fairfax card - reassure me please

[Guest]

Hi dibbers , I have just orderedafairfax pre pay MasterCard. I have never used one as we always do the cash and travellers cheque thing, but next time want to do without the travellers cheques as I can top up small and often on the card
So is it used just the same as a credit card over there?
Are there any pitfalls

[MrsMouse93]

Originally Posted by RedLobsterMan

Hi dibbers , I have just orderedafairfax pre pay MasterCard. I have never used one as we always do the cash and travellers cheque thing, but next time want to do without the travellers cheques as I can top up small and often on the card
So is it used just the same as a credit card over there?
Are there any pitfalls

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I'm ordering ours tonight and in the same situation as you, have always used TC's.

I believe you use like a credit card and if withdrawing cash, the ATM may charge, but FairFx don't.

[Guest]

You use exactly as you would a debit or credit card except that in many places in the US you won't be asked for a PIN or a signature. This is altering slowly - Walmart branches do use chip and pin. A good idea is to get a Family & Friends card so that if you lose the original card or should you have it stolen Fairfx can transfer the funds immediately on to the other card. One tip - in restaurants pay the bill amount with the card and give the tip in cash. This stops "shadow" transactions occuring which can sometimes lock up amounts on the card. You can check the balance on the card either by text message or signing into your account.
If you order the card via the DIBB link you don't pay the £9.95 for the card:

fairfx/dibb

[Neil-LUFC]

Had one last year, no problems at all. Even transferring money from my Bank onto the card when I was in Florida went smoothly.

Will use it again this trip

[shirley]

Used one on our last trip, no problem, apart from 1 it was so easy to use I needed to keep a tab on my spends because it was so easy LOL. Had over $1000 on mine and boy it was fun spending it!

[Guest]

I echo what others have said. I used it everywhere with no problems and I'd say I used the card for 2/3 of my transactions whilst in the US.

Because the ATMs charge for cash withdrawals using the card, I took separate cash but I know some people just make sure they withdraw larger cash amounts to make the fee worthwhile.

[Wobbles]

We have used them for years with no problems

[welovepedro]

We've got one to use. I haven't used it before. We are having 1 with a lump sum on, then have a friends/family one linked to it which is the one we will use for daily spending. Each night we'll transfer the daily spends over to the friends/family card so IF it gets declined/cloned/lost/stolen/ we still have all our other spending money on the other card.

['OHANA]

Originally Posted by welovepedro

We've got one to use. I haven't used it before. We are having 1 with a lump sum on, then have a friends/family one linked to it which is the one we will use for daily spending. Each night we'll transfer the daily spends over to the friends/family card so IF it gets declined/cloned/lost/stolen/ we still have all our other spending money on the other card.

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This is exactly what we're doing although you can't use the app to transfer between cards - has to be the main website x

[Milner]

Originally Posted by MrsMouse93

I'm ordering ours tonight and in the same situation as you, have always used TC's.

I believe you use like a credit card and if withdrawing cash, the ATM may charge, but FairFx don't.

See more...

Is that new that they dont charge for using at the ATM they did when we used it in 2012.