Now in their 4th year, the Prepaid365 Awards continue to generate significant interest around the UK and the globe with an ever increasing number of entries from within the UK and abroad. The Prepaid365 Prepaid Awards continue to be one of the only, if not the only, awards where the results are determined solely by consumers in a majority of the categories and hence, the awards provide an excellent endorsement and genuine consumer appreciation for the efforts of prepaid card providers in launching and running these truly stellar programmes. The awards also highlight a few worthy runners ups in each category, shining the light on up and coming superstars within the prepaid industry.

Based on consumer and industry feedback, the Prepaid365 Awards team have maintained the award categories from 2011 with Awards due to be handed out in 22 different categories including 2 business categories for programme managers who have excelled in serving big business and small business.

Over the next 10 weeks, subject matter experts at Prepaid365 will work in conjunction with consumers to determine the winners across the 22 categories from votes gathered via online surveys and social media votes with the aim of  researching, reviewing and collating consumer choices aross prepaid cards and prepaid card providers across the UK and beyond.

Amit Sharma, CEO and Senior Consultant at Prepaid365 commented, “The response to the first 3 editions of the Prepaid365 Awards was truly exceptional. It is often seen with trade circles that it is quite easy to get providers excited about awards but the Prepaid365 Awards are truly unique as we have had enhanced consumer engagement with each edition of the awards and we expect the 4th edition to raise the bar even higher.

In fact, it is with this in mind that we have introduced an even more  robust voting process this year and decided to engage  providers and their existing consumer base to greater effect to make the awards even more representative of the people who really count – consumers!. I have previously stated that the awards seem to grow bigger each year and the entries fly in from further afar than before and we expect 2012 to be no different. Here’s to the biggest consumer prepaid awards night of 2012. I am extremely pleased to announce the call for entries for the fourth edition of the Prepaid365 Prepaid Awards in 2012”.

Divya Sharma, Marketing and PR Director at leading prepaid marketing consultancy Emotion Associates stated, “Prepaid365 is widely recognised as the leading prepaid card portal in the UK serving the needs of customers and the industry. 2011 was an exceptional year with the launch of the dedicated Prepaid365 Business listings which provide an excellent opportunity for prepaid stakeholders to interact with each other and find a business partner or supplier or client. Our independent care reviews are trusted by consumers and we work extremely hard to ensure that content is regularly updated and is current. In 2011, the social media competition that we ran alongside the Prepaid65 Awards was great fun and we are doing the same again but with even more jazz and pizzazz than last year and consumers are going to be the big winners all through out. Leading Payment industry specialists recommended Prepaid365 as the “reference site and industry resource with prepaid” and we are well on our way to establishing the Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards as the consumers voice and consumer awards “free of commercial bias and an excellent opportunity for prepaid card providers to gauge and reference success against the one opinion that really counts – CONSUMERS”.

Previous winners at the Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards include industry leaders such as   Virgin Money, Cashplus, Splash, Caxton FX, White Eagle, Neteller, O2 Money, TSYS, Payment Card Technologies, Secure Trust Bank, Think Banking, Prepaid Financial Services as well as newcomers such as Phones4u, Clearcash and Kalixa. As always, you need to be in it to WIN it!

Call for Entries for the 2012 Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards sponsored by Transact24- www.t24prepaid.com

Have you got a prepaid credit card programme that has been recently launched or has performed exceptionally well over the last 12 months?  Have you submitted your entry into the Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards? Well, download the entry form and details below and submit your entry before the deadline on 22nd February, 2012.

• Word Format
• PDF Format

For further detail, please refer to the Prepaid365 Awards 2012 Call for Entries brochure here – Prepaid365 Awards 2012 Call forEntries Brochure .

Remember the entry deadline is 22.02.12 and the award winners will be announced on 31.05.12. No entries accepted beyond that deadline day. No really – we mean it this time!

