Stuck in Lockdown with only UK Credit cards - Can't topup

[wakeyjamie]

Hi there,

I am currently at the start of a 9 month trip through Canada, but due to the coronavirus we are stuck in a small village in Nova Scotia.

My plan is up for renewal tomorrow and it will not let me top up with my UK Credit card. I was told before that the initial activation must either be done with a Canadian Credit card or vouchers, so I used vouchers. But that my second and subsequent topups could be done with a UK card. I tried to do this, this morning and it wouldn't accept my card. But I am also unable to get to a place that would sell vouchers.

Is there any chance you could make it so it accepts paypal or foreign credit cards.

Otherwise I will be stuck without cell service during these difficult times,

Many thanks,
Jamie

[Anonymous]

I'll add my vote. I don't know how they make money but so far it's not costing anything.

It works with Samsung Pay (and I think that fruity thing) but oddly not Google Pay.

The virtual card works right away with tap. Then the real card comes but it seems kinda extraneous.

I got a referral from another member as I didn't know darlicious had one (nor CalgaryBen). I'd like to say the username but that would be stealing her thunder here.

[darlicious]

@wakeyjamie 

When I signed up to test it out I don't remember there being a specific question about that....as in Are you a permanent resident, landed immigrant or canadian citizen? No I dont think so. I was checking for my roommate who lost his id. They dont offer chequeing accounts, cash cheques etc...so they don't have the same stringent verification methods as a regular bank. Funds are loaded thru e-transfers from your own regular bank accounts and direct deposit. Third party e-transfers will be available in a few months but not currently. The nice thing is unless you choose their premium card there are no fees! Ill send you a link in your private messages and you can check it out. I cant see any drawbacks so thats why ive been recommending it to international students and other members who dont qualify for traditional credit cards or have regular bank accounts with access to traditional bank issued visa/debit cards. And it is 100% accepted by public mobile. Shout out to @CalgaryBen  who first turned me on to koho. ( I don't need it myself but my roommate doesn't need my c/c on his pm account anymore to get the autopay reward.)

[wakeyjamie]

thanks for the tip. Do you think it would be available to non-Canadian citizens?

thanks

Jamie

[darlicious]

@wakeyjamie 

   If you are stuck in Liverpool for a while and you have an address that you can have mail sent to try applying for a koho card. This is an online only canadian bank with high interest savings accounts that has a prepaid visa/debit card. It takes about 5 minutes to sign up (list your intent as to save money) as little as 5 business days to recieve your card, it's affiliated with the people's bank of Canada and  your funds are guaranteed  by the cdic. Load as little or as much as you like on the card and you can earn 0.5% cash back on all purchases (and 1% for each person you refer+ 1% if you are referred). Check it out....you would then qualify for the $2 autopay reward.

[wakeyjamie]

I know, One Liverpool to another. We are even on the River Mersey too. Too many parallels. I just hope we can sit out the virus and that we do at least get some travelling done this year. 

[farmbot]

Still in Liverpool

The irony of the situation is so cruel.

Stay safe.

😊

[wakeyjamie]

In Atlantic Superstore, the total was $46 for a $40 voucher. Cheers though. Yep, I hope we get chance to travel in Canada. We shipped our campervan over from Liverpool, England to Halifax, NS on a cargo ship, hoping to spend 12 months travelling here and in USA, but so far we only made it as far as Liverpool Nova Scotia. 

I have to say though, there are worse places to be trapped under lockdown than Nova Scotia. It is a beautiful part of the world. 

Thanks again everyone,

Jamie

[wakeyjamie]

Thanks for the tip on xoom.com, they are much much cheaper than Ding or ReCharge. Thats a great tip for next time. 

Yeah, i know there are taxes added on in Canada, but i was talking about the commission that Ding and ReCHarge charge. It's pretty steep. $12 to add 40, plus sales tax. 

[farmbot]

That's life mate.

Pounds to Canuckistan $   GST   Provincial Tax   convenience fee. etc.

What was the total on the $40 voucher if i may ask? 

I hope u enjoy u r stay!

[gblackma]

@wakeyjamie heres a link on using 611 https://productioncommunity.publicmobile.ca/t5/Self-Serve/611-IVR-Menu-System/m-p/289352/highlight/t...

Stay safe.

[geopublic]

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@wakeyjamie wrote:

I looked at Ding and ReCharge but the commission is eye-watering. To top up $40 would cost almost $60 when all the taxes and extras are added on. It is too much, for what is already quite an expensive service. 

---

@wakeyjamie  What about Xoom (PayPal Company)

https://www.xoom.com/canada/mobile-reloads

[Anonymous]

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@wakeyjamie wrote:

I looked at Ding and ReCharge but the commission is eye-watering. To top up $40 would cost almost $60 when all the taxes and extras are added on. It is too much, for what is already quite an expensive service. 

---

I didn't think recharge was bad. Y'gotta pay taxes. You did when you bought that voucher.

But please do try it again using the 611 service as suggested earlier.

[wakeyjamie]

I looked at Ding and ReCharge but the commission is eye-watering. To top up $40 would cost almost $60 when all the taxes and extras are added on. It is too much, for what is already quite an expensive service. 

[dabr]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 @dabr 

Funny that they list PM there but PM doesn't list it here.

