VISA Gift Cards as a form of payment ??

[Steven_Draker]

Pardon my bluntness in asking this question. Someone approached me today and offered a VISA gift card as a form of payment.

Since I've never seen one or used one; is that gift card similar to cash?

[leigh.bess.toad]

Pardon my bluntness in asking this question. Someone approached me today and offered a VISA gift card as a form of payment.

Since I've never seen one or used one; is that gift card similar to cash?[/color]

 

Hi Steven -- As a general rule yes. I don't believe most will let you draw cash from it (but I could be wrong). I've used them on occasion and receive them from my employer for employment anniversary gifts (which is a nice touch every 5 years -- I've got 350 of them for that -- damned I'm old). The only real problem I've had is tapping into those last few pennies and dollars remaning in the card. Some places of business (well at least the employees of the businesses) have no way to figure out how to zero out any remaining value on such a gift card and have you pay any remaining difference out of pocket or with another credit/debit card.

 

To me cash is king, but I would also have no problem -- but call the customer service number on the back of the card at the time it is presented to ensure the value on the card. Just MHO.

 

Hope you're doing well.

[Mark Gordon]

I would only accept one of these if it was still completely enclosed in its original packaging. Otherwise, some of the balance may already have been used.

[josephga]

I would only accept one of these if it was still completely enclosed in its original packaging. Otherwise, some of the balance may already have been used.

 

I agree.

[Battle]

I'm not sure if you can find out the total left on the card. If for example you key in $100 and there is $98 on the card

it comes up as declined.

[leigh.bess.toad]

I would only accept one of these if it was still completely enclosed in its original packaging. Otherwise, some of the balance may already have been used.

 

Steve -- I know a lot of the cards can be bought and just loaded with different denominations at the time of purchase, unless it is for a specific value on the package. If it says it is for a specific value on the package, the yes, I agree, unless it's unopened I would be very cautious. As far as the Visa cards you can load with any dollar amount, I guess it would also depend on your relationship with the client. If this is the first time and especially if you feel it is lilkely to be a one-off, I wouldn't. If this is someone you have seen before, I'd probably be more inclined, with the proviso that you do check the balance when you accept the card. But make sure the client knows you are doing it.

 

And Mark -- love the new pictures on the reviews today and on the canadianmale website. They (and you) look great. Congrats!

[leigh.bess.toad]

I'm not sure if you can find out the total left on the card. If for example you key in $100 and there is $98 on the card

it comes up as declined.

 

Hey battle -- the cards always have a "customer service" (how's that for an oxymoron) number on them so you can check the balance. They are supposed to be kept up to date in real-time. The only time I know they are not is they are used for purchases such as gasoline (they normally only hold $1 and then put the real amount later) or for a restaurant (they'll hold the actual billl, but since you normally add tip after it's run, that will be missing from the running total). At least that has been my experience with these cards. Because of that, some of them may not even work in the gas station scenario, I'm not sure.

[rossthebosssf]

I would think it would be a great gratuity, but I think to accept it as cash would be a bit questionable. If you have to start bartering in order to hire, it's probably best to not hire at all.

[leigh.bess.toad]

I would think it would be a great gratuity, but I think to accept it as cash would be a bit questionable. If you have to start bartering in order to hire, it's probably best to not hire at all.

 

I think Ross just hit the ball out of the park. The perfect answer.

[Mark Gordon]

And Mark -- love the new pictures on the reviews today and on the canadianmale website. They (and you) look great. Congrats!

 

Cheers Lee. They were taken about 3 weeks ago in my living room by my friend who's a photography student, no photoshop. Glad you like

[orbital sander]

I would only accept one of these if it was still completely enclosed in its original packaging. Otherwise, some of the balance may already have been used.

 

***WARNING ***

Be very careful accepting cards that are in their original packaging. Until they are activated, the are worth nothing (packaging has a magnetic strip that must be activated by retailer). There have been unactivated cards stolen and then passed off in the original packaging as legit, but once they are opened they have 0 value. The card has to be activated in it's original packaging by the merchant that is selling the card. They do not pre-activate cards for this very reason, they are shoplifted often.

[+ Tygerscent]

Uuuuuhhhh... NO~ Charges for use may apply... Some cards may ONLY be used at places cards are purchased for... ie. I got a shell card and a walmart card and could use the shell but the walmart card only works at walmart. My dilemma was that, nice a gesture that it was... I really could not pay rent,insurance or utilities with gift cards... Take caution... full paid fees PLUS gift cards is a nice gesture... paying fees due with part of the fee being paid for in gift cards is a big no no~ You don't pay your doctor or landlord or hotel with gift cards... no???? Hit me back... I would like to share my experience with you regarding gift cards~ Gift card is NOT the same as cash. Fees for using and late fees for NOT using on time apply~!!!! All kinds of restrictions and fees may apply. Likewise... if you use paypal, you need to consider that Pay Pal applies a fee to the RECIPIENT of a service for using Pay Pal... So you need to consider if you want or don't want to accept pay pal and adjust your fee to cover the service charge for using that service...

