I normally decline to join any pre-paid card services that Check Cashing businesses offer when you are with the teller. Today though, I decided to try Excella as I thought it would be easier than walking around with an excess of money today. The teller made it simple to enroll in the program. But when I got the card with a whole bunch of information that needs to be read, I became apprehensive.
When I got to my office, I opened the documentation that comes with the card. As an Excella customer, you have the option to either pay a small transaction fee for EVERY purchase made (the price varies by the type of ACH transaction). The other payment option is a monthly ten dollar fee which they call "Unlimited Purchase Plan". Sounds good as I make a lot of purchases and will be doing so today. Any new Excella account is defaulted to the first option where you have to pay one to two dollars per transaction. I was instructed to go on-line, by the direction pamphlet, in order to change to the Unlimited Purchase Plan.
I did indeed go on-line to change my payment options. I was easily able to initiate the change. Unfortunately, upon changing my options, I get a pop-up window stating that any changes made to my Excella acct. will take place on the first day of the following month. So...Wait... It is only October 4th at the moment. You mean to tell me that I will be expected to pay a transaction fee for EVERY purchase I make? Until November? I immediately called Excella's customer service.
First, I have to point out the customer service representative that I got was terrible. I have worked customer service via telephone before and I do not think that the company that I worked for would allow such incompetence. Secondly, when I brought up the issue that I was having, the representative confirmed what I thought to be true through my reading and on-line experience. He offered no help and didn't seem to realize that I was calling in order to rectify such an obvious rip off.
Now, here's where I really start to become annoyed: I asked the Rep why they do not allow for people to make the choice of how they want to pay at the time of activation. This guy had the nerve to lie (or maybe he is just that stupid). He said "Most people would rather use the option to pay per transaction" so Excella doesn't bother to give better activation options. When I stated that this is just Excella's way of taking people's money, the Rep had no response.
I asked the genius that I was on the phone with how I can opt out of this service and get my money back. The Rep suggests that I go to any bank that accepts Visa and request a cash advance in order to get my money back. I laughed and pointed out that I would then be subject to the transaction fee that was the catalyst for this entire disgrace. The Re stated that this method is completely free and that I would have no problems doing it. At this point I had to get off the phone and go to church to pray for this man's soul and hope he never reproduces. I didn't even bother pointing out that since this was a new account, the temporary card, which does not have my name on it, would not be accepted by any institution that does cash advances such as a bank.
The excella Visa Prepaid Debit Card Reviews
I normally decline to join any pre-paid card services that Check Cashing businesses offer when you are with the teller. Today though, I decided to try Excella as I thought it would be easier than walking around with an excess of money today. The teller made it simple to enroll in the program. But when I got the card with a whole bunch of information that needs to be read, I became apprehensive.
When I got to my office, I opened the documentation that comes with the card. As an Excella customer, you have the option to either pay a small transaction fee for EVERY purchase made (the price varies by the type of ACH transaction). The other payment option is a monthly ten dollar fee which they call "Unlimited Purchase Plan". Sounds good as I make a lot of purchases and will be doing so today. Any new Excella account is defaulted to the first option where you have to pay one to two dollars per transaction. I was instructed to go on-line, by the direction pamphlet, in order to change to the Unlimited Purchase Plan.
I did indeed go on-line to change my payment options. I was easily able to initiate the change. Unfortunately, upon changing my options, I get a pop-up window stating that any changes made to my Excella acct. will take place on the first day of the following month. So...Wait... It is only October 4th at the moment. You mean to tell me that I will be expected to pay a transaction fee for EVERY purchase I make? Until November? I immediately called Excella's customer service.
First, I have to point out the customer service representative that I got was terrible. I have worked customer service via telephone before and I do not think that the company that I worked for would allow such incompetence. Secondly, when I brought up the issue that I was having, the representative confirmed what I thought to be true through my reading and on-line experience. He offered no help and didn't seem to realize that I was calling in order to rectify such an obvious rip off.
Now, here's where I really start to become annoyed: I asked the Rep why they do not allow for people to make the choice of how they want to pay at the time of activation. This guy had the nerve to lie (or maybe he is just that stupid). He said "Most people would rather use the option to pay per transaction" so Excella doesn't bother to give better activation options. When I stated that this is just Excella's way of taking people's money, the Rep had no response.
I asked the genius that I was on the phone with how I can opt out of this service and get my money back. The Rep suggests that I go to any bank that accepts Visa and request a cash advance in order to get my money back. I laughed and pointed out that I would then be subject to the transaction fee that was the catalyst for this entire disgrace. The Re stated that this method is completely free and that I would have no problems doing it. At this point I had to get off the phone and go to church to pray for this man's soul and hope he never reproduces. I didn't even bother pointing out that since this was a new account, the temporary card, which does not have my name on it, would not be accepted by any institution that does cash advances such as a bank.