The Target Prepaid REDcard

[ShlockDoc]

What location did you try. Perhaps your beer off going straight to CS to activate.

Tried one at cashier and one at Customer Service. At both locations the system didn't go through activation routine but asked for item amount. CS rep said that that means that their system doesn't recognize the SKU.

[SRM]

Yes, same thing happened to me yesterday. Essentially the rep charged me a $500 purchase price for the card.  If the Target system doesn't recognize the product it just prompts the cashier to enter a purchase amount.  I noticed that I wasn't promoted for DL or SSN and the receipt looked like a regular purchase so I brought it to customer service immediately and they refunded the $500 but the redbird was fried.

So does this mean my redbird isn't good anymore?

[hvaces42]

Tried one at cashier and one at Customer Service. At both locations the system didn't go through activation routine but asked for item amount. CS rep said that that means that their system doesn't recognize the SKU.

So I ask all those that bought the free version versus paying a few shekels for the $5 version...was it worth it? :-)

[lunatic]

So I ask all those that bought the free version versus paying a few shekels for the $5 version...was it worth it? :-)

its the same card  - $5 or free

[ari9]

So does this mean my redbird isn't good anymore?

right

[AnonymousUser]

its the same card  - $5 or free

I'm sure it has a different SKU, otherwise how would the system know whether to charge?

[Barryg]

So I went to Target today, bought 2 new prepaid redcards, and did two loads onto existing card all without swiping one credit card... I might not be a ddfer after all...

cash???

What's cash? I only heard of cashback...
I had 2 "debit cards" that I loaded onto my temp Redbird and I could only load $1k until I get the new one... (I needed to buy these to get 6% back on BCP) I was also getting two new Redbirds for a relative from different State so I got two for $5 and loaded a dollar on each... I used my Target Redcard (not a prepaid one, but the old Target store card) and actually got 5% (a quarter) off the $5 fee...

[ShlockDoc]

So I ask all those that bought the free version versus paying a few shekels for the $5 version...was it worth it? :-)

I don't understand.  Why would whether it is a free card or a $5 card make a difference when it comes to activating?

[ShlockDoc]

I'm sure it has a different SKU, otherwise how would the system know whether to charge?

Right, but that shouldn't have an impact on activation.  If a store can activate one, it can presumably activate the other.

[hvaces42]

its the same card  - $5 or free

It is...however, if u paid (or had someone pay) the freakin $5, half the thread and their activation issues goes away!!!

[hvaces42]

I don't understand.  Why would whether it is a free card or a $5 card make a difference when it comes to activating?

All these activation issues are related to the free cards only. Ppl...like u and I havent had these issues...have we? All activation issues are for cards obtained from free stores where activation was attempted at stores that dont sell (or carry) them.

[ShlockDoc]

All these activation issues are related to the free cards only. Ppl...like u and I havent had these issues...have we? All activation issues are for cards obtained from free stores where activation was attempted at stores that dont sell (or carry) them.

Interesting. I hadn't seen that data point.  Anyway, I didn't have much of a choice. My mother in law sent me a package of unactivated cards as a Chanukah present. 

[Barryg]

Does it make sense that I can't do bill pay with temp card, do I need to wait until I get permanent card to use bill pay?
Does ATM work with temp card? Is it same $750 max/day?

[hvaces42]

Interesting. I hadn't seen that data point.  Anyway, I didn't have much of a choice. My mother in law sent me a package of unactivated cards as a Chanukah present. 

Its common sense. If you take a $5 Without activating the sensors will go off.

[jameswacht]

a friend got me a red card from baltimore he didnt register it in the store at the time of purchase. I live in Brooklyn so I brought it to the target on Nostrand ave. they had no idea what to do with it so I told them to scan the barcode on the package and charge $500 to my cc. I got the receipt and it had no mention of the red card on it! all it said was that I got charged $500! I came home and tried to register the card online and it does not allow me to. I get a message saying that the info i put in does not match! ANYONE KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO! HOW DO I REGISTER TO GET THE PERMANENT CARD?? THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!

[AnonymousUser]

I don't understand.  Why would whether it is a free card or a $5 card make a difference when it comes to activating?

If they only blocked 1 SKU.

Right, but that shouldn't have an impact on activation.  If a store can activate one, it can presumably activate the other.

Ditto.

Its common sense. If you take a $5 Without activating the sensors will go off.

The sensors don't beep if you take a prepaid card. They're not activated, so they're worthless. You'll have to pay the $5 wherever you activate it, so they're not losing anything.

[AnonymousUser]

a friend got me a red card from baltimore he didnt register it in the store at the time of purchase. I live in Brooklyn so I brought it to the target on Nostrand ave. they had no idea what to do with it so I told them to scan the barcode on the package and charge $500 to my cc. I got the receipt and it had no mention of the red card on it! all it said was that I got charged $500! I came home and tried to register the card online and it does not allow me to. I get a message saying that the info i put in does not match! ANYONE KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO! HOW DO I REGISTER TO GET THE PERMANENT CARD?? THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!

Read upthread. You're not the first one with this issue.

[Barryg]

The sensors don't beep if you take a prepaid card. They're not activated, so they're worthless. You'll have to pay the $5 wherever you activate it, so they're not losing anything.

I asked at my local Target if I can have an inactivated card and they told me no, so I load $1 and pay the $4.75 activation...

[ShlockDoc]

a friend got me a red card from baltimore he didnt register it in the store at the time of purchase. I live in Brooklyn so I brought it to the target on Nostrand ave. they had no idea what to do with it so I told them to scan the barcode on the package and charge $500 to my cc. I got the receipt and it had no mention of the red card on it! all it said was that I got charged $500! I came home and tried to register the card online and it does not allow me to. I get a message saying that the info i put in does not match! ANYONE KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO! HOW DO I REGISTER TO GET THE PERMANENT CARD?? THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!

Yeah, you were charged $500 for the purchase of the card.  This is happening to a lot of people all of a sudden.  You need to go back to Target with the receipt and get them to refund the $500 and the Redbird card is now fried.

[zevi]

a friend got me a red card from baltimore he didnt register it in the store at the time of purchase. I live in Brooklyn so I brought it to the target on Nostrand ave. they had no idea what to do with it so I told them to scan the barcode on the package and charge $500 to my cc. I got the receipt and it had no mention of the red card on it! all it said was that I got charged $500! I came home and tried to register the card online and it does not allow me to. I get a message saying that the info i put in does not match! ANYONE KNOW WHAT I SHOULD DO! HOW DO I REGISTER TO GET THE PERMANENT CARD?? THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!!!!!

You have to fax ur contact info copy of card  and ur id to target they will register the card for you