When it comes to prepaid cards, Netspend card is one of those which rank up there with the others. I remember when I first got mine, I did not activate it until a few days later. When I finally got around it, I thought, “How do I Activate my Netspend prepaid card?”
This is because getting a prepaid card is easy. It is just the process of setting it up, which sort of sucks sometimes. Some financial companies make it drag with calling customer service or a number to set it up. Luckily, you do not have to call Netspend’s customer service to activate a new Netspend debit card.
The thing is you can activate your Netspend debit card online. Here is a step by step guide on how I did my Netspend card activation online.
How To Activate Netspend Prepaid Card Online
You have to activate your NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card to use it. You can either do this on your phone’s browser, or use a computer. This is what I want you to do below:
- Go to Netspend Activate A Card page.
- Enter your card number and security code. These are the only 16-digit numbers on your card, while your security code is the three-digit code.
- Tap or click the continue tab to proceed.
- You will receive a confirmation text. It will say your card is activated.
Netspend card activation online is easy. This is as long as you have access to the internet anyways. Otherwise, you are going to have to call the Netspend customer service to activate your card through the phone.
Oh yes! Remember when I mentioned earlier it is hassle to activate a card sometimes?
Well, that has to do with when it boils down to giving a financial institution a call to activate a debit card. You are going to have to call to activate your Netspend debit card. I know- the online activation is better since there is no wait for it.
Unfortunately, Netspend customer service is not 24 hours a day. You just have to dial their 1-866-387-7363 number Monday through Friday from 8am to 10pm. It is available on the weekend from 8am to 8pm. If I were you, I would find a place with internet for your Netspend debit card activation online. I feel like it is easier and quicker than waiting on a call queue.
How Much Does It Cost To Activate A Netspend Card?
Netspend will activate a card for free. There is no fee for card activation, at least when I did mine. The only fee you may pay, is purchase fee. That is if your card purchase was done in a retail location catering to Netspend.
Usually, the fee can cost up to $9.95. I know- it is crazy high. You can get a free cash app card without the fee stress. I feel it is much better. No offense Netspend!
Can You Activate Netspend Card Without SSN?
You can activate a Netspend card, when you have a social security. This is because to have a bank in the United States which requires you to have access to monetary funds, you need a social security number to set up such an account. The only reason you ordered a Netspend card is because you provided your social security number.
Am I right?
Therefore, you cannot activate a Netspend card without SSN. Unless it is a gift from someone, then it is a whole different ball game. But all the same, you need a social security number.
Why Is My Netspend Card Not Activating?
A Netspend card might not be activating, because you do not have an account. This is especially, when someone gives you a Netspend prepaid visa card as a gift. You need to create an account first.
Not only creating an account, but also put in your social security number during the account creation in order to activate your card. A Netspend prepaid card just like any bank card- prepaid, debit or credit, needs to be linked to you through a social security number. This is to prevent fraudulent practices.
So, I will recommend creating an account first before attempting to activate the card. If the problem persists, Netspend customer service will help you resolve the issue.
How To Use Netspend Card Online
You cannot use Netspend card, unless you have money on it. On How To Put Money On Netspend Card, I talked about ways you could add money to your account in order to begin using it. You can add money on money on a Netspend card through bank wires, gas station and mobile check deposits.
The mobile check deposit may take a little while to deposit though. It takes about two to three business days to drop in your account. I do not know about how you feel on that, but it is the same waiting time as most banks.
So, it is not bad?
Well, if you are looking for a quicker approach. I will talk about other measures to get you using your Netspend card online in minutes. I refer to retail load places. Here is what I want you to know on the next paragraph.
Where To Load Money On A Netspend Card?
There are more than 130,000 retail reload centers which cater to Netspend in the United States. I bet when I make my list of these places, there is a chance one is in your city. Or even better, your neighborhood and block!
I already discussed the Best Netspend Card Retail Reload Places In the US. But, I am still going to reiterate a summary of it for you. You can read the blue highlighted article for how to go about reloading your newly activated Netspend card.
Having said that, here is a list of places where you can go reload your card:
- Gas stations like 7-Eleven, Safeway, Speedway and Circle K.
- Groceries chains like Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Publix, Walmart and FoodLion can help you out with it.
- Pharmacies like CVS.
I recommend you read my article on it. I elaborated more, but one thing I want you to know is it is going to cost you to reload your card each time. Usually, the fee is not more than $3.95.
Personally, I would call reload location first nearest to you before heading out. This is to make sure the location does Netspend reload and at what cost. I do not want you getting disappointed.
Can I Use A Netspend Card At An ATM?
You can withdraw cash from an ATM using a Netspend prepaid debit card. This is as long as the card has been activated. If you ever wondering where to load money on a Netspend card or cash out, I usually go to one of these Netspend ATM location around.
Chances are there is an ATM location in your city, where you can just go to cash out for free or a little fee. On the above article, I talked about which ones will charge you a few and the ones that are free. If you are money-conscious like me, I know you will appreciate the no-fee ATMs.
On the whole, you can set up your Netspend card and use it the same day. This is as long as you do not run into any issue. I think you will not, given I addressed everything you need to know on this article.
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