PRIZM Prepaid Card FAQ’s

Although it is often referred to as the PRIZM prepaid credit card, there is no credit element involved with it. Funds must be pre loaded onto the card before it can be used. Funds will be deducted from the account balance for the amount of each transaction plus any applicable service fees.

The PRIZM Prepaid card is available through retail distributor locations.

You may only have one PRIZM prepaid Visa card registered in your name, however you can also apply for a “secondary” card that is linked to your primary card for a family member or friend. To apply for the “secondary” card login to “My Card Space” through this website. If you are a business owner you may submit an application at an authorized PRIZM retailer for another PRIZM card account that is not tied to your personal account. (conditions apply).

No. You will need to have a verifiable Canadian mailing address (not a P.O. Box) and provide certain government issued identification in order to apply for a PRIZM Prepaid card if you are not a Canadian citizen.

No. Credit checks are not required to obtain a PRIZM Prepaid card.

Yes. Even with bad credit you can get a PRIZM Prepaid card as long as you are at least16 years old.

No. At this time, prepaid credit cards do not report transaction history to the credit bureaus.

Your Instant Issue card comes with an active PIN that is on the carrier your card is attached to. For added security, we highly recommend that you change your PIN. If you wish to change the PIN you can call our Automated Customer Service Line at 1-855-741-2262 or go to the Cardholders tab on this website and login to do so. There is a $0.25 fee to change your PIN.

Yes, you can change your PIN as many times as you wish if you feel that the security of your PIN is compromised. Remember, there is a $0.25 charge each time you change your PIN.

For your security, if you enter an incorrect PIN three consecutive times, access to your card will be automatically denied for a period of 24 hours after the last incorrect pin entry. Should this happen, you can have access to your card re-established by calling the customer service line at 1- 855-741-2262 and speaking to an agent. You will have to confirm certain personal information to have access re-established. A “Live Agent” fee of $2.99 will apply.

You can confirm your PIN for free by using the Automated Customer Service Line by calling 1-855-741-2262. You will be given a menu of actions including “hear PIN”. You can also change your PIN if you choose. A $0.25 fee applies for the PIN change.

Yes. You can withdraw up to $1000.00 per day from any ATM with the Plus logo or up to $1500.00 per day at a bank over-the-counter. A fee of $1.89 will apply for each ATM in Canada and $3.99 for international ATM withdrawals in addition to fees charged by the ATM owner or bank. The daily limit can be obtained all at once or in multiple transactions but remember there is a $1.89 fee for each withdrawal. A fee of $0.50 will be charged for declined transactions due to insufficient funds.

In an effort to further protect you and your personal financial information, the Prepaid Card Industry (PCI) has set a series of very stringent rules for all ATM operators. Bank ATM’s are already compliant and by December 2012 all independent ATM operators must become compliant with these rules also. At this time, the PRIZM card will only work at ATMs that are certified PCI compliant. As more independent ATM operators become certified, they will be added to the network. Our primary concern is to make sure your personal information is safe and secure.

Yes. You will be able to make purchases for goods and services online. When checking out, be sure to use the same address registered with your card or the sale may not go through on sites where merchants ask for an address.

Here is a list of the fees charged to use the card. Fees may be changed at any time. You will be able to check for updated fees by calling our customer care line at 1- 855-741-2262 (a $2.99 Live Agent Fee applies) or online at www.canacash.ca (no fee applies for online review).

$1.00

*Direct Deposit reloads using Interac online may be subject to additional merchant fees. The ATM owner and bank may charge additional fees.

Yes. You can load the card up to twice in a day with a minimum load of $10.00 and a maximum $2500.00 per load. The maximum that you can have on your card at any time cannot exceed $5000.00. You can withdraw up to $1000.00 per day from ATM’s or $1500.00 per day at the bank counter in single or multiple withdrawals. You may spend up to $5000.00 per day in single or multiple purchases at point of sale or online. The minimum purchase amount that will be processed at point of sale is $1.00 (one dollar).

Your instant issue or personalized PRIZM Prepaid card can be reloaded at any authorized PRIZM Agent location in Canada. A fee of $2.99 will be charged for this type of reload. Funds are immediately available for use and it is recommended that you ask for a transaction receipt when you reload your card.

Direct Deposit:

Load your card using Interac Online. Go to www.canacash.ca and login to “My Card Space” click the Direct Deposit Interac Online link and follow the instructions provided to transfer funds directly from your bank account. Funds are available for use immediately upon transfer. The reload fee is $2.99 for this method. Interac online has lower deposit limits and are subject to review and change.

No. You can only add funds to your Card at a PRIZM Agent location, or by one of the other methods listed above.

The PRIZM Prepaid card is accepted at over 20 million retail locations worldwide and online. You can also withdraw cash at ATM’s showing the Plus logo worldwide.

You can find your current balance 24/7 by accessing your account online at www.canacash.ca or by calling the automated customer service line at 1- 855-741-2262.