Tyger!

tygerkink@yahoo.com

503.719.9274

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Pardon my bluntness in asking this question. Someone approached me today and offered a VISA gift card as a form of payment.

Since I've never seen one or used one; is that gift card similar to cash?[/color]

[+ Tygerscent]

Bravo Orbital~! Right on there~!

Tyger!

tygerkink@yahoo.com

503.719.9274

http://www.tygerscent.biz

http://www.daddysreviews.com/area.ph...tyger_portland

http://www.maleescortreview.com (Tygerscent in Portland, Oregon)

http://www.rentmen.com (AAAtygerscentXXX in Portland Oregon)

http://www.men4rentnow.com (tygerscent in Portland, Oregon)

 

***WARNING ***

Be very careful accepting cards that are in their original packaging. Until they are activated, the are worth nothing (packaging has a magnetic strip that must be activated by retailer). There have been unactivated cards stolen and then passed off in the original packaging as legit, but once they are opened they have 0 value. The card has to be activated in it's original packaging by the merchant that is selling the card. They do not pre-activate cards for this very reason, they are shoplifted often.

[Scorpio]

Pardon my bluntness in asking this question. Someone approached me today and offered a VISA gift card as a form of payment.

Since I've never seen one or used one; is that gift card similar to cash?[/color]

 

Two types of cards are available: VISA Gift Card or VISA Prepaid Debit Card. Only the later is the equivalent of cash, meaning you could withdraw cash at any ATM machine although a fee may apply. Both types of cards are essentially equivalent to a VISA credit card and can be used anywhere VISA is accepted. Check the VISA website for a more complete discussion.

[NYTomcat]

Now on the other hand. Client could pay you through paypal with his visa card. You would get cash and he can still use the card you would be subject to the paypal fees but the cash is more liquid.

[jawjateck]

To reduce the amount of cash retrieved from the bank and subsequently carried on my person, I have attempted to find payment alternatives to almighty cash, yet it remains king in our Hooville transactions. Most gift cards don't have enough value on them to meet my needs for the fee of an overnight or vacation. And the pre-paid debit cards must be loaded with the money and the individual's personal info, name, SSN, etc so that's a no-go obviously. The American Express Gift Card has been helpful on a few occasions. They can be purchased online, cost $3.95, up to $3000 on one card, are shipped UPS or FedEx to me, require signature delivery, and are ready to go when the envelope is opened. Their value can be checked on the AMEX website. There are no fees. The cards cannot lose value. I used them on three occasions with escorts, but I met these guys previously, they were cool with me, and I had their permission in advance to do this. I did not use the card as full payment, but paid part of the fee in cash. The card cannot be used at an ATM, but anywhere and for anything an AMEX card can be used, it's good. The escorts reported to me that it was a great purchasing tool. I bought a $500 card for myself just to try out, and had no problem spending it everywhere.

 

FWIW....Perhaps someone else will find this helpful.

[Battle]

Very helpful - thanks.

However I'm finding fewer restaurants and stores willing to accept AMEX, unfortunately.

[Epigonos]

jawjatech I have also found that postal money orders work extremely well. They can be purchased at any post office for any amount up to $1,000.00. They are extremely easy to cash or to deposit. The buyer is NOT required to provide and personal information. The buyers is left to write in the name of the person to whom the money order is being sent. The one problem is that the buyer would need to know the real name of the person to whom he is sending it or leave that blank, which I would be afraid to do. I used this method for a number of years with a regular of mine until he came to know me and to trust me enough to accept a personal check.

[jawjateck]

Good stuff Epigonos! The downside is that I cannot purchase postal money orders with a credit card, must be cash or debit card only, and my debit card's daily cash limit is insufficient to purchase money orders for a longer appointment. I could have my bank override the limit on my account, but I prefer to keep it the way it is to prevent someone from emptying my account if its security was ever compromised.

[gp0560]

Good stuff Epigonos! The downside is that I cannot purchase postal money orders with a credit card, must be cash or debit card only, and my debit card's daily cash limit is insufficient to purchase money orders for a longer appointment. I could have my bank override the limit on my account, but I prefer to keep it the way it is to prevent someone from emptying my account if its security was ever compromised.

 

I usually buy money orders from my bank, and that way I don't need to have physical cash to buy them. You still have to fill in the payee name, though. Maybe you could have the escort write his name in while you're still together -- concealing his real name. Would that work?

[rvwnsd]

I usually buy money orders from my bank, and that way I don't need to have physical cash to buy them. You still have to fill in the payee name, though. Maybe you could have the escort write his name in while you're still together -- concealing his real name. Would that work?

 

This is a bad solution, for a number of reasons.