If you have any questions about the 2012 Prepaid365 Prepaid Card Awards or would like to enquire about Sponsorship Options with the Prepaid365 Awards 2012, please email Amit Sharma at amit@prepaid365.com or call on +44(0)78347 26087

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UK Credit Card Terms:

• in 2012 is there a future for uk prepaid credit cards (2)

To avail this offer, simply visit the Kalixa Prepaid Card website and apply for a Kalixa card and the usual £4.95 card fee will be waived when making an initial load of £50. With thousands of new customers signing up each week, Kalixa is well established in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, and is on track to expand into Spain and the Netherlands within the next two months.

“We’re really pleased that Kalixa is becoming more and more popular every day,” says Suresh Vaghjiani, Head of Product Management at Kalixa’s issuing bank, Vincento Payment Solutions. “We’ve worked hard over the past three years to improve the features of the card, and we’ve spent a lot of time optimising our fees. The positive feedback we’re continually receiving proves we’re on the right track.”

Get your Kalixa card today – Visit the Kalixa Website.

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“The area has always been serviced, but exceptional growth over the last few years highlighted the need for a dedicated branch to attend to the unique needs of our business and banking partners, clients and the ATM user community in the province.” says ATM Solutions’ Mpumalanga branch supervisor, Gerhard du Plessis, who initially joined the company as a field technician in 2007 and has over six years of experience in the field.

With client relations executives, sales representatives, and dedicated technicians spread across the region, as well as administration and  dispatching staff, the branch is well-equipped with all the necessary resources and skills to effectively monitor, maintain, troubleshoot and promptly support the region’s ATMs locally.

With a national footprint of over 4000 ATMs deployed and operated on behalf of eight of southern Africa’s major banks, Wayne Abramson, CEO of ATM Solutions, notes that the new branch is currently responsible for servicing about 300 sites in the Mpumalanga region, and provides a further platform to support our goal of making banking more accessible and affordable to the South African public. “Together with our banking partners, we continue to strive to financially include as many people as possible, particularly in developing and underserviced areas where communities have the most to gain from an extended banking footprint”.

Dedicated to run the Mpumalanga branch in line with ATM Solutions’ internal ethos of “Having fun… Making money… and Doing good,” du Plessis says that the team is committed to making each client feel valued.  “Personal interaction based on service excellence, complete customer satisfaction and trust will continue to be the cornerstone of our service offering,” he concludes.

The public can reach the new branch during business hours by calling (013) 692 5518.

For more information on ATM Solutions and its other branches situated across the country visit www.atmsolutions.co.za.

To find out more about Prepaid Cards and Prepaid Card providers, visit Prepaid365.

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What are Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards, as the name suggests, can actually be used to purchase something provided it was loaded prior to usage but they cannot be used to access additional funds like most credit cards can provide.  Prepaid cards contain the money you load into them and nothing else.  If you have used all the money in the prepaid card then you need to add funds to the card so you will be able to use it again. There are different providers of prepaid cards that you can choose from and availing the services of such provider will depend on the terms and conditions of the provider.  You can actually consult with the said provider on how you can get the maximum benefit of the prepaid cards especially when you send money to India.  Know that availing a prepaid card comes with a fee and it may vary among different providers.  It is wise to know more about the provider that you have in mind before availing their services.  The good thing about a prepaid card is that anyone can have it and the minimum age that can avail in most providers can be as low as thirteen years old with parental consent.

In availing prepaid cards, there’s no need to check for the credit standing of the applicant just as long as he or she can provide for what are required in the application form like some fees to be paid and perhaps some pertinent documents that the provider will need like some personal information regarding the one applying for the card.  Prepaid cards are available almost anywhere and remittance can be made through the use of these prepaid cards.  The processing is easy and will not take a long time before you can have your own prepaid card.

To send money to India using the card, you simply need to reload the card.  Once the card has been reloaded it will be ready for use.  Choosing a provider that can give you the most benefits will be a wise decision on your part.  In order to make an intelligent decision in choosing the right provider, you can actually read the reviews regarding the providers that you have in mind then choose the right one for you. Some cards allow you to share money with shared balances whereas others allow you to send money from one linked card to the other.

Find out more prepaid credit cards such as the First Premier Prepaid MasterCard and how prepaid cards can be used for money remittance at Prepaid365.

