Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards are electronic cards which allow card holders to access funds deposited to an account. A prepaid card can be used to withdraw money or pay for goods and services. Unlike a credit card, which extends a line of credit, prepaid cards are more similar to debit cards. Prepaid card holders can only spend the money they load on the card. Since no credit is extended to prepaid card holders, interest and overdraft fees are avoided.

The value is not physically stored on the card. Instead, the card number uniquely identifies a record in a central database where the balance is recorded. These cards are similar to closed system prepaid cards, but are endorsed by a retail electronic payments network such as Visa or MasterCard and can, unlike gift cards, be used anywhere a Visa or Mastercard debit cards may be used. They are very similar to a debit card except that they don't require a checking account. They have been heavily marketed in the United States as a safe and responsible means for parents to give their children some spending power which is why they sometimes are referred to as teen cards. These cards are also sometimes referred to as "open loop" cards.

Prepaid cards provide many conveniences to its consumers. Prepaid cards can be found at a number of different places, including gas stations, check cashing centers, second chance banking companies, supermarkets, and even online. Applying for a card is quick and easy. As mentioned, some providers even offer its customers the convenience of having their paychecks directly deposited to an account.

Prepaid cards can be used anywhere that debit or credit cards are accepted. Some establishments even prefer prepaid cards over credit and debit cards because they assure vendors that funds are sufficient. Since prepaid cards are protected by a secure PIN number, they can be used to withdraw money from most ATM machines.

Stored Value Cards

A stored-value card refers to monetary value on a card not in an externally recorded account and differs from prepaid cards where money is on deposit with the issuer similar to a debit card. One major difference between stored value cards and prepaid debit cards is that prepaid debit cards are usually issued in the name of individual account holders, while stored value cards are usually anonymous. The term stored-value card means the funds and or data are physically stored on the card. With prepaid cards the data is maintained on computers affiliated with the card issuer. The value associated with the card can be accessed using a magnetic stripe embedded in the card, on which the card number is encoded; using radio-frequency identification (RFID); or by entering a code number, printed on the card, into a telephone or other numeric keypad.

NDMS Offers

NDMS offers the technology, resources and support to deliver complete end-to-end payment processing services to any merchant.

By partnering with us, you gain the strength, reliability and flexibility of our payment processing network, plus comprehensive and proactive customer support that is unmatched in the industry. Our expert capabilities deliver swift, seamless authorization, capture, clearing and settlement services to meet your needs.

Benefits include:

  • Full line of POS equipment and software applications
  • Complete array of connectivity options
  • Comprehensive payment forms
  • Quick and easy setup
  • Robust reporting
  • Unmatched pricing

Support:

  • Access transaction and batch information within minutes of the completed transmission
  • Historical data available for the previous 13 months
  • View and analyze daily electronic sales
  • View monthly summaries (for multiple merchant accounts under one merchant)
  • Create customized reporting
  • Securely download data and reports in various formats