[Villages PL]

I received a debit card from my car dealer and I used it once at Publix, then again at Aldi's. Well, the last time I used it there was a small amount left on the card. 37 cents to be exact.

The next time I went to Aldi's it was late in the evening. I think thats when they have new cashiers in training. I said, "I have a small amount on this card and would like to use it up and pay the rest in cash." I swiped the card and she said it didn't work. I swiped it a couple more times and it still didn't work. So then she tried it herself several times and it still didn't work. She called the manager and he couldn't make it work either. So she gave the card back to me and said, "we can't make it work."

After all the swiping and pressing of various keys on the key-pad, I had a strange feeling that the money was swallowed up into the system. So I asked her if the money was still on the card and she said yes. Then she asked for the full amount of the purchase and I payed her in cash.

Two weeks went by and today I just decided, out of curiosity, to call the card company. They looked up my account and said that my card balance is zero and that the .37 cents was payed to Aldi's. Just as I suspected!!!

It doesn't matter whether it was .37 cents or 37 dollars, the customers money is not supposed to disappear into thin air. I looked at my receipt before I left the store and there was no indication that anything had been deducted. It just showed the amount of the purchase.

What could have caused this to happen?

[Villages PL]

I was shopping at Aldi's this morning and told one of the cashiers and the manager what happened. The cashier said that you can't do both debit and cash at the same time. You have to pick one or the other, either all cash or all debit. So, evidently, the woman on the night shift didn't know that.

Anyway, the problem was resolved to my satisfaction.

[JourneyOfLife]

No... you had it right the first time.

Prepaid Debit Cards Carry Fistful of Fees | Bankrate.com


I avoid them if at all possible. We never purchase them.... even as a cash gift for someone else.

I regularly see frustrated customers and cashiers trying to use them for payment.

[travelguy]

this is how it works. you have to pay the cash portion first, and then use the prepaid debit card or gift card for the balance. all pre-paid cards and gift cards work this way. and you have to know your balance...your exact balance.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by travelguy

this is how it works. you have to pay the cash portion first, and then use the prepaid debit card or gift card for the balance. all pre-paid cards and gift cards work this way. and you have to know your balance...your exact balance.

This is not true, at least with Publix gift cards. I've used them many times, and when I get to the end of the balance, they use the balance first and then I pay the difference in cash. Ask the manager the next time you're there.

[Bonny]

I always have gift cards for 10 or so restaurants plus for Publix. I have also had Visa gift cards. They always take my card amount off then tell me what I owe and I give them my debit card. Never had a problem.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by JourneyOfLife

No... you had it right the first time.

Prepaid Debit Cards Carry Fistful of Fees | Bankrate.com


I avoid them if at all possible. We never purchase them.... even as a cash gift for someone else.

I regularly see frustrated customers and cashiers trying to use them for payment.

It wasn't a prepaid debit card.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by travelguy

this is how it works. you have to pay the cash portion first, and then use the prepaid debit card or gift card for the balance. all pre-paid cards and gift cards work this way. and you have to know your balance...your exact balance.

It's not a prepaid debit card or gift card. It's a Debit MasterCard issued by Hyundai.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

It's not a prepaid debit card or gift card. It's a Debit MasterCard.

What was it, then? If there was only 37 cents left, wasn't it then a prepaid card? It had a set amount, set by your car dealer. I'm confused as to what exactly it is.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by CFrance

What was it, then? If there was only 37 cents left, wasn't it then a prepaid card? It had a set amount, set by your car dealer. I'm confused as to what exactly it is.

When I bought my new Hyundai in march of 2012 the sticker said it would get about 40 miles per gallon. It turned out that it was really closer to 37 miles per gallon. As a consequence, there might have been a class action law-suit or something and now they have to make good on their original promise of 40 m.p.g.. How can they do that? Once a year, or as often as I like, I can go to the dealer and have them read the odometer. Then, from that, they calculate how much money I should get to make up for getting less mileage. (And they throw in a little extra for my trouble.)

Instead of paying out cash, they mail me a Hyundai (MPG Rewards Card) Debit MasterCard. If it happens to be a lot of money, I can get a pin number as a safegard, in case I lose it. In my case, it's not much money because I don't do a lot of driving.

This was my first debit card since I bought the car and it was only good for about $26 dollars. That's because I only put on about 2,000 miles per year. But this arrangement will continue for as long as I own the car.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

When I bought my new Hyundai in march of 2012 the sticker said it would get about 40 miles per gallon. It turned out that it was really closer to 37 miles per gallon. As a consequence, there might have been a class action law-suit or something and now they have to make good on their original promise of 40 m.p.g.. How can they do that? Once a year, or as often as I like, I can go to the dealer and have them read the odometer. Then, from that, they calculate how much money I should get to make up for getting less mileage. (And they throw in a little extra for my trouble.)

Instead of paying out cash they mail me a Hyundai (MPG Rewards Card) Debit MasterCard. If it happens to be a lot of money, I can get a pin number as a safegard, in case I lose it. In my case, it's not much money because I don't do a lot of driving.

Okay, but I think it works the same way as a gift or prepaid charge card. I'm guessing that the charge company's end recognized the charge, whereas the Aldi's end was malfunctioning. Aldi's owes you 37 cents.

I've used them the same way as Bonny with no problem in grocery stores.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Okay, but I think it works the same way as a gift or prepaid charge card. I'm guessing that the charge company's end recognized the charge, whereas the Aldi's end was malfunctioning. Aldi's owes you 37 cents.

I've used them the same way as Bonny with no problem in grocery stores.

I think there are a lot of differences. For one thing it has an embossed number on it that looks exactly the same as my bank debit card. Also, it has my name embossed on the front and it says MasterCard. There's a toll free number on the back of the card so I can call to find out my balance, just like I did on friday. They told me that the .37 cents went to Aldi's. And I got my .37 cents from Aldi's yesterday.