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• indonesia prepaid mastercard (1)

It is not advisable to travel with too much cash with you especially if you are going to a foreign land and if you are someone who doesn’t want to rely on credit cards, then a prepaid card is just the ideal thing for you to carry as a sort of a travel money card.  Processing the prepaid card won’t take long and there will be not much questions to ask except some personal details to protect your card and you.  You will be the one funding the card which means that everything you pay for using the card will actually come from your own pocket and there will be no billing statements that you need to worry about later on.

Prepaid cards have created a lot of ease especially when traveling to foreign destinations that you practically don’t need to carry cash with you, just your prepaid card will do.  The card is protected by a PIN number that only the owner of the card knows to safeguard the cash that the card can give.  In case you lost your card while travelling in a foreign land, you can always notify the provider and the customer support will make all the necessary moves like blocking the card in order to stop any activities that might involve the lost card.  The moment you noticed that your card is not with you, you must notify proper authorities first like the card provider to block the card then make necessary arrangements to send you a new card to use.  Your prompt action can prevent any fraudulent use of your card.

The prepaid cards won’t be able to provide you with needed funding in case of emergency when your resources were exhausted that’s why there’s a need for you to properly allocate the funds in order to sustain your coveted travel adventure.  When all you have (aside from small pocket change) is a travel money card then avoid spending too much the first day you arrive at your destination because you will never know the things that might come your way.

Find out more about prepaid travel cards and general spend prepaid cards such as the First Premier Prepaid Card at Prepaid365

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Such things will not happen to prepaid MasterCard.  When you load some funds on your prepaid card to be used in online purchases, make it a point to load only the needed amount for the purchase so that even if your card is cloned, the culprit won’t be able to get anything from your card because there will be no more funds to withdraw .  The prepaid card is not a credit card that can provide additional funds when needed which will be include in the next billing statement.  Another good thing about a prepaid card is that you won’t be able to go over the limit that you have set for yourself in order to monitor your expenses.

Availing a prepaid MasterCard won’t subject you to a credit check since you will be the one to provide the funds for it prior to its use.  Just make sure that you are availing the correct card for your self and that you did understand very well the terms and conditions set forth by the card company even if it is a prepaid card.

One of the biggest benefits of a prepaid card is that you can purchase at any store (that accepts it) and even buy online using the card without having to worry about over spending.  There will be absolutely no interest that will ever accrue because purchases can only be drawn against your money or the money that the prepaid card still contains.  You can expect that there will be no debt to pay since no credit was extended and availed in the first place.  If the card will be used to avail some cash advances, the transaction will be denied.  There are also no monthly payments since all purchases were deducted directly from the prepaid card’s account. You can also pay bills online using your prepaid card.

Find out more about MasterCard Prepaid Cards such as the First Premier Prepaid MasterCard at Prepaid365 and why these prepaid cards are great for online shopping.

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UK Credit Card Terms:

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They allow an average individual to enjoy the benefits offered by a credit or debit card. People having low credit worthiness can depend on these credit cards to perform various types of transactions such as making reservations for car rentals, hotels and purchasing items online.

Prepaid credit cards are now being used for Money Transfer, Travel, Gaming, Online Shopping, Payroll and Expense management, Privacy and Gifting.

Prepaid Cards in the Gambling Arena
Despite the fact that consumers are extremely wary of sharing their credit/debit card details online, over 6 million people indulge in online gambling every month. The main reason for the anxiety around credit or debit cards is that these cards tend to be linked to a bank account which means there is a greater risk of loss to fraudsters. Prepaid cards can be an excellent alternative in these circumstances. As a prepaid credit card, it is not linked to any bank account and a scheme branded (MasterCard or Visa) prepaid card can be used for making purchases on gaming and gambling sites.

The usual age checks apply which is great but one of the biggest advantages in this era of social responsibility is that you can only spend up to the value of money loaded onto the card. This means better control and no overspending even if you want to whilst gambling online. In addition to providing a different secure payment method, prepaid cards also provide online gamers and gamblers with an excellent way of staying in control.

