Frequently Asked Questions
About Your Visa or MasterCard
Q. Where can I use this card?
A. You can use your card anywhere Visa® or Mastercard® prepaid cards are accepted. Some restrictions apply.
Q: What restrictions may apply to the use of your card?
A. You can use your card anywhere Visa® or Mastercard® prepaid cards are accepted—online, in apps, or in stores. Some restrictions do apply. For example, reward cards generally cannot be used for money transfers, bill payments, or purchases that are similar to cash (such as money orders, gift or prepaid card funding, or cryptocurrency). They also can’t be used for gambling or certain recurring or subscription transactions. Additionally, some merchants—such as rental services, hotels, or pay-at-the-pump fuel stations—may place higher pre-authorization holds that can temporarily reduce your available balance or cause the transaction to be declined. For more information on using your card at the pump and other purchase scenarios, see the FAQ “How do I use my card to purchase goods and services?”
Q. Why is the word "Debit" on the front of the card?
A. Card issuers are required to label non-credit products with the term “Debit.” However, when prompted at checkout, you may choose either Credit or Debit (if your card has a PIN) to complete a transaction. In Canada, cards do not display “Debit” and can only be used as Credit (no PIN option is available).
Q. Can I exchange this card for its cash value or can I get cash at an ATM?
A. Your card cannot be exchanged for cash value, and it cannot be used to withdraw cash at ATMs or to request cashback at the point of sale, unless otherwise noted on your card carrier.
Q. How is my card different than a credit card?
A. Your credit card gives you a line of credit in advance of receiving funds which you have to pay back. Your debit card already has the funds loaded to it. You can spend the funds as you see fit, but you can’t spend more than your current available card balance.
Q. Will I receive a paper statement for my card?
A. All transactions that you make with your card are available online. Log into cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com and click on the Card Image to view your complete transaction history.
Q. What is the difference between the Reward Card(s) I’ve received through this Program and a Gift Card that I might purchase for myself?
A. Reward Cards are issued through a specific program and are configured by the Virtual Reward Center in agreement with the program sponsor. As a result, they may include features such as an expiration date or limits on certain types of purchases. Gift Cards you purchase directly for yourself usually don’t have these same restrictions.
Q. Why was my card charged more than the exact amount of the purchase?
A. Some merchants place a temporary pre-authorization hold on your card for more than the actual purchase amount to make sure enough funds are available. For example, restaurants may add up to 20% to cover a tip, and gas stations or hotels may place larger holds for fuel or incidentals. Once the transaction is finalized, the unused portion of the hold is released, but this can take several days (and in some cases up to 30 days), so your available balance may be lower until then. These holds are placed by merchants, not by the Virtual Reward Center.
Managing Your Card
Q. How do I activate my card?
A. If you received a virtual card, you can activate it by following the link provided in your email or reward notification. You’ll be guided through a short setup process and will need to create an account at cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com to view and use your card details. If you received a physical card, you can activate it online at virtualrewardcenter.com/activate.
Q. How do I view my card/transaction activity online?
A. All transactions that you make with your card are available online. Log into cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com and click on the Card Image to view your complete transaction history.
Q. My card says “DEBIT” on it – do I need to have a PIN to use it?
A. You may choose to use your card with or without a PIN. To use your card without a PIN, you may be able to select “Credit” when you make a purchase. If you prefer to select “Debit” when you make a purchase, you must assign a PIN and then enter that PIN when/if prompted at purchase. In Canada, cards do not display “Debit” and can only be used as Credit (no PIN option is available).
Q. How do I set or change my PIN?
A. Call 1-646-736-2250 or update your PIN online at cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com by signing in, selecting the applicable card, and clicking the 'Reset PIN' button. To keep your card balance secure, you must protect the confidentiality of your PIN. We advise against writing your PIN on your card or keeping a notation of your PIN with your card. You are responsible for the protection of your PIN and you will not be able to recover funds lost as a result of unauthorized use of your PIN.
Q. How do I change the address associated with the card?
A. Log in to cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com, click into the card you want to update, then select 'Edit Information' to change your address and save your changes.
Q. Does my card ever expire?
A. Yes. The date on which your card expires is printed on your card. After your card expires, the remaining balance on your card will no longer be available.
Q. How do I cancel my card?
A. If you wish to cancel your card, please contact [email protected] for assistance. However, the card has no cash value, and your card cannot be redeemed for cash.
Q. What should I do if my card is lost or stolen or I've identified suspected fraud?
A. Report a lost or stolen card or suspected fraud immediately by emailing [email protected]. Our ability to recover funds on your behalf is in subject to the Card and Program Terms and Conditions, but immediate reporting will increase the likelihood of recovery and reduce the likelihood that those funds will be spent before we can freeze your account.
