding source account? Yes. For security purposes, we authorize all value load requests using the home address you provide. This is known as your Home (Funding Source) Address. Please make sure the address you supplied matches what is on file with the issuer of your funding source account. Otherwise your request to load money may not be honored. Can any checking or savings account be used as a funding source? Any bank in the country that allows electronic fund transfers can serve as a funding source. Please make sure that your bank allows electronic withdrawals via the ACH (Automated Clearing House) system - nearly all of them do. However, this requires up to 3 to 5 business days for the funds to actually be received through the ACH system and be available for spending on your AdvantageTM Card. Who can use my AdvantageTM Card? Upon initial enrollment, you may designate up to two authorized users per account. Once enrolled, you may add up to 3 more authorized users to the account by simply going to www.theadvantagecard.com, then go to “My Account”, “Add Secondary Card”. There will be a $4.95 service fee applied to your account for each authorized user that is added to the account. Each authorized user on the account has equal rights and responsibilities. Can I use an Advantage™ Card as an allowance card for my teen? Yes. In fact, the Advantage™ Card is a terrific vehicle for teaching financial responsibility to your teenager. As the Primary Cardholder, you can request an additional card for your teen online at www.theadvantagecard.com. You can then view and manage your teens' transactions securely and conveniently. Can I start using my card as soon as I receive it? Before you may start using your card, it will need to be "activated" from your home number that you provided upon enrollment. To activate your card, simply call the toll free number at 1-866-785-0859 or logon on to www.theadvantagecard.com. By doing this it will activate. Activating your card verifies your personal information and protects you account against fraud. How do I check my available balance? You may obtain your balance either online, or by calling the toll free number at 1-866-785-0859, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can view your statements online to track transaction history. If you prefer to receive a paper copy of your statement, there is a fee in the amount of $1.50. Can I use my AdvantageTM Card after I have spent the balance? Not until you load more funds to your account. If there are no funds in your account, and you attempt to make a purchase, it will be declined If this is a prepaid card, can it ever have a negative balance? Attempts to make purchases in an amount greater than the available AdvantageTM Card balance may be declined at the point of sale. Occasionally however, a merchant may charge a purchase without a pre-authorization and this may result in an overdraft. A negative balance fee in the amount of $20 will be charged to the account if the account balance remains negative for an extended period of time. Overdrafts must be immediately repaid by loading more money onto the card. What happens when my AdvantageTM Card expires? Your AdvantageTM Card has an expiration date printed on the card. Prior to this date, your account history will be reviewed, and a decision will be made whether or not to renew your account. Please speak with a customer service representative at 1-866-785-0859 (our toll-free number) if you have any questions about the renewal status of your card. How do I close my account? Call our toll free number at 1-866-785-0859, and a customer service representative will assist you with closing your account. If you request to have your account closed and it still carries a balance, a closure fee in the amount of $15.00 will be charged to your account before sending you a refund check for the remaining balance. If you request to have your account closed and it does not have a balance there will not be a closure fee assessed to your account. Customer Service What if I never receive my card(s)? Typically, normal delivery is 10 to 14 business days. If you have not received your card within the specified amount of time, call the toll-free number at 1-866-785-0859 and a customer service representative will assist you. What if my personal information changes? You may change your personal information such as address and telephone number online at www.theadvantagecard.com or contact customer service at 1-866-785-0859. It is important to keep your account information updated as some merchants verify your billing address for mail/telephone orders. If the address is not correct, it may delay or stop the transaction. How do I reach someone if I have any questions about my AdvantageTM Card? For your convenience, you may reach customer service at 1-866-785-0859, or visit www.theadvantagecard.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Making Purchases Where can I use my AdvantageTM Card? Since your AdvantageTM Card bears the VISA® logo, you can use it everywhere that welcomes Visa® debit cards. You can also use your AdvantageTM Card to withdraw cash at Visa® or Plus branded ATM's should an emergency arise. Can I use my AdvantageTM Card to make a purchase that is larger than the balance on my card? You can still make purchases that exceed your available balance on your AdvantageTM Card by using another form of payment in addition to your card. By paying for part of your purchase with your AdvantageTM Card and part with a second source of payment: 1) Let the cashier know in advance you will be using two forms of payment, 2) Present the card and state the specific amount to be used, and 3) Pay the cashier the difference with a second form of payment- cash, credit, or check. What if I need to return an item to the merchant? You will need to present your AdvantageTM Card at the time of a merchandise return. If the merchant's return policy allows it, the merchant will credit the amount of the purchase back on to your card. Remember to save your purchase receipt and the card even after you have spent all the funds loaded on the card in case there are any merchandise returns. My transaction history online shows that a merchant charged me for more than what I authorized. Why is this? Please be aware that some merchants - for example hotels, restaurants and mail-order companies may require the card to have an available balance greater than the purchase amount to ensure sufficient funds for tips or incidental expenses. If you use the AdvantageTM Card at the automated fuel dispenser, it may require a minimum balance of $30. It is recommended that you give your card to the station attendant and state exactly how much gas you want to purchase, instead of swiping your card at the automated fuel dispenser. What is the difference between selecting "debit" or "credit" at a merchant after the cashier asks me to swipe my card through their terminal? The only difference is that if you select "debit", you will be asked to type in your PIN after swiping your card. This option also allows you to obtain cash back if you prefer. If you don't remember your PIN, selecting "credit" still allows you to use the card, and the cashier will ask you to sign the receipt for the sale. Security Will I have a PIN number? Yes. When you call to activate your card, you will also be given your PIN (personal identification number). If you would like to change your PIN, you may do this online or via the toll-free number at 1-866-785-0859. For security purposes, never write your PIN on your card, and do not store your PIN in your purse or wallet. If your card is stolen, a thief could use the PIN to obtain cash from your card. What should I do if my AdvantageTM Card is lost, stolen? As soon as you notice that your card is lost, you should call the toll free number at 1-866-785-0859 to report it missing immediately and you may not be responsible for any unauthorized transactions. For a fee of $8.50, we'll issue a new card and transfer your funds to this new card. This fee will be deducted from your account balance. New cards will be mailed to the address on our file. I forgot my PIN. What should I do? If you forget your PIN, call the toll-free number at 1-866-785-0859, and a customer service representative will assist you. You can also go to www.theadvantagecard.com to request a new PIN. I think my card is just misplaced. What should I do? If you think that your card has been misplaced, you can call our toll-free number at 1-866-785-0859, and they will place a temporary "block" on your card giving you time to look for the card. This will prevent your card from being used while it is out of your possession. If you later find that your card was just misplaced somewhere, (for example in your home or car) please contact us to remove the temporary "block" from your account. What do I do if I don't recognize or did not authorize a transaction on my statement? Call the toll-free number at 1-866-785-0859 and a customer service representative will assist you. Your card number may have been compromised, or you may not recognize a transaction because of the manner in which the merchant's name appears on your statement.  |
