Did you just buy your new Netspend card from CVS? You did? Great, let’s see how can you activate your Netspend Card. Also if you are new to Netspend, I will explain everything you need to know about it.
I think debit cards are a great way to make purchases, especially if you have a prepaid debit card like Netspend. It is easy to keep track of your expenses if you are using a prepaid debit card.
If you are new to Netspend it is better to have some extra knowledge about how it operates. In this article, I will try to answer all the questions that are relevant to activating a Netspend Card.
Let’s dive in…
What is Netspend?
So you don’t have a checking or savings bank account? You might have bad credit or you simply don’t want to have a bank account. Personal preferences I know.
We are moving towards a cashless society and it is not convenient to conduct everyday business if you don’t have a bank account.
Like online bookings, buying a plane ticket from home, getting paid instantly and the list goes on. Well, for you my friend, is Netspend.
Netspend provides you with a prepaid debit card and you don’t need to have a bank account for this. That’s great, isn’t it? You get to enjoy all the perks without having a bank account.
Netspend offers Visa and Mastercard debit cards that you can use to purchase both online and offline. You can use these cards after you activate your Netspend card.
How to Get Netspend Card?
You can get your Netspend card pretty easily, All you have to do is fill out an online form and the card will be delivered to your address. You can also buy a temporary Netspend card from retailers like CVS.
Both of these cards need to be activated by you. If you bought a temporary Netspend Card, you can use it for almost 4 months after activating it. However, once you activate your temporary Netspend card, you will be sending another card to the mailing address.
This process will take 10 days. You can activate your Netspend card instantly.
Some of the retailers that sell Netspend cards include
Whether you order your Netspend card online or you buy it from a store, you will have to activate it first before using it.
Methods to Activate Netspend Card
1- Helpline
You can activate your Netspend card by calling the helpline 1-866-387-7363. They will ask you for the relevant details and then they will activate your Netspend card.
2- Activate Online
You can also visit the official website and activate your Netspend Card there by simply adding your Netspend card details.
3- Netspend App
You can use the Netspend App on Android as well as iPhone to activate your Card.
How to Activate Netspend Card through App?
Finally, you are ready to activate your Netspend Card. I am going to explain each step one by one in detail so that you understand everything clearly.
Step 1- Launch Netspend
Step 2- Tap on “Activate”
Step 3- Enter your Netspend Card details. You can do it manually or you can give Netspend app access to your Camera.
- Enter the card number and security code in case you do it manually.
- Take a clear snap of the card if you are using the camera.
Step 4- Enter the Information required by the App, you will have to provide your Email, username & password.
Step 5- Tap on Continue
Step 6- Enter your PIN number and hit Continue
Step 7- Verify your Identity. You will have to provide your First Name, Last Name, street address, date of birth, and SSN. This is because they are bound to acquire this information under USA PATRIOT Act.
Step 8- Agree to the terms and conditions and hit Continue.
Step 9- Tap on “Send My Code” to get a code to your email to confirm your email.
Step 10- Copy the code that you have received in your email and paste it into the code section in the Netspend app.
Step 11- Tap Submit
Step 12- Tap Close after reading the disclosure about receiving electronic communication.
Step 13- Chose the alert settings or tap on Not Right Now.
Step 14- Tap on “Go to Account”
Step 15- Enjoy
How to Activate Netspend Online?
Step 1- Visit Netspend’s official website.
Step 2- Tap on the “Activate Card” button.
Step 3- Enter your Card Number and 3 digit Security code.
Step 4- Hit “Continue”
Step 5- Check in the app if your card is activated or not.
How to activate your Netspend Card through Helpline?
All you have to do is call 1-866-387-7363. The customer support officer will ask you to provide relevant details and the card will be then activated.
Once the Netspend card is activated, you can start using it instantly. There is no delay or waiting. You can start making online purchases and enjoy cashless purchases.
But you might start to think, Now that the card is active, How will I add funds to my card. Do not worry, I am here to help you with this too.
How to recharge your Netspend Card?
Now that you activated your Netspend card, you need to add money to it. Without money, it is just another piece of plastic that pollutes the planet.
Let’s add some money to your activated Netspend card.
There are a few ways that you can consider
1- Direct Deposit.
This is the most convenient way to recharge your Netspend Card. If you have a paycheck, or if your employer gives you the paycheck, you can ask them to directly deposit the check into your Netspend account.
Guess what, you can receive your paychecks 2 days earlier than usual if deposited to your Netspend account.
2- Netspend Reload locations.
Netspend has authorized reload points where you can add money to your Netspend card, Now that you have activated your Netspend card, simply walk to the nearest Walmart and hand over the Cash. Your money will be added to your Netspend Card.
3- Bank Transfers
You can also transfer money to your Netspend card from any bank account. If you don’t have a bank account you can ask your family or friends.
You can also use PayPal to send money to your Netspend card.
See, it’s that easy when you read a guide like this :p
However, Remember if your Nerspend card is not activated you can not add funds to your card.
How to use Netspend Card Without Activation?
Netspend doesn’t allow you to use a card that is not activated. They need your personal information to verify your identity.