Yes. Certain personal information is required such as your full name, address and phone number, date of birth, government issue photo I.D. and one other piece of I.D.

No. The PRIZM card can only be loaded in Canadian funds. However, you can use your card to make purchases that are in other currencies. There is a daily exchange rate applied plus a foreign exchange fee added to make the currency conversion.

The “Instant Issue” card can be used immediately upon purchase. You can use the PIN provided with the card to access funds at ATM’s bearing the Plus® logo.

No. Cards must be shipped to a physical and verifiable Canadian street address.

You should receive your new personalized PRIZM Prepaid card in the mail by Canada Post within 14 days. Please contact our Customer Support Centre at 1- 855-741-2262 if you do not receive your card after 14 days.

Yes. You must activate your Personalized card before you can use it. The PIN that you had on the Instant Issue card is automatically carried over as well, however, you may consider changing your PIN for added security. (A $0.25 PIN change fee will apply if you decide to change your PIN). To activate your Personalized card and check or change your PIN, please call our Customer Care Centre at 1- 855-741-2262 or go online to www.canacash.ca. Don’t forget to sign the back of your card as soon as it is activated. It is a good idea to keep a record of your card number somewhere safe in case your card is lost or stolen. Never write your PIN on your card or keep the card number and PIN together in the same location.

Yes. The balance is automatically transferred to your personalized card when you activate it and your old card is then deactivated.

Personal information such as your home address and phone number can be updated by calling customer care at 1- 855-741-2262 and speaking to an agent. A $2.99 live agent fee applies. You may update your personal information for free by accessing your account online. You must go to the Cardholder tab on this website and login.

Yes. Funds can be transferred from one PRIZM Prepaid card to another PRIZM Prepaid card. Simply go to www.mycardspace.ca to access your account, click “Card to Card Transfer” and follow the instructions provided. Funds are available for use immediately upon transfer and the person receiving the funds can confirm the transfer by calling the automated customer service line at 1- 855-741-2262 or online by accessing their account online at www.mycardspace.ca  A fee of $3.99 for card to card transfer will be deducted from your card.

Yes another PRIZM Prepaid cardholder that uses the card to card transfer feature can move funds to your card.

Your employer cannot deposit directly onto your PRIZM prepaid card. The PRIZM prepaid card is not a payroll card program.

As soon as the deposit is received you will be able to access funds.

Yes, so long as the balance never exceeds $5000.00 at any given time on your card.

No. Your PRIZM Prepaid card operates without you having to have a bank account.

No. The transaction will be declined if the amount exceeds your available balance. Some merchants will allow you to “split” payment between the available balance on your card and cash. In some rare instances a merchant or processor may make a mistake when doing the daily settlement that may put your account into a negative situation. In this instance PRIZM assumes no liability and it is up to you to have the merchant correct the mistake and clear the negative balance.

No. The PRIZM Prepaid card does not offer loans.

Returns would be handled by merchants in the same way that they would be with any credit card and in accordance with Visa guidelines. As return policies may vary, the merchant may credit your PRIZM card, provide a cash refund, or issue a store credit. If the merchant reverses or cancels the transaction on your card, it may take up to 10 days for those funds to become available on your card.

A pre-authorization means that a temporary hold is placed on a portion of your funds over and above the actual purchase amount. Examples of pre-authorizations are “Pay-at-the-pump” gas stations who usually pre-authorize $75.00 and restaurants who may pre-authorize up to 20% more than the amount of your bill. Car rental agencies will pre-authorize an amount substantially more than the actual rental fee as will hotels. Unused portions of pre-authorizations are returned when the merchant settles the transaction, usually within 3 days. During this time these funds will not be available to you to make additional purchases or ATM cash withdrawals. You should verify the merchant’s pre-authorization policy in advance to ensure that you will have sufficient funds to cover the purchase and any pre-authorization amount.

Yes. Remember that your card will be pre-authorized for $75.00 and if you only pump $30.00 worth of gas, the difference of $45.00 will not be available to you until the merchant settles the transaction. If you pay for your gas inside, you will only pay the amount for the fuel you actually pumped.

Yes, but this may vary by car rental agency. Don’t forget that car rental companies will pre-authorize your card for much more than the actual cost of the rental until such time you return the vehicle and settle for extra charges such as fuel, damage, road tolls, extra days, etc. These pre-authorized funds may not become available on your card for up to 60 days. To avoid any issues, we advise you to first contact the car rental company and ask them what their policy is regarding the use of prepaid cards.

Yes, however keep in mind that hotels will process a pre-authorization for more than the actual cost of the room until you checkout and settle for extra charges such as room service, telephone charges, damage, etc. These pre-authorized funds may not become available on your card for up to 10 days. To avoid any issues, we advise you to first contact the hotel and ask them what their policy is regarding the use of prepaid cards.

Yes, however keep in mind that restaurants may process a pre-authorization for approximately 20% more than the actual bill to cover a tip that may be added. These pre-authorized funds may not become available on your card for up to 4 days.

