An FDIC-approved card has been helpful for many needy people throughout the United States in assisting whenever needed. Most of the Green Dot cards are used as a gift for minors. These cards are primarily reloadable and are applicable for purchases in-store or online. If you do not have a social security number and once you receive a green dot card, the initial thought would be how to activate a GreenDot card without a social security number. This article will provide a detailed discussion of the information surrounding this topic.
How Does a Green Dot Card Work?
A green dot card is a reloadable prepaid card insured by the FDIC. The local retailers in almost every neighbourhood, such as Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, 7-Eleven, Dollar General, and Rite-Aid, sell Green Dot cards. This card can be used for money withdrawal from ATMs, cashing checks, and making purchases or payments. Green Dot cards work like debit cards, but you do not have to own any bank accounts for them.
The money needs to be loaded into the card to make successful transactions. A Green Dot card is a financial miracle for people who are unable and do not want to buy stuff using credit. This is the best option for people who do not use paper checks regularly and can reload a minimum of $1,000 monthly. One of the fantastic advantages of using a green dot card is that compared to credit cards, they carry low-interest rates.
However, you have to pay annual fees of up to $7.95, which is a bit hefty for some people, and that is a big drawback of using Green Dot cards.
Ways For Using an Activated Green Dot Card
If you purchase a green dot card from a bank or retail store, you are most likely able to start making purchases. A Green Dot card is a Visa debit card, and you can do pretty much all a Green Dot card that you can with a Visa debit card. As it is not a credit card, you need sufficient funds for successful transactions in the green dot account.
You can use a Green Dot card to make purchases in any retailer or online store that accepts a Visa debit card. Anywhere in the U.S. where Visa is accepted, a green dot prepaid card will also be accepted. You can pay for global brands like Uber, Amazon, Walmart, Apple, and Intuit. Cash advances are also allowed from any ATM with a Visa logo while using a Green Dot card.
These cards are also applicable for buying stuff online or simply to pay your monthly bills. The Green Dot mobile app allows you to experience similar benefits, such as money transfers, tap-and-go payments, direct deposits, lock protection, customized account alerts, and mobile wallets like any regular banking card.
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How to Activate a GreenDot Card Without Social Security?
From the start, it is not possible to activate your Green Dot card without a social security number. The social security number is a major part of the card. The company will not issue a card under your name if you cannot enter your social security number while registering for one. However, there is a way of getting past that, and you can activate a GreenDot card without a social security number.
- Before activating a Green Dot card, you have to register for one online.
- That is where they will ask for the four digits at the end of your social security number.
- They will ask for your account number, name, card expiry date, CVV number, date of birth, the state you live in, ZIP code, and social security number.
However, suppose you get a Green Dot card as a gift and do not have a social security number.
- In that case, you must enter all zeros or ones in the social security number slot.
- As for the slot for date of birth, you have to enter a date that makes you a minor, even if you are a minor.
- This will activate your card, but you cannot access the cash or reload it. Because Green Dot cannot verify your identity because of the missing social security number.
Why Is a Social Security Number Important for Activation? Green Dot needs you to enter your social security number so that they do not have to worry about the authentication of the person using the card. The social security number is needed during registration as it verifies that the person is above 18. The personalized card will not be issued if the social security number is missing.
The missing SSN means that the individual is a minor, and the card was given to them as a gift. For this reason, there will be some limitations on the card. Not providing a social security number will restrict you from accessing the cash on the card, and you will also be unable to reload it. As Green Dot cannot identify your eligibility for using the card, you cannot access the cash either.
Without an SSN, you can still use the card for online or in-store purchases in stores that accept Green Dot cards. However, once the funding is over on that card, you need to get another one, as you cannot reload it. So, your social security number is important for using a Green Dot card.
How Long Does It Take to Activate a GreenDot Card?
It might take up to 7 to 10 business days for your personalized Green Dot card to arrive chip-enabled after requesting one. Suppose you have gotten your Green Dot card from a credit union branch or bank. In that case, you do not have to activate it because it is already eligible for use. Once your card is activated, the money from the temporary card will automatically transfer to the personalized card. You will not be able to use the temporary card anymore.
Temporary cards are ready to use for transactions within two business days in the U.S. As for permanent cards, as soon as your activated card arrives, you can start using it immediately. You can use a card if it is not still activated but with a lot of restrictions. If you want to know if your card is activated or not, from the number listed on the back of your card, call the customer service of the card’s issuer and ask them. They will be able to let you know the status of your card immediately.
Final Words
A Green Dot card is a good gift for any minor as it lets them buy anything they want from stores that accept Green Dot cards. However, if you are not a little and are looking for how to activate a GreenDot card without a social security number, then you must put in the information during registration like you are a minor. In this article, we have provided adequate information on how to go through such a process.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Green Dot card will cost $1.95 to purchase, and the monthly usage fee on the card is $7.95. For each cash reload, you have to pay a fee of $5.95; for ATM withdrawals, $3.00 is charged.
You can use a Green Dot card before it is activated, but there will be many limitations. You will have to use that card as a temporary one. Which means you cannot reload it or access cash.
Permanent residents need a Social Security number (SSN). You need a Social Security number (SSN) to work in the U.S., do business with a bank or other financial institution, pay taxes, or claim a dependent on a tax return.
We ask for your birthday and SSN to verify your identity as needed by law. After registering, you can quickly load a minimum of $1 with your bank account or a minimum of $20 with your debit card.
Ingo Money is a service of First Century Bank, N.A., and Ingo Money, Inc. Approval review takes 3-5 minutes but can take an hour.