Shopping With Your Card
Q. How do I use my card to purchase goods and services?
A. You can use your card to make purchases at any merchant (online or in-store) that accepts Visa or MasterCard prepaid cards (depending on the brand presented on the front of your card). To complete a transaction, select "credit" as your payment option to indicate you will sign to authorize your transaction. If the funds are available in your account, the purchase will be approved. For US cards, you may also use the "debit" functionality to complete a transaction by entering a PIN at the point of sale.
Q. Why does my card not work when I try to pay-at-the-pump?
A. When paying for fuel at the pump, nearly all gas stations pre-authorize your card for $75 – $125. That’s because they don’t know in advance how much gas you are going to pump and their technology may not be smart enough to know what available balance is available on your card. So, even if you have enough money on your card to cover the amount you’d like to purchase, you still may get declined. To avoid this, just take your card into the gas station and tell the attendant in advance how much gas you would like to purchase.
Q. How do I shop online using my card?
A. To shop online, choose Visa® or Mastercard® as your payment method at checkout and enter your card number, expiration date, and security code. Make sure the billing address matches what you entered when registering your card. Some merchants may also require you to complete a security step, which may send a one-time passcode (OTP) to your phone for verification.
Q. When shopping in a store, how can I split a payment between my card and another form of payment?
A. If your purchase amount is more than the available balance on your card and you’d like to perform a split transaction, tell the cashier that you’d like to use two forms of payment for your purchase. Use your card as the first form of payment and tell the cashier the exact amount to swipe the card for. Pay the difference with another form of payment. Please note, this function is not available at all merchants.
Q. When shopping online, can I split a payment between my card and a credit card?
A. You can only split a payment if the online merchant permits "split" payments. Please note however, that most online stores only accept one credit card for payment. And since your card is processed like a Visa or MasterCard transaction, you likely won’t be able to enter more than one card type to complete the transaction.
Q. What if the amount of my purchase is more than my available balance?
A. In this case, your purchase will be declined, unless you have arranged to perform a split payment.
Q. Why did my balance only decrease by $1 after I made a purchase at a merchant?
A. Often, online merchants like iTunes do not immediately charge customers for the full amount of the purchase. Many will "authorize" (temporarily deduct) $1 from your balance to verify your account is valid and has a balance. In most cases, merchants that operate in this manner will debit your balance for the full amount of the purchase and return the "authorized" $1 to your balance. The merchant may take up to 30 days to return these funds to your balance.
Q. What if a transaction is not approved by an online store?
A. In the unlikely event that your transaction is declined by an online store, please make sure that you have done the following:
- Verified that the merchant accepts signature based Visa or MasterCard debit cards.
- Selected "credit card" as the payment method.
- Correctly entered your 16-digit card number, your card expiration date and your Security code (found on the back of your plastic card or flipping the image of your virtual card displayed on cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com).
- Entered your billing address exactly as it appears on your Visa or MasterCard card account.
- Ensured that the balance on your card is sufficient to cover the amount of your purchase plus any applicable taxes and shipping costs.
Q. What if I received a refund from a merchant after my reward has expired?
A. If you are seeking a refund from a merchant close to or after your Card expiration date, please request that the funds be returned to you by some other means, such as on a merchant card or in cash. You will not be able to use the Card after it expires. If funds are returned after the Card has expired, please contact us at [email protected].
About Your Cash Payout
Q. Why do I need my identity verified?
A. Regulations such as the Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering Law (BSA/AML) require that financial institutions handling your funds perform identity verification to help limit suspicious or fraudulent activity. The information you provide must match what’s on your government issued drivers license or ID card.
Q. What happens if I fail identity verification?
A. Reach out to [email protected] for assistance.
Q. Is there a difference between adding debit card or bank account details?
A. Either option is supported. If adding a card, be sure the expiration date has not yet passed.
Q. How long can I expect my payment to take?
A. Your payment will reach your bank account in 1-2 business days.
Q. What does this transaction show as in my bank account?
A. For Debit Card: Debit Card Medmatics LLC
For Bank: ACH STRIPE TYPE: TRANSFER
For Bank: ACH STRIPE TYPE: TRANSFER
Q. What if the payment shows as complete, but is not showing up in my bank account?
A. Reach out to [email protected] for assistance.
Q. What happens if I get another payment from the same place?
A. You will receive an email notifying you of any payouts that are initiated to you. Future Cash Payouts will automatically be deposited to your bank account.
Q. How do I update my bank account details for a future Cash Payout?
A. Login to cardholder.virtualrewardcenter.com, and click “Change Payout Information” under your account page.
Q. Can I enter credit card details for my payout?
A. Debit card details are required when choosing 'Add A Card' option.
Q. Can I enter savings account details for my payout?
A. Checking account details are required when choosing 'Add A Bank' option.
Security And Privacy
Q. How do I know my personal and card information is secure?
A. All transactions take place on a secure server, and all of your personal and card information is encrypted using a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). We encourage you to carefully review our Privacy and Security Policies.