Maybe it's just BMO and not any/all Mastercard Debit issuers.

They don't say CIBC Visa Debit. Just Visa Debit.

Dunno.

---

@Anonymous  Yes, you could be right about it just being an BMO's issued MC Debit card and not ones from any of the other banks.

However, I still don't understand why PM can't include it in their official list of accepted payment cards that can be used here. 

Also I'm not quite sure what other banks issue the MC Debit card, as it seems like the Visa Debit card is the most common one being issued.

[hairbag1]

@wakeyjamie...Try recharge.com or ding.com

Let us know if that helps.

[kb_mv]

@wakeyjamie You can use that card to buy an online voucher and top up that way.

[wakeyjamie]

Hi again,

I just tried doing a test with our UK Mastercard Debit card. This did NOT work, same message. So no UK cards we have work, either credit or debit. 

Does anyone know why they don't allow them

Jamie

[wakeyjamie]

Thanks for all your help with regards this matter. It is so annoying that they don't allow non-Canadian cards to be used with their service. We have travelled all over the world and have never had this problem with Pre-Paid sim cards. 

Thanks everyone,

Jamie

[Anonymous]

 @dabr 

Funny that they list PM there but PM doesn't list it here.

Maybe it's just BMO and not any/all Mastercard Debit issuers.

They don't say CIBC Visa Debit. Just Visa Debit.

Dunno.

[dabr]

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@gblackma wrote:

@Anonymous , @dabr had an official  PM link that listed it. 

---

@gblackma  Just to clarify, it's actually not officially listed by PM as one of the accepted payment cards, but on the official list from MC Debit Card, PM is listed as one of the vendors accepting their card for payment purposes.  Also the OP of the thread, where I posted this link originally, that had asked a question about using this card, did respond back to say that the card had been successfully used in the account.

I had tagged and hoped Alan_K would update PM's list too to include the MC Debit card to  the cards being accepted here, but I guess this isn't really a priority for them, especially given the current circumstances. 

Anyway, here is the link from MC Debit Card:  https://www.mastercard.ca/en-ca/consumers/find-card-products/debit-cards/CanadianDebitAcceptingMerchants.html

[geopublic]

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@JoyLuck wrote:

@wakeyjamie 

If your phone is not functional due to no funds use another phone and call 1-855-4PUBLIC to add the voucher.

---

Dialing *611 will still work for accounts suspended less that 90 days.

[JoyLuck]

@wakeyjamie 

If your phone is not functional due to no funds use another phone and call 1-855-4PUBLIC to add the voucher.

[gblackma]

@Anonymous , @dabr had an official  PM link that listed it. 

[geopublic]

---

@wakeyjamie wrote:

Hi everyone,

So, to update, Today I walked to Atlantic Superstore in Liverpool to purchase a voucher. I used the shop's wifi to load the voucher. And would you believe it, the **bleep** thing wouldn't work. It kept on saying, Unfortunately, Voucher # could not be added. Please verify the Voucher and try again.

The guy at the customer service desk would not issue a refund. So now I am down $50 and have no phone. What should I do?

Thanks

Jamie

---

@wakeyjamie  Just add it by dialing *611 from your device. Just keep trying and it will eventually work.

[gblackma]

Dial 611 and see if the voucher was added. If not, take a selfie and contact the moderators to add it for you as @JoyLuck  recommends. Stay safe.

[JoyLuck]

---

@wakeyjamie wrote:

Hi everyone,

So, to update, Today I walked to Atlantic Superstore in Liverpool to purchase a voucher. I used the shop's wifi to load the voucher. And would you believe it, the **bleep** thing wouldn't work. It kept on saying, Unfortunately, Voucher # could not be added. Please verify the Voucher and try again.

The guy at the customer service desk would not issue a refund. So now I am down $50 and have no phone. What should I do?

Thanks

Jamie

---

Sometimes it takes up to 24 hours for the voucher to become active. 

If you are using self service make sure you clear your history/cache and then open a new browser in incognito/private mode.

If you continue to have problems with the voucher contact a moderator;

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[wakeyjamie]

Hi everyone,

So, to update, Today I walked to Atlantic Superstore in Liverpool to purchase a voucher. I used the shop's wifi to load the voucher. And would you believe it, the **bleep** thing wouldn't work. It kept on saying, Unfortunately, Voucher # could not be added. Please verify the Voucher and try again.

The guy at the customer service desk would not issue a refund. So now I am down $50 and have no phone. What should I do?

Thanks

Jamie

[darlicious]

@wakeyjamie  Do you care to share what small nova Scotia town you are in? Maritimers are very friendly and helpful people we could direct you to a place that sells vouchers close by that you would never guess was even there....you know cousin boos bait and tackle shop that's only open 2 hours a day but also sells quiet bottles, rez smokes and public mobile vouchers! You never know who knows who.....we're everywhere!

[Anonymous]

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@gblackma wrote:

@wakeyjamie  Add MC debit to the list of approved acceptable payments.

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"Approved". I know the odd person here has reported that it works but have you seen that officially (which approved implies)? Maybe I missed it. Easily doable.

[gblackma]

@wakeyjamie  Add MC debit to the list of approved acceptable payments.