Find the right prepaid card for you
Find out more about the benefits of prepaid cards for gaming and gambling at Prepaid365 or visit our consumer prepaid card comparison section to find the best prepaid card to suit your needs.

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Prepaid travel cards allow you to load your card with any desired amount of money that falls under the minimum and maximum loading limit from financial institutions that offer this service. You can use it as a debit card to acquire money from an ATM or use it as a credit card to pay for the purchases made.

Prepaid Travel cards in the era of the Credit Crunch – What do you need to get one?

Prepaid credit cards are taking center stage especially as the economic slump is tightening its grip on the world economy. You no longer need to carry money with you when you are on a trip. Each card is allotted a PIN number that contributes significantly to the safety of the product. As this is an international option, you can get the relevant authority informed about the loss of your card with the PIN number identifying your card to them. Customer support will block all activities that involve the lost product and should make arrangements for a new card to be sent out to you.

These cards remain an independent entity without any relations with a bank account. You will not be able to avail any credit or overdraft facilities with prepaid travel money cards and this will help you keep your spending under check. You can easily retrieve information on your recent transactions and know your balance. This will keep you informed about the money left in your card and therefore, you will be able to manage your spending more judiciously. Your card can be reloaded at any time from any where in the world using your credit or debit card. It is also very easy to secure a prepaid travel card. You just need to submit your ID and documents that will validate your ID and address details and you should be approved and your prepaid travel money card will be in the post. Your card will be readily available for transactions.

Global Prepaid Acceptance

The extent of worldwide acceptance of your prepaid product will depend on your scheme provider. In comparison with electron and maestro prepaid travel cards, Visa and MasterCard prepaid travel cards enjoy better acceptance across the world with MasterCard being the most widely accepted option at over 26 million merchant locations worldwide.

Card Currency and FX Rates – why do they matter?

The currency of your card can play a major role in establishing exactly how much you can save on your trip. You can also take advantage of the exchange rate with your prepaid travel money card. You can have your currency as Euro or Dollar as these are two most popular options available for travellers travelling abroad outside the UK. Euro or dollar prepaid cards can be used in exactly the same way as a standard prepaid card.

To get a Euro or dollar prepaid product, you should buy currency online from the service provider and the amount bought will be loaded into your card and sent to you. With Euro or dollar prepaid product, you may have to pay a fee for withdrawing cash from ATM’s and a fee may be incurred from currency exchange bureau’s and banks worldwide. The most important factor is choosing euro cards when traveling around Europe or dollar cards for other territories where USD is the accepted currency.

Find the right Prepaid Travel Money Card and also find out general spend Sterling Prepaid Cards like the First Premier Prepaid card are excellent for use as Travel cards too.

Find the right prepaid card for you
Visit out travel prepaid card comparison section to find the best prepaid travel money card to suit your needs. If you wish to use a prepaid card for your business, visit our business prepaid card section.

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With prepaid cards, you load funds onto your card and use that money to make purchases and get cash – you are not borrowing money from a bank or other financial institution. Read on if you are interested in finding out what prepaid credit cards are all about.

Credit on Prepaid Credit Cards

Also known as a Prepaid Debit Card or just as a Prepaid Card, a prepaid credit card is similar to a regular credit card, except that there is really no credit limit as such and that funds available on the card are actually the funds that you have loaded on to the card. So essentially a prepaid credit card is not really a credit card at all.

Prepaid credit cards typically come with a whole set of fees attached typically relating to issuance, loading, usage and cash withdrawals. Depending on the plan you choose, you can get a pay monthly or pay as you go prepaid credit card. These cards are especially useful for those with bad credit or a non existent credit history and in such cases, the benefits of prepaid credit cards far outweigh any of these potential extra charges.

Getting Prepaid Credit Cards

The important thing to remember is that a prepaid card does not give you access to credit – so you do not really need to undertake and pass any credit checks as such. This also means that even if you have a non existent credit history, bad credit or even have CCJ’s, you are still more than likely to get approved for a prepaid credit card.

