International Reloadable Gift Card

CardREX: An International Reloadable Gift Card

Just about all gift cards offered by MasterCard, Visa and American Express cannot be used outside of the United States and most of the gift cards offered by these three companies are not reloadable. CardREX offers a reloadable gift card that can be used internationally. Through a partnership with Visa and MasterCard, CardREX gift cards carry the Visa and MasterCard logos, virtually guaranteeing worldwide acceptance.

CardRex Visa or MasterCard

CardREX gift cards can be used in any country in the world that accepts Visa and MasterCard. The following is a general outline of their terms, conditions and fees. All dollar amounts are given in United States Dollars (USD):

General Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions for the CardREX Visa or MasterCard are fairly straightforward.

• Use the card anywhere in the world
• If you card is lost or stolen, CardREX will replace your card
• This card has no expiration date
• Purchases made in currencies other than USD – The purchase price is based on the foreign currency. That amount is then converted to USD. The total USD amount is then deducted from your card balance. For example, if you purchase an item that cost 50 Euro, that amount is converted to around $72 USD. The $72 USD will be deducted from your card balance.

Purchase Fees

• One to ten cards – $25 per card
• 11 to 20 - $20 per card
• 21 or more - $15 per card
• Card replacement fee - $35 per card

Activation Fees

• One time card fee - $89 for first card and then $35 for each additional card
• Activation or deactivation fee - $7.50
• Monthly maintenance fee - $5
• Annual fee - $0

Loading Fees

• Cash – If you load your card using a cash payment, the fee is $3.95 plus 1 percent of the amount loaded.
• Wire Transfer – You will be charged $5 plus 1 percent of the amount you are loading onto your card. There is a minimum fee of $30.
• Western Union – The charge for loading your card via Western Union is $5 plus 4.5 percent of the total dollar amount loaded. There is a minimum fee of $50. Keep in mind that Western Union has its own fees not related to the card.
• Card to Card Transfer – If you own two CardREX cards and would like to transfer funds from one card to another, the cost is $5 and the funds are loaded to your card immediately. This is an excellent way to send money to family members without having to pay expensive wire transfer or Western Union fees.

Usage Fees

• ATM withdrawal - $5 ($4 in Canada)
• Point of sale purchase - $3.50 ($2.50 in Canada)
• ATM/POS declination fee - $1.50
• Internet access - $5

Prepaid Debit and Credit Cards as Gift Cards

The CardREX gift card comes with substantial fees, although it has very few usage restrictions. If you want to give a gift to a family member, consider a prepaid debit or credit card instead of a gift card. Prepaid debit and credit cards are offered directly by major credit card companies like Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. They have lower fees, fewer usage restrictions and may be reloadable. For some of these cards you will need the card recipient's social security number; but for most cards, all you need is their name and address. Before giving an international reloadable gift card to someone who will be traveling outside the United States, consider the following prepaid cards:

• Green Dot Visa or MasterCard – This prepaid credit card offers considerably lower fees than the CardREX card, is reloadable and is accepted by retailers worldwide.
• Vision Premier Prepaid Visa Card – This prepaid card has very low fees and can be used at ATMs and merchants around the globe.
• All-Access MasterCard Prepaid Card – This debit card has no monthly, application or annual fees and no minimum balance requirement.