 

1) If the escort writes in his "stage name," he will not be able to cash or deposit the check. The endorsement must match the payee name. If John Smith attempts to cash or deposit a money order made payable to Dick Longfellow, he will not be able to do so. Very few institutions accept second-endorsed checks any more, particularly money orders, so Dick Longfellow signing the check over to John Smith is not going to work.

2) Institutions are starting to require the payee name at the time of purchase for record keeping purposes. Money launderers like to buy money orders, so even money orders for small amounts are subject to scrutiny.

3) Money orders and cashiers checks are easily and often counterfeited. If a guy cashes or deposits a money order that turns out to be counterfeit, the depositor will be in trouble. At the very least, the funds will be deducted from the depositor's bank account. He could possibly be charged with a crime. This is not to say that gp0560 or Epigonos would pass counterfeit instruments, but fraudsters will do so. This is the exact same reason that you should NEVER, repeat, NEVER accept a cashiers check or money order in excess of the fee and then refund the difference.

 

If you are not comfortable with using PayPal, then stick with cash unless you know the client very well.

[KMEM]

Don't forget, cash can be counterfeit also. In fact, I can think of no valuable commodity or method of transaction that cannot be compromised in some negative way. Trust, but verify?

 

Best regards,

KMEM

[gp0560]

This is a bad solution, for a number of reasons.

 

1) If the escort writes in his "stage name," he will not be able to cash or deposit the check. The endorsement must match the payee name. If John Smith attempts to cash or deposit a money order made payable to Dick Longfellow, he will not be able to do so. ...

 

2) Institutions are starting to require the payee name at the time of purchase for record keeping purposes. ...

 

3) Money orders and cashiers checks are easily and often counterfeited. If a guy cashes or deposits a money order that turns out to be counterfeit, the depositor will be in trouble. ...

 

On point #1, the scenario describes the case where a client wants the escort to fill in the payee while they are still together. I intended to say that the escort would fill in the payee with his real name, not his stage name, but conceal it as he writes it. In other words, Dick Longfellow would be both the payee and the endorser.

 

On point #2, so far I have not been asked to fill in the payee, but I agree that of course the stage name could not work in that case.

 

On point #3, with my limited experience, I can't really comment. On several occasions I have used MOs, but with only three escorts, none of whom has reported any problems.

[+ Tygerscent]

If you use Pay Pal, don't forget to add on a fee to cover the service charge, ( 10% or better), and include the cost for having the Pay Pal account and monthly fee you pay for having it. Gift cards are not accepted by all institutions... AND there are service charges applied to the cards once you start usig them in some cases... Some cards start off by automatically charging your card $5 to $15 for simply using iut and then a service fee of .5% TO 15% MONTHLY SERVICE FEE FOR NOT USING IT QUICK ENOUGH~ These cards do not work to pay your bills with.

 

Tyger!

tygerkink@yahoo.com

503.719.9274

http://www.tygerscent.biz

http://www.daddysreviews.com/area.ph...tyger_portland

http://www.maleescortreview.com (Tygerscent in Portland, Oregon)

http://www.rentmen.com (AAAtygerscentXXX in Portland Oregon)

http://www.men4rentnow.com (tygerscent in Portland, Oregon)

 

This is a bad solution, for a number of reasons.

 

1) If the escort writes in his "stage name," he will not be able to cash or deposit the check. The endorsement must match the payee name. If John Smith attempts to cash or deposit a money order made payable to Dick Longfellow, he will not be able to do so. Very few institutions accept second-endorsed checks any more, particularly money orders, so Dick Longfellow signing the check over to John Smith is not going to work.

2) Institutions are starting to require the payee name at the time of purchase for record keeping purposes. Money launderers like to buy money orders, so even money orders for small amounts are subject to scrutiny.

3) Money orders and cashiers checks are easily and often counterfeited. If a guy cashes or deposits a money order that turns out to be counterfeit, the depositor will be in trouble. At the very least, the funds will be deducted from the depositor's bank account. He could possibly be charged with a crime. This is not to say that gp0560 or Epigonos would pass counterfeit instruments, but fraudsters will do so. This is the exact same reason that you should NEVER, repeat, NEVER accept a cashiers check or money order in excess of the fee and then refund the difference.

 

If you are not comfortable with using PayPal, then stick with cash unless you know the client very well.

[KMEM]

Banks and other institutions that service credit cards and the like really know how to stick it to us, don't they? And, we, like little lambs just take it and take it. With the prime rate at less than 4% how can anyone justify the charges you suggest? They cannot, except for greed and the fact that we LET them do this. I hesitate to think we could or should rely upon politicians to solve this problem because all too often they ARE the problem but other than "storming the gates of the various institutions" I don't know of a reasonable alternative.

 

Fees and our acceptance of them will be the end of us yet.

 

Best regards,

KMEM