US credit cards - how to get a prepaid?

[DeKa]

I use Shipito:
Frequently Asked Questions | USA Address & Mail Forwarding

Can I receive mail (letters, catalogs, magazines) too?
Yes, but first change the setting on your account for your services to include receiving mail too, otherwise the mail will be discarded. We also offer FAST MAILOUT option for letters and magazines with lower mail out fee of just one dollar. You have to provide notarized 1583 form and two copies of ID if you want to receive letters.

 

[jamesatfish]

Just to follow up, my PayPal Prepaid card arrived at my US address within a few days of ordering, and then made it to me here yesterday.

I tried the online activation process but using an Australian driver's licence the process failed and asked me to call their help desk. After a brief chat I needed to email through a scan of my driver's licence, and now a few hours later the card has been activated.

Just waiting for the PayPal link to happen so I can move some money across into the card account from my PayPal account but so far so good.

 

[CelticLad]

Hi jamesatfish

Did you link the card to your Australian Paypal Account or did you create a US based one - as I have an active card un-linked at the moment.

 

[jamesatfish]

Hi jamesatfish

Did you link the card to your Australian Paypal Account or did you create a US based one - as I have an active card un-linked at the moment.

It is linked to my US based PayPal account.

I had issues at first trying to transfer money from my PayPal account to the PayPal Prepaid card - the money kept bouncing back. It turns out that my US PayPal account had a business name associated with it (I used it for business transactions in the US) and that was the name they were using when sending money to the card account; as the details didn't match the money was bounced.

I ended up creating a second US PayPal account (at the suggestion of their support team) just in my personal name, which I use solely to transfer money into the PayPal Prepaid card.

Has been working very nicely for several months now with no further problems.

 

[moa999]

How are you transferring money into the Paypal account from Australia (or are you a net seller on eBay).
and what is the cost of that transfer
(eg. Paypal fx rates)

 

[jamesatfish]

How are you transferring money into the Paypal account from Australia (or are you a net seller on eBay).
and what is the cost of that transfer
(eg. Paypal fx rates)

I normally just move money from my US business PayPal account to the personal account linked to the prepaid card, so both sides of the transfers are in USD.

If you transfer from an Australian account to a US account you can send money denominated in USD but you will pay PayPal's exchange rates which no doubt aren't all that competitive. That said, I don't know if the fx 'premium' they apply would be any different to the typical Australian bank-issued credit card fees for foreign currency transactions.

 

[Mickie63]

Hi Jamesatfish

Question please; during your activation chat, did you indicate that you're still Australia based? I've received my card, however activation requires a US utility bill. How did you overcome this obstacle? Thanks

 

[jamesatfish]

Mickie63,

Sorry for not seeing your post sooner - haven't been flying the last few months so my AFFing has reduced too.

I didn't need to provide a US utility bill when activating my card - I just sent a copy of my Australian driver's licence and that's all they needed.

Did you sign up with a US mailing address?

Hi Jamesatfish

Question please; during your activation chat, did you indicate that you're still Australia based? I've received my card, however activation requires a US utility bill. How did you overcome this obstacle? Thanks

 

[Mickie63]

HI Jamesatfish,

No problem; all good. Sent aussie drivers licence & hulu +/Neflix acc address - have a US iTunes acc. Yes re ur question; wouldn't not accept a non-US address. M/C set-up; Cheque Acc set-up with immediate funds tfr from Aussie paypal acc.

Thx James

Mickie63,

Sorry for not seeing your post sooner - haven't been flying the last few months so my AFFing has reduced too.

I didn't need to provide a US utility bill when activating my card - I just sent a copy of my Australian driver's licence and that's all they needed.

Did you sign up with a US mailing address?