# Lost pre-paid debit card; any way to get to my money? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102 "2016-10-09T21:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/1 "2016-10-09T21:44:08Z")
I have a pre-paid debit card. My salary is automatically deposited onto this card. If you’re not familiar with how they work, they’re not from a bank. There is no brick-and-mortar place where I can go to do banking transactions. Anyway, I am in the unfortunate position of having lost my debit card. I usually keep a spare, but I can’t find that either. I have ordered a new one, but it takes awile to arrive. Is there some way anyone can think of to get cash out of the account? I might be waiting a week or more for the new card. (unfortunately, I don’t have the number written down anywhere.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/2 "2016-10-09T21:49:17Z")
I’m assuming that the debit card is issued by a bank or other financial institution. If that assumption is valid, what did the bank tell you when you called them? Or as an alternative, call your HR or payroll department. I doubt you’re the first to lose the prepaid card. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/3 "2016-10-09T22:14:48Z")
I am a bit surprised that you can get a new card without knowing the number of the old one. How did you do that? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/4 "2016-10-09T22:15:59Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I’m assuming that the debit card is issued by a bank or other financial institution. If that assumption is valid, what did the bank tell you when you called them? > > Or as an alternative, call your HR or payroll department. I doubt you’re the first to lose the prepaid card. There are many pre-paid debit cards that are not issued by a bank. **Brujaja** has said that his is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/5 "2016-10-09T22:38:08Z")
In that case, he should call the HR or payroll department. Even if he’s the first one ever at his company to lose his prepaid card, they will have made some plans for such an event. Certainly they’re going to be better able to advise him than any of us are, given we have no idea of the terms of the card involved. ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/6 "2016-10-09T22:56:27Z")
The debit card wasn’t issued for the purpose of receiving my pay; automatic deposit is a convenience that the card company offers. Basically, you go down to the check cashing center, you present ID and fill out some forms, and then you are issued the card. There is one PIN for when you use the card physically, in addition to the CVC number you use when buying online. Then there is another username and PIN attached to the account from which you would order a new card. There are also security questions you must answer when doing this. So basically, the issuing bank is not a bank, it’s a different kind of financial institution. I was hoping somebody maybe who works for this kind of institution might know of some procedure I don’t know about. I’m a she. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/7 "2016-10-10T00:42:43Z")
If it’s not a bank, what is it? What kind of ‘different kind of financial institution’ is it exactly? Does this company have a name? Can’t you call and ask them how to do this? Surely it’s happened to someone before you! ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/8 "2016-10-10T01:08:34Z")
It’s probably a card like NetSpend, Bluebird, or Brink’s. Those companies advertise heavily on TV and their cards don’t require a bank account or credit check. Bluebird, for example, is owned by Wal-Mart. You can have your paycheck or government cash benefits directly deposited to your card. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/9 "2016-10-10T01:16:04Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > It’s probably a card like NetSpend, Bluebird, or Brink’s. Those companies advertise heavily on TV and their cards don’t require a bank account or credit check. Bluebird, for example, is owned by Wal-Mart. You can have your paycheck or government cash benefits directly deposited to your card. [Buebird is owned by American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.](https://www.bluebird.com/legal/member-agreement.html) snd is issued under a joint marketing agreement between American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. and Walmart. Netspend cards are [issued by The Bancorp Bank, BofI Federal Bank, MetaBank®, and Republic Bank & Trust Company](https://www.netspend.com/). Brinks cards are [issued by BofI Federal Bank](https://www.brinksprepaidmastercard.com/card-order/?AID=B_GGL&SUB=Brinks-Prepaid&medium=tsa&SITEID=Brand&gclid=CO6k-sCIz88CFU09gQodq10IWQ&context_name=b_challenger2). ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/10 "2016-10-10T01:18:34Z")
[Prepaid Debit Cards: What You Should Know](https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/banking/prepaid-debit-cards-what-you-should-know/) [What should I do if my prepaid card or PIN is lost or stolen or I see unauthorized charges?](http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/425/what-should-i-do-if-my-prepaid-card-or-card-pin-lost-or-stolen.html) > [@](#): > > When you get one of these cards, regardless of whether it’s from a retailer, bank, credit card company or celebrity spokesperson, you’re opening a transaction account held by a bank. > > Unlike a debit card, though, you can only spend the amount of money that you put in the card’s account. Cards usually offer several ways to do this. With some cards, you can also link to a checking account for online transfers. It is (in effect) a bank account. Go to the website for the card vendor and see what they list as the options. You probably need to report the card as lost. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/11 "2016-10-10T03:18:16Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > I have ordered a new one, but it takes awile to arrive. > > Is there some way anyone can think of to get cash out of the account? I might be waiting a week or more for the new card. > > (unfortunately, I don’t have the number written down anywhere.) > [@astro](#): > > It is (in effect) a bank account. Go to the website for the card vendor and see what they list as the options. You probably need to report the card as lost. It sounds like she had already reported the card as lost. Her specific question is how to access her money before the new card arrives. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/12 "2016-10-10T03:50:45Z")
Wow it only took until post #11 for someone to read the OP! 🙂 As to the OP, it’s unlikely there’s any quicker way to get the funds than waiting for the company to issue the new card. Only the place you bought it could tell you of any other way since they have access to whatever kind of account it is they hold depositor’s funds in. Going to their bank won’t help. You mentioned it’s a check cashing place so maybe they would cash a post-dated check based on the knowledge you’ll have the funds in your card soon. Not likely, but maybe especially if you’ve been direct-depositing there for a long time. If not, the same kind of place often makes “payday loans” - short term ultra high interest loans - but that should be a very last resort. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lost-pre-paid-debit-card-any-way-to-get-to-my-money/768102/13 "2016-10-10T13:09:38Z")
> [@brujaja](#): > > … > Basically, you go down to the check cashing center, you present ID and fill out some forms, and then you are issued the card. … This is your best bet. With the info you already have, go to the place you originally ordered the card from. They \*might \*be able to use their systems to connect to the card vendor and see that A) you have an account, B) there’s money in it, C) you are who you say you are, D) you’re actually truthfully in a lost / replacement card situation. Given that info they \*might \*be able to transfer some value from your account to themselves and hand you the cash. If you already know you can go there to deposit cash into the card account I’d be doubly confident you could do the same transaction in reverse. Your biggest obstacle is that these kinds of places deal with massive amounts of attempted fraud. So they start by assuming everyone coming in the door is a fraudster and work up from there. So even if what you want is technologically possible it may be prohibited by company policy as too risky for their scamtastic customer base. This is a bit of a long shot. But it’s about the only thing that has a chance of working. Call them and/or go visit in person. I suggest you do this during the day on a weekday. That’s the best chance of getting the first team and/or talking to a manager. The goofs on duty after hours, if they’re open at all, will have the least training, motivation, and autonomy. And will be used to dealing with the especially scamtastic customers. You don’t want to seem scamtastic. You’ve got nothing to lose by trying.