However, as with most financial services, you still need to provide details to verify your identity and your address (typically a passport, driving license and a utility bill with your UK address should suffice). Most UK based prepaid card issuers can verify your details online to provide you with instant approval and your prepaid credit card would come through in the post in 7-10 days.

The Benefits of Prepaid Credit Cards

Well, the main benefits are that prepaid credit cards are available to all regardless of their financial status. There are no credit checks or bank accounts necessary in order to apply for these prepay credit cards. Prepaid Credit Cards allow you to spend without the fear of debt or fraud at millions of retailers online or on the high street.

You can even use them to withdraw cash from ATM’s. Prepaid cards can be MasterCard, Maestro or Visa branded. Prepaid cards with the MasterCard brand can be used to make purchases in-store, online and over the phone at over 28.5 million locations worldwide and to make withdrawals at over 1 million ATM’s worldwide

Click here for more detailed information on the benefits of prepaid credit cards.

Using Prepaid Credit Cards

As there is no credit on Prepaid Credit Cards, you cannot get into debt but also there is no interest payable on the card which makes prepaid credit cards an outstanding proposition for all. You can get prepaid credit cards for all kinds of things which include

• Travel
• Shopping
• Money Transfer
• Gaming
• Payroll
• Banking (if you do not have a bank account)

and much much more.

Find out more about Prepaid Cards

Visit Prepaid365 to find out more about prepaid cards and prepaid credit cards and review and compare prepaid cards.

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Typically, you need to add funds on the card before you can access those funds and most prepaid cards usually have some fees attached to them. Furthermore, they really do not provide any credit whatsoever. So if you are looking for a credit facility or access to additional funds, these cards really are not for you. So with the fees, it may almost seem that you are borrowing your own money at a cost – so the overriding question would be – why would anyone really need prepaid credit cards?
Why You May Benefit From Prepaid Credit Cards

1. Prepaid Credit Cards Provide Access: Not everyone qualifies for credit and debit cards because of their credit history or their social status or because of CCJ’s. Prepaid credit cards can provide such individuals with access to electronic payment devices in the form of prepaid credit cards which thus gives them access to services and purchase options which they would not have normally had access to otherwise. This means that these individuals now have access to online shopping, internet purchases, discounts for electronic purchases and other such similar offers.
2. Ability to Improve Credit History using Credit Builder and Credit Booster Tools: Whilst this has been quite prevalent with Prepaid Credit Cards in the US, this is something which is becoming more popular in the UK as well. A few prepaid card providers now have relationship with credit reporting agencies such as Experian and Credit Expert and provide features which allow cardholders to build their credit history. Of course, misuse can result in you actually making it worse too.
3. Prepaid Credit Cards Provide Enhanced Security: Prepaid credit cards usually have lower limits when compared to credit and debit cards and they are not linked to your bank account which means if your card security was comprised, the losses would be limited to the amount that is usually held on the card. So in essence, they do limit your exposure to fraud.
4. Prepaid Cards Can Help With Budgeting: Prepaid Credit Cards can be used as a tool to help teenagers and kids learn to budget and manage their finances responsibly. Also great for avoiding impulse purchases as funds on your card are limited.
5. Prepay Cards are Great for Travel: Foreign Exchange rates on prepaid travel cards are usually 8-10% better than what you could get on the high street or the airport which means 10% more spend money in your pocket.

Why You Do NOT Need a Prepaid Credit Card

Well, if you have an excellent credit history and already have access to electronic payment resources such as credit and debit cards, you may decide that prepaid credit cards is really not for you. Perhaps you are more risk taking and less risk averse than the average individual and given the lack of that need for access, you may just decide that Prepaid Credit Cards simply do not tickle your fancy.

Find out more about the benefits and uses of prepaid credit cards and find the best prepaid credit cards at Prepaid365 – the UK’s leading prepaid card comparison site. Review and compare prepaid cards across the UK.

Find the right prepaid card for you
Visit out consumer prepaid card comparison section to find the best prepaid card to suit your needs. If you wish to use a prepaid card for your business, visit our business prepaid card section.

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