Western Union debit card question

[toomuch]

We have not filed yet but have stopped direct deposit for fear of creditors freezing our account.
Last week, my mom was dx with Glioblastoma and given 2 to 3 months to live. I am 6 hours away and it looks like I will be making frequent trips to see her. Unfortunately, I will have to get a room. I need a cc or debit which I have neither now.
How does the Western Union card work as far as rez goes or even paying bills? Can my husband cash his check and put it all on the card? Is it safe from being frozen? I did go to Wells Fargo site but you have to give them your SS number. What do we do to be safe??

Thanks,

Too much (really, tooooo much )

[HHM]

Have you been sued. If not, no creditor can touch your bank account. So you are probably being overly cautious if you have not been sued or are not under eminent threat of being sued (and if you were sued tomorrow, it would take at least 2 months before the creditor would be in a position to garnish assets like a bank account.

If you are going to be filing BK, you do not want to get a CREDIT card.

With Wells Fargo, the debit card is attached to your checking account. Thus, to use the debit card, you need money in your checking account. A debit card is NOT a credit card, if you don't have money in the attached account to cover whatever transaction, they card will be rejected.

[SinkingFast]

HHM,.............. I believe TooMuch is talking about a Debit Card that you can purchase. Not one associated with or tied to a bank acct.

TooMuch,............. Did you perhaps mean the Western Union Debit Card??

The WU Debit Card is available for sale at Drug Stores, Dept Stores and such. Is this what you had in mind:

http://www.bankruptcyforum.com/showt...rgo+debit+card

A Debit Card based on the amount of cash you put on it at any given time??

[HHM]

HHM,.............. I believe TooMuch is talking about a Debit Card that you can purchase. Not one associated with or tied to a bank acct.

TooMuch,............. Did you perhaps mean the Western Union Debit Card??

The WU Debit Card is available for sale at Drug Stores, Dept Stores and such. Is this what you had in mind:

http://www.bankruptcyforum.com/showt...rgo+debit+card

A Debit Card based on the amount of cash you put on it at any given time??

True enough, but Toomuch asked specifically about Wells Fargo, and as far as I know, Wells Fargo does not offer that kind of cash card. But your right, their are cash cards this person can get, (like from Western Union).

[toomuch]

HHM,.............. I believe TooMuch is talking about a Debit Card that you can purchase. Not one associated with or tied to a bank acct.

TooMuch,............. Did you perhaps mean the Western Union Debit Card??

The WU Debit Card is available for sale at Drug Stores, Dept Stores and such. Is this what you had in mind:

http://www.bankruptcyforum.com/showt...rgo+debit+card

A Debit Card based on the amount of cash you put on it at any given time??

SORRY. I did mean Western Union. I am so upset right now I am not thinking clearly.

I have not been sued, but am expecting it any day. I don't know the time line for garnishing wages or freezing back accounts. I was told by someone on this board, more than once, that it was best to stop direct deposit. So now we are buying money orders for everything and keeping receipts.

So, being as I have to give a SS # for the Western Union cash card or whatever it is called, that will leave a paper trail. Can my creditors track down this card and do anything with the funds on it?? Do I get a statement?

Oh, of course I know I can't get a credit card now. I mute every cc commercial I see.
Toomuch

[HHM]

SORRY. I did mean Western Union. I am so upset right now I am not thinking clearly.

I have not been sued, but am expecting it any day. I don't know the time line for garnishing wages or freezing back accounts. I was told by someone on this board, more than once, that it was best to stop direct deposit. So now we are buying money orders for everything and keeping receipts.

So, being as I have to give a SS # for the Western Union cash card or whatever it is called, that will leave a paper trail. Can my creditors track down this card and do anything with the funds on it?? Do I get a statement?

Oh, of course I know I can't get a credit card now. I mute every cc commercial I see.
Toomuch

I think you watch to much TV with how paranoid you are being

In any event, I'd be surprised if ANY collector, attorney etc, would be creative enough to go after a cash card, and for that matter, that any routine type of investigation would even reveal that you had the card. (TV Shows tend to exaggerate what information is really obtainable about a person). Creditors find out about assets in generally only 2 ways (1) public records, but that only tells them if you own a house or not (2) what you, as the debtor, tell them on an application (that is generally how they know where you work). The other way is through a credit report, but really, the information on a credit report is all information that you provided to creditors at some point, so its really a variation on number 2. And once they do get a judgment against you and if they are really hunting for assets, they find out about them by asking YOU at a deposition.

But too feed the fires of conspiracy, the WU card is serviced by MasterCard so I suppose if someone hacked MasterCard's database or served them with a subpoena, they could find out.

[Spartan]

There are other prepaid cc that don't even care if you use your real name, let alone you SSN.

Just google prepaid credit card. Green Dot card is one.

[BK'd-Betty]

You're only going to be using the card to reserve a hotel, right?

So just put $200-$300 on the Pre-Paid card to reserve the hotel, but pay CASH for the room when you check out.

Then when you're done with your trip - go to an ATM and take out the cash from the Pre-paid so the card has a 0 balance. (or allow the hotel to debit the card for your tab, then you don't have to do this step)

If you have to make multiple trips - just get a different Pre-paid card and repeat the steps above.

However, I'm with HHM - doubtful they'd find it. But if you do as suggested above, they'll never be able to get more than $200-$300 of your money.

[bige1030]

Even if they were able to get $200-$300, how much of that would be taken by the prepaid card company in garnishment fees? I've read my bank account agreements before, and garnishment fees are quite steep (like $50)...who knows if they're along the same lines for prepaid debit cards.