This verification process is to protect people from frauds and scams. Netspend is also required by the authorities to verify every user. So you must activate your Netspend card to use it.
An inactive Netspend card is just a piece of……. plastic.
How to Activate Netspend Card Without SSN?
It would be a cherry on top if you could activate a Netspend card without SSN. Unfortunately, there is no cherry on top. You can not activate your Netspend card without a social security number.
Netspend verifies every user, when you activate a Netspend card, you must verify yourself, if the verification is incomplete you are not allowed to use your card.
So, maybe you don’t want to give your personal information to Netspend, well you can look for another legal ID number to activate Netspend Card without SSN.
This can work, you can try to find someone else’s details and activate the Netspend card without using your SSN. You can ask a friend maybe, or someone in your family.
You can also use the Alien Registration Number and activate your Card without SSN. However, it’s a temporary fix, and if Netspend finds it out, your account will be blocked permanently.
The legal way to activate your Netspend card is to use your own SSN.
Read How to Verify Cash App? Cash App Identity Verification 2022
Can I Activate Netspend Card If I am Under 18?
Yes, you can activate a Netspend card easily by using your guardian’s SSN and ID. Netspend requires a phone number, Email, ID, and SSN. If you are under 18 you definitely do not have SSN.
What you can do is, simply use the SSN of your Parents to activate Netspend Card. Once active you can use it.
How much does it Cost to Activate Netspend Card?
Good question, When you get your Netspend card, it is inactive. Activating your Netspend card is free of cost. You don’t have a penny to get your card up and running.
However, if you buy your temporary Netspend card from a store like CVS, you will have to load extra money too. You will also have to pay for the card.
It is better to order your Netspend card online if you want to save some money. This may take a little longer for the card to reach you, around 10 days. If you are in a hurry, you can buy it from a retailer.
Activating a Netspend Card is totally free.
How long does it take to activate Netspend Card?
There are three methods that you can use to activate your Netspend prepaid card. You can either go to the official website of Netspend to activate your card or you can call the helpline.
You can download the Netspend app to activate your card too. All of their methods are quick and time-saving. Once you enter all of the details, Your Netspend card will activate instantly.
Check How to Get Chargeback on Cash App? 2022 Guide
How to deactivate Netspend Card?
Tired already? I mean you just got your Netspend card and now you are thinking to deactivate it? Alright, there are 2 ways to deactivate your Netspend card.
1- Withdraw all of your money.
If you take all of your funds out, your Netspend card even active is useless. After some time it will be deactivated.
2- Call Netspend Helpline
This is the best way and the fastest too. You can directly call Netspend Helpline 1-866-387-7363. Request to deactivate your Netspend card.
They might try to convince you not to do this, But I am sure you made up your mind and you won’t fall for cheap sales tricks.
Can I Activate someone else’s Netspend Card?
If you have all the details of the person, you can activate their card too. Because the activation process itself is very simple, all you have to do is enter the card details, CVC, and boom, the card is active.
Then you will need, PIN, SSN, Email, street address, etc to fully activate Netspend Card. If you want to activate a Netspend card on someone’s behalf, you will also need access to that person’s email to get the security code that Netspend sends.
How to use Netspend Card?
You can use Netspend cards at stores, if you opt for credit at checkout you will have to pay a $1 transaction fee.
For debit, you will have to pay a $2 fee and use a PIN number instead of a signature. You can also check Netspends monthly plans to avoid fees.
You can use your Netspend Card at ATM to withdraw funds, ATM fee ranges from $2.50 to $4.95.
Check out 3 Netspend Free ATM to Use in 2022
How to Activate Netspend Master Card?
Gone are the days when you needed a bank account to be eligible for online payments and purchases. Now you have Netspend Master Card.
You can use prepaid Netspends cards to withdraw cash at ATM, make online payments, book hotels, and do groceries. You can also get your paycheck directly to your Netspend Card.
To use your Netspend Master Card you will have to activate it first. It is not difficult and there are multiple ways of doing this.
You can simply call the helpline, or use the App to do it.
Verdict
Netspend has made the life of millions of people easy. Now you don’t need to have a bank account. There is no need to go to the bank account to deposit your paycheck.
You will even get discounts and cashback if you use your Netspend card. Shop online and enjoy cashless life.
You can get a Netspend card within 10 days, and activating a NetSpend card only takes a few minutes. Use the Netspend app to send money to your loved ones.
I hope this article was helpful and it contained all the information that you were looking for. Please share your views in the comments, your suggestions always guide me, and they also help many others reading this article.
Cheers…
Frequently Asked Questions.
How do I activate my Netspend Card?
Follow these steps to activate your Netspend card
- Visit Netspend.com
- Tap on the “Activate Card” button
- Enter your Card Number
- Enter CVV
- Tap continue
Your card will be activated instantly
Can I use Netspend without activation?
No, it is not possible to use Netspend without activation, you will have to verify your identity to use Netspend card.
How do I know if my Netspend card is active?
You can call the helpline to confirm if your card is active. You can also check your email for confirmation that you will only get once your card is active. You can use the Netspend App to check if your card is active, once you launch Netspend app you will see your current balance on the top right corner of the app only if your card is activated.