Anyone have an opinion about the new PASS from American Express?

[ssmdem]

Just got this ad in the mail today and thinking about doing it basically to get the $25 promotional credit they're offering. But essentially it looks like a pre-paid card that you reload. It does have a $4 monthly fee that they are waiving until Oct of next year. Would this cause any issues with us filing? I would only put the required minimum of $25 on the card and then of course we'd have the $25 promotional credit. Sounds kinda like something I wouldn't mind using over the next year just to keep from using my debit card at places I'm not too sure about. Definitely would cancel it before the $4 monthly fee starting hitting. But hopefully by then we would have been able to get a small credit line through a card that I could keep for emergencies. I just HATE using my debit card all the time.

[SunkShip]

The PASS card looks like a good idea but I don't think it is intended for this kind of use. I can't tell if they even allow adults to use the card, or if only a student/child can be the named cardholder

From the AmEx website: "The PASS Card is a reloadable prepaid card parents give to teens and young adults. An adult 18 years of age or older (e.g., a parent or guardian) can purchase the PASS Card for anyone 13 years of age or older. The Card purchaser loads the Card with funds upfront and can reload it so that the PASS Cardmember can use it again and again."

Opinion...I have personally looked into pre-paid cards and visa gift cards and decided that the little fees add up to too much of my money wasted. I just use my debit card for everything, and will have to until I finally qualify again for a small credit card.

[SunkShip]

Ignore most of my post above, another forum is full of adults ordering this card for their own use. It looks like you order the card with an initial $25, and then re-load $25 more and it is the re-load that gives the bonus. $75 card for $50 is not a bad deal. Now I may have to look into it for my boys for X-mas gifts.

I do see some confusion about the time limit for this offer, Some sites are saying the purchase by date was 8/15, and the balance must be used by Oct 1. Amex site took down the bonus banner (Code was PSSB25) but the banner said the offer was vaild until Oct 1. If you get more info on the offer dates please let me know.

[AngelinaCatHub]

Ignore most of my post above, another forum is full of adults ordering this card for their own use. It looks like you order the card with an initial $25, and then re-load $25 more and it is the re-load that gives the bonus. $75 card for $50 is not a bad deal. Now I may have to look into it for my boys for X-mas gifts.

I do see some confusion about the time limit for this offer, Some sites are saying the purchase by date was 8/15, and the balance must be used by Oct 1. Amex site took down the bonus banner (Code was PSSB25) but the banner said the offer was vaild until Oct 1. If you get more info on the offer dates please let me know.

I'd be a bit Leary of this balance must be used.....bit. That is pushing the use of this so called bargain. What happens if it is not use? You lose all your money, or only the 25? I distrust tricky "gotta's". Careful. 'Hub

[ssmdem]

What I got in the mail says the balance needs to be reloaded before November 30th. You can have up to 3 card PASS cards, but only 1 of them can be in your name -- so you can definitely have one for yourself. It just says that the purchaser must be 18 or old, and the cards can be given only to individuals 13 and older. They do trial deposits just like PayPal -- tiny amounts, 10 cents, etc. to verify the funding account. You get the card in the mail, authorize it, and then fund it with a minimum of $25. I'm guessing November 30th is the deadline for FUNDING it - not for ordering it. So, you would need to order it soon in order for it to get here on time - takes 6-8 weeks. --- Or could be two $25 loads since they're wording it RELOAD. They aren't real clear on that -- but I'm loading our gas money for each week on it, so I'm covered with that.

My offer does say the purchaser has to be the recipient of the offer I have received. In other words, the offer came to my husband, so I've got to list the purchaser as him. So, I don't know if they're only offering it to certain people number - which may be why they took the banner down from their website. There's no PIN number or anything for me to key in, but guessing they can track it through our name and address. Doesn't hurt to try though.

This particular card has no fees until Oct of next year. I'll cancel it then cause not paying $4 a month for maintenance fees. And I do agree with AngelinaCatHub -- it does imply you need to USE it -- but I intend to. My credit card has been compromised several times over the past few years, and I do VERY little online shopping with it, so it's got to be local places where the number has been stolen. So far, we've been lucky with our debit card during the past few months we've been using it solely -- but I know my luck is going to run out. That's why I like this card. Hopefully by October of next year, I will have received a credit card offer I feel comfortable using for gas purchases and such.