As for hunting assets down...I sat in on small claims court one day, and I noticed that the judgment debtor was required to complete a "Judgment Debtor's Statement of Assets" to give to the judgment creditor within 30 days under the pains and penalties of contempt of court. I wonder if the same holds true everywhere, and I wonder if one is required to state such prepaid cards on that asset statement.

[toomuch]

I think you watch to much TV with how paranoid you are being

In any event, I'd be surprised if ANY collector, attorney etc, would be creative enough to go after a cash card, and for that matter, that any routine type of investigation would even reveal that you had the card. (TV Shows tend to exaggerate what information is really obtainable about a person). Creditors find out about assets in generally only 2 ways (1) public records, but that only tells them if you own a house or not (2) what you, as the debtor, tell them on an application (that is generally how they know where you work). The other way is through a credit report, but really, the information on a credit report is all information that you provided to creditors at some point, so its really a variation on number 2. And once they do get a judgment against you and if they are really hunting for assets, they find out about them by asking YOU at a deposition.

But too feed the fires of conspiracy, the WU card is serviced by MasterCard so I suppose if someone hacked MasterCard's database or served them with a subpoena, they could find out.

HHM, 99% of the info on BK that I've gotten has come from this board. You bet I'm paranoid, but not from what I see on TV. From what I've read, most people coming to this board for advice are as in the dark about this as I am.

I know we have to keep a sense of humor about this, and I do try, but as I said, on top of this, my mom was just told she only has 2 to 3 months to live. Given that, I am a bit touchy about condescending humor.

I do appreciate all of your advice so please keep it coming as I will have plenty more questions as I enter into this financial phase of my life.

Again, thanks for your input. I do feel more at ease and will ignore the guy in the black sedan that keeps following me

Toomuch

[toomuch]

You're only going to be using the card to reserve a hotel, right?

So just put $200-$300 on the Pre-Paid card to reserve the hotel, but pay CASH for the room when you check out.

Then when you're done with your trip - go to an ATM and take out the cash from the Pre-paid so the card has a 0 balance. (or allow the hotel to debit the card for your tab, then you don't have to do this step)

If you have to make multiple trips - just get a different Pre-paid card and repeat the steps above.

However, I'm with HHM - doubtful they'd find it. But if you do as suggested above, they'll never be able to get more than $200-$300 of your money.

Yes, when I first posted this, it was for a hotel only. Then I went to WU site and saw where one can get direct deposit to this card. I am not real comfortable having cash around, even though it doesn't last long after bills are paid.

Do they put your name on the card? I couldn't find that info on the WU site.

Toomuch

[lrprn]

Last week, my mom was dx with Glioblastoma and given 2 to 3 months to live.

I am so very sorry to hear about your mom, toomuch. I was a critical care RN for many years - please feel free to PM me any time you need a sympathetic shoulder who also has some knowledge about what your mom and your family are going through.

I see SF and HHM already have given you good advice about a pay-ahead-deposit debit card with Western Union. Another possible way to save money while being with your mom is to check out what services the hospital may provide to families who need to be at the hospital away from home for long stretches. Some hospitals make special agreements with nearby motels or hotels for a special rate for their families. Ask the nursing staff if they are aware of any good but inexpensive places you can stay near the hospital and what are good but inexpensive places to eat. Also if your mom is in critical care, often the hospital allows one person to stay in the waiting room at night - many have fold-out chairs that become a bed, some provide meal tickets for free or lower cost food in the cafeteria, etc. If your mom's unit has a social worker attached to her unit (and most do), he/she will be a gold mine of information about programs designed to help families who aren't the strongest financially.

There are several wonderful online support groups for patients with glioblastoma and their families. One of the more active ones is GBMSource at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GBMsource/ . Might be worth joining and lurking there for a few weeks to see if the information and support there would be helpful for your mom, yourself, and other family members. HTH!

[toomuch]

I am so very sorry to hear about your mom, toomuch. I was a critical care RN for many years - please feel free to PM me any time you need a sympathetic shoulder who also has some knowledge about what your mom and your family are going through.

I see SF and HHM already have given you good advice about a pay-ahead-deposit debit card with Western Union. Another possible way to save money while being with your mom is to check out what services the hospital may provide to families who need to be at the hospital away from home for long stretches. Some hospitals make special agreements with nearby motels or hotels for a special rate for their families. Ask the nursing staff if they are aware of any good but inexpensive places you can stay near the hospital and what are good but inexpensive places to eat. Also if your mom is in critical care, often the hospital allows one person to stay in the waiting room at night - many have fold-out chairs that become a bed, some provide meal tickets for free or lower cost food in the cafeteria, etc. If your mom's unit has a social worker attached to her unit (and most do), he/she will be a gold mine of information about programs designed to help families who aren't the strongest financially.

There are several wonderful online support groups for patients with glioblastoma and their families. One of the more active ones is GBMSource at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GBMsource/ . Might be worth joining and lurking there for a few weeks to see if the information and support there would be helpful for your mom, yourself, and other family members. HTH!

Thank you so much for the advice and especially the link for support group. I will PM you so as to keep this in topic.

toomuch

[rrockinggramma]

watch out for fees associated with these cards. My daughter thought it was a great idea. She used Western Union. First of all, she could never get the card loaded because her account number was always "not right" with WU. Then they took out fees everytime she touched the card. They charged her to load the car, and every time she used it. Buyer beware on these cards!