All you do is dial the toll free long distance access number that is on the back of your card and follow the prompts. When prompted, enter the long distance PIN located on the back of your card, then dial the number you want to reach. The cost of the call will be deducted automatically from the available balance on your PIN. Don’t forget that the first 30 minutes of North American long distance is free when you purchase your card.

The first 30 minutes of North American long distance is free and is already allocated to your PRIZM long distance PIN number. To add additional funds to your unique PIN number which is located on the back of your PRIZM card, call 1-866-233-2233 which is the long distance customer servce number located at the bottom on the back of your card. Please have your card in front of you when making the call to provide your unique PIN and your card number if you choose to purchase time using your PRIZM Prepaid card.

Go to www.canacash.ca and access your account by signing in to “My Card Space“. Look for the “BILL PAY” icon and click on it. You will need to follow the instructions provided to set up the bills that you will want to pay. Please be sure to have a copy of these bills when you are setting them up as you will need to enter accurate and complete account information. Be sure to double check the account information you enter to avoid transaction reversal fees because you entered incorrect account information. You need only set the bills you want to pay once. From then on, all you need to do is click on the previously entered information to be able to pay bills.

See the chart below for the fees to use Bill Pay.

The current balance does not include pre-authorizations. The available balance reflects the amount of funds you have available for you to spend at the time you check your balance.

Your card will be declined in circumstances where the available balance on your card is not enough to cover your purchase. In some cases, the merchant may allow a “split” transaction where you can use the available balance on your card and pay the rest in cash or with another card.

Sometimes merchants (especially online or telephone merchants) will accept several orders over a period of time and process all of these transactions at a later time or date. The balance on your card will be updated when the merchant processes the batch transaction. In some cases, the merchant will not process the transaction until your merchandise is ready to be shipped and not when you placed the order. If you wish to continue spending funds on your card you may need to reload your card in order to have sufficient funds for your purchases.

Yes. PRIZM’s “Bill Pay” system allows you to pay bills to thousands of companies, utilities and government agencies. Go to www.canacash.ca to access your account through “My Card Space” and follow the instructions to set up and pay your bills online with your PRIZM Prepaid card.

It is very important to contact us immediately when you realize your card is lost or stolen. You can call Customer Service 24/7 at 1- 855-741-2262 (A $2.99 live agent fee applies and please have you card number when you call) or go online to www.canacash.ca to access your account and follow the directions. Other information will be required in order for us to verify your identity. A replacement card will be sent to you at a cost of $15.00 and the balance will be transferred from your new card form the old one upon activation. Your funds are protected if your card is ever lost or stolen with Visa Zero Liability Fraud Protection.

You can purchase goods or services to use the balance remaining on your card at “Point-of-Sale” or you can call customer service at 1- 855-741-2262 (a live agent fee of $2.99 applies) and ask the representative to close your account. A cheque will be mailed to you for the balance remaining on your card less a $10.00 service fee. Please allow up to 30 days from the time of your request to receive a cheque in the mail.

Your “Instant Issue” card will expire in 30 days after your purchase and your “Personalized” card will expire in approximately 36 – 60 months (3 – 5 years) after activation. The expiry date is printed on the front of your personalized card. You do not need to request a new card as long as there is activity on your current card within the last 60 days prior to expiry. Any remaining balance on your old card will be transferred to your new card upon activation. Please contact us prior to the expiration so that we have the correct and current address to mail your new card to.

Yes. You can view and print your transaction history 24/7 by login into your online account at www.canacash.ca or you can call the free automated customer service line at 1-855-741-2262 to hear your balance.

Yes. For a list of available alerts and information on how to sign up please go to www.canacash.ca, access your account through “My Card Space” and click on the SMS link. There will be a charge of $0.25 for each SMS alert sent to you.

First of all, try to match the amount of the transaction against the receipts that you obtained for the purchases you made. Sometimes the merchant’s name on the receipt may not be the same as the actual business name or you may be charged for an internet transaction that happened some time ago but the vendor has just settled the transaction. If you still believe that the transaction is incorrect you may choose to file a dispute.

To dispute a transaction please fax the details to us at 1-954-377-0072. Please be sure to include your contact information including a telephone number and e-mail address, your PRIZM card number and information on the transaction in question including the merchant name, date of purchase, the amount of the purchase and why you believe the transaction is not correct. Please include copies of any relevant paperwork such as transaction receipts . We are unable to accept telephone calls for transaction disputes and disputes will be responded to within 15 days of receipt of your fax. There will be no fee to you if it is found that the charge was not legitimate, however if the transaction is found to be correct there will be a fee of $10.00 charged to your card.

Click on the link below to download the dispute form.

Statement of Disputed Transaction (English)

Yes. Your privacy is important to us. Please refer to the PRIZM Card Privacy Policy included in your Cardholder Agreement or online at www.canacash.ca