O2 Wallet - PAYG card

[mk_chatham]

Hi

I had one of the original O2 PAYG cards and was really disappointed when it closed down as I found it very useful, and best of all was free to use if I didn't use an ATM. Found out yesterday that it has relaunched as O2 wallet and still has many of the benefits of the original card plus a few extra.

If you want an actual card to use the cost is £5 but is FREE until 1st June 2012, otherwise you get a 'virtual' card to use online.

I know :niddy isn't a great fan of these things but it was a handy 'home' for any spare cash I had and an emergency card to use if I lost my debit card or if there was some other problem with it. As I tended to top up my O2 phone with cash in store, topping up the card at the same time was easy.

From what I can see there is still;

No set up or monthly fees
No fees to top up in cash at O2 stores or with a debit card.
No fees to spend in the UK, there IS a charge to withdraw cash from a UK ATM (£1.00)

Obviously, check all the terms and conditions before signing up.

Just signed up again and now waiting for my card

Link >>>>> O2 | O2 money | Learn about and apply for O2 money financial services


MK

[PlanB]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Thanks for that. I think pre-pay cards are really useful as long as the provider doesn't apply rip-off charges (can't see any on the O2 website). Can anyone who's bankrupt have one since it's not actual credit ?

[philnicandamy]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Yes anyone currently bankrupt or discharged from bankruptcy can have one with NO issues at all (as long as its not loaded with thousands of pouinds)

one or two official receivers seem to get confused with them though..so its worth sometimes explaining what they actually are

[PlanB]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

I think they make a good back-up facility for debit cards which can get lost (my daughter leaves hers in pubs & clubs most Saturday nights!) or destroyed in the washing machine

Also useful if you need to 'isolate' expenditure such as a wife wanting to purchase fine shoes without her husband knowing what they actually cost

[mk_chatham]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Can anyone who's bankrupt have one since it's not actual credit ?

Can't see why not. The only problem MAY be is that they have to verify your ID which they do using the CRA's (anti-money laundering - I think). I guess this could flag up a link to a current address if you were lying low ??

I had problems previously with O2 due to my address format and the CRA's / Post office Address File mis-match but got it all sorted in the end.

I think if they cannot verify your ID you get an £800 limit, which is the max you can load and spend in a year, still useful as a back up or emergency card.

Also this appears to be issued by IDT Financial Services Limited, Gibraltar so NO chance of any off setting that I can see (don't think they can anyway with pre-paid cards). Also your money is in a separate client account in case Telefonica & O2 go up.

MK

[mk_chatham]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

If you have a debit card though, I don't see why you'd need a pre-paid card unless you wanted to use it on 'dodgy' websites (in the sense that you don't trust their security very much)

Hi FP

I was so glad I had one before. I had to put £10 of petrol in the car to get me home, no cash on me, but money in the bank, and then my debit card was 'refused' and no cash machine for miles.

Fortunately the O2 card had my emergency £50 on it so it saved the day!

Learnt from that though, as I now have a 'secret' £20 hidden in my wallet for just such occasions.

MK

[mk_chatham]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

We weren't aware you were about to save the world economy!

Plan B has been busy !!



MK

[5corpio]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Its great news, But.....................!!!

Just to let you know, that o2 will be charging (15p) for the text alerts of your Balances (at a later date) - (Like when you used the o2 money card, apart from you didn't get charged for those text alert).

Thought i had posted an news item on the media blog!

But here is a direct link:
BBC News - O2 mobile wallet app launches text message payments

[5corpio]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

ALSO:

Linky: Equifax provides identity verification for O2 Wallet

Long-standing Telefonica partner brought in to provide quick security checks for consumers signing up to O2′s mobile wallet serviceCredit information and analytics firm Equifax is providing identity verification solutions for the O2 Wallet, which launched last month. The O2 Wallet allows customers who sign up to make purchases and transfer money using an O2 account from their mobile. The partnership builds on Equifax’s existing relationship with O2 parent Telefonica providing identity verification, credit checks and fraud prevention. The firm’s work on O2 Wallet is designed to meet Financial Services Authority rules requiring rigorous identity checks, without delaying the O2 Wallet signup process.

[PlanB]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

I was thinking more about shopping/booking online, you can use cash for the above, we used to when I was going out age (a.k.a. when dinos roamed free! )


Would you like your username changed to ImeldaMarcos?

We weren't aware you were about to save the world economy!

I shall indeed boost the world economy by purchasing shoes on my O2 card thus increasing the UK's Retail Sales Index which sank by 2.3% last month when it was too wet for me to get to the shops

[IF]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

I shall indeed boost the world economy by purchasing shoes on my O2 card thus increasing the UK's Retail Sales Index which sank by 2.3% last month when it was too wet for me to get to the shops

Well done PlanB........but can you post a link yet!!

[PlanB]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

ALSO:

Linky: Equifax provides identity verification for O2 Wallet

Long-standing Telefonica partner brought in to provide quick security checks for consumers signing up to O2′s mobile wallet serviceCredit information and analytics firm Equifax is providing identity verification solutions for the O2 Wallet, which launched last month. The O2 Wallet allows customers who sign up to make purchases and transfer money using an O2 account from their mobile. The partnership builds on Equifax’s existing relationship with O2 parent Telefonica providing identity verification, credit checks and fraud prevention. The firm’s work on O2 Wallet is designed to meet Financial Services Authority rules requiring rigorous identity checks, without delaying the O2 Wallet signup process.

Do you think O2 will still run a credit check since I'm already a mobile phone contract customer with a perfect payment record I've removed my name from the electoral roll recently for various reasons so they won't find me on it at Equifax but they do bill me to that address each month so they know where I live in theory

[IF]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Why would she bother with that when the whole world is relying on her?
...and she has hired a dedicated specialist Link Fairy to do links for her
That's how the other half lives!

True, very true

[PlanB]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Well done PlanB........but can you post a link yet!!

Apparently I can but only at three in the morning when Niddy is online with two hours to spare to assist. Or maybe that was just a bad dream I had

[5corpio]

Re: O2 Wallet - PAYG card

Do you think O2 will still run a credit check since I'm already a mobile phone contract customer with a perfect payment record I've removed my name from the electoral roll recently for various reasons so they won't find me on it at Equifax but they do bill me to that address each month so they know where I live in theory

they may do a Credit Check (But internal) - Will show up on Equifax as a credit check - I would check o2 T&C just to be on the safe side or contact them as a general enquiry