Are prepaid cards automatically activated?

Many prepaid Visa cards are automatically activated upon purchase of the card. Review the instructions provided with the card. If activation is required, the phone number and/or website for activation are provided.

How do stores activate prepaid cards?

When you buy a gift card at the store (whether it is a retailer, restaurant, Visa or Mastercard gift card), you take the gift card to the cash register and ask the cashier to load money onto the card. The cashier takes the card, activates it and loads the dollar amount requested onto the card.

Do I have to load a prepaid card when I buy it?

When you buy a prepaid card, you’ll have to pay the initial amount that you want to load onto the card, often termed the “initial load”, plus the cost of the card. Some cards require a minimum initial load.

When you buy a Visa gift card is it automatically activated?

While some Visa gift cards are activated automatically when they are purchased, others require additional steps to activate them. You can activate your card by calling the phone number printed on it, or by going online and entering the card’s information.

Where can I buy a prepaid credit card?

You may want to go online to review this additional information. You can buy prepaid cards at retail locations (such as grocery stores and drug stores), online, over the phone, or from some banks and credit unions. If you buy the card online, you may then be issued a virtual card, or you may receive a physical card in the mail at a later time.

Do you have to wait to use your prepaid card?

If you buy your card at a retail store or at a bank or credit union branch, you may be able to start using it for purchases right away. If you purchase your card online or over the phone, you may be issued a virtual card or you may have to wait to get a physical card in the mail.

Can a prepaid card help you control your spending?

Prepaid and debit cards can help you control your spending by setting your balance up front. Note that prepaid and debit cards are not the same as credit cards. If you’re looking for a credit card but are concerned about a low credit score, check out these card offers from our partners.

Do you have to activate a gift card when you buy it?

Many gift cards are activated when they’re purchased, so they don’t need to be activated by the recipient. However, some do need to be activated by the recipient before they can be used. You can activate a gift card by calling the merchant or accessing the provided URL and inputting the correct activation numbers.