FAQs
The Corporate Prepaid Card carries a certain amount of spending power. Each time the card is used to make a purchase, the purchase amount is deducted from the card’s available balance. If your card is reloadable, its purchasing power can be topped up with more value.
Your card must be activated by the date shown on the accompanying letter / email or it will be cancelled and the funds forfeited. To activate your card, please visit universalgiftcard.com.au and input your card proxy number, the 4-digit authentication code (stated on your letter) and 3-digit CVV number on the back of the card. Virtual Cards can be activated by clicking the ‘Activate Now’ tab in the second email you received when the Virtual Card was sent to you.
For security purposes, your card has a card proxy number that is required to activate your card and to view your card balance or transaction history. For plastic cards, your card proxy number is the PN number located on the back of your card. If you have a virtual (or eGift) gift card, you can find the proxy number by clicking on the link inside the email you received that contains your card. You will be directed to our site which will display your proxy number.
Important: we will never ask for your card number. You must not disclose your card number to any website or person except for the purpose of making a purchase. You are liable for any loss or unauthorised transactions on your card where you have disclosed your card number other than for the purpose of making a purchase.
At the time of activation, you will be asked to provide personal information before you can activate your card. This information is required for identification and security purposes.
Once the card is activated, the funds will be available instantly.
Only Reloadable or Chip cards require a PIN number to process transactions. To set the PIN number, go to universalgiftcard.com.au and enter your card proxy (PN) number, 4-digit authentication code (stated on your letter – this is not your PIN number) and you 3 digit CVV. Follow the prompts to set or change your PIN number.
Our products without a CHIP do not have a PIN.
Our cards can be used online or at any store in Australia or overseas where Visa or Mastercard prepaid cards are accepted.
Virtual cards can be used for online purchases only.
From time to time we may block your ability to use your prepaid Visa or Mastercard in certain countries, such as countries that are on the United Nations Security Council Sanctions List or countries deemed a high fraud risk. Currently this list includes Myanmar, Cuba, Iran, Nigeria, Sudan, all OFAC listed countries.
The card cannot be used for mail or telephone orders nor for gambling transactions or other banned merchants.
Most of our prepaid cards cannot be used at an ATM. Some reloadable or chip cards can be used at ATMs although fees will be charged and can vary between ATM operators and locations. Generally, cash withdrawals are charged at $2.00 per withdrawal, ATM initiated balance enquiries at $1 and declined transactions at $1 per transaction. Please note the minimum withdrawal amount is often $20, with a maximum withdrawal limit of $1000. per transaction. Set period limits may also apply, typically $4,000 per 30 calendar days unless otherwise stated.
Ensure the card is activated before use. Sign the back of the card, then swipe it, select CREDIT and OK. Non-Chip cards do not have a PIN number. If the terminal prompts you to enter a pin, select ENTER or OK to proceed without a pin number and the merchant may ask you to sign the docket.
For Reloadable or Chip cards a PIN number is required. Select CREDIT and enter your 4-digit PIN number (not your authentication code on the letter).
You will need to supplement the spending power on the card with cash or other payment method accepted by the merchant.
Most online retailers do not cater to split transactions.
Only the exact value of your purchase will be deducted from the balance on the card, so you can use the card for more purchases later. No change will be given.
There are several possibilities:
- your card has not been activated
- the amount of the purchase exceeds the available balance
- the merchant is located in a blocked country
- the merchant is of a type for which transactions are prohibited by Visa / Mastercard
- your card has expired
- you have tried to enter a PIN instead of signing the merchant’s docket.
- for CHIP based cards you have entered your PIN incorrectly
- your card has been reported lost or stolen
- your card has been suspended
- a previous voided or interrupted transaction may have been authorised and the reserved funds have not yet been released
- the signature panel on the back of the card has not been signed
- your signature on the purchase receipt does not match the signature on the back of the card
- the merchant does not accept Visa or Mastercard prepaid cards electronically
- the merchant does not accept virtual cards
Yes. At the petrol station, it is better to pay at the counter after filling your tank, rather than using your card at the pump itself before filling up. Why? Because, even if you need only a few litres of petrol, an authorisation for $49 will be sought, and that $49 will be reserved until the actual value of fuel purchased is posted to the account – sometimes a day or two later.
By visiting universalgiftcard.com.au. You will need to enter your card proxy number, 4-digit authentication code on your letter (not your PIN number) and 3 digit CVV. Merchants cannot do a balance enquiry through their point-of-sale system.
Yes – by visiting universalgiftcard.com.au and entering your proxy number, authentication code on your letter (not your PIN number) and CVV number on the back of the card.
Generally there are no fees for using the card. The balance on the card is entirely for your use. If you use our card overseas, a foreign currency conversion fee of 3% of the transaction value will apply. Checking your card balance or transactions or for any other purpose via the website is free of charge. A phone call to report a lost or stolen card is free. Calls to the IVR (interactive voice recorded) computer will generally incur a $1.10 fee, and if you choose to talk to a human operator you will generally incur a fee of $4.40. If your card is reloadable, an account fee of $2 per month may be deducted from the card’s balance.
Each merchant has its own policy about accepting returned items. If a merchant does accept the return of goods purchased with a prepaid card, then the merchant can process a negative transaction so the spending power of the card is restored. However such credits are not immediate – please check your transaction history on universalgiftcard.com.au
Yes. It will expire at the end of the month shown on the front of the card.
Reloadable cards show an expiry date 36 months after their date of issue, but active reloadable card accounts will never expire. A new card will be sent to you automatically as each expiry date approaches. Please ensure your Profile on this website is up-to-date, so the new card is sent to the correct address!
After its expiry, or cancellation for non-activation, any balance will be forfeited, and the card will be declined when presented for use. If your card is reloadable and active, upon expiry any remaining balance is rolled over automatically to your new card. If a reloadable card has had no purchase transactions for twelve months, the card account will be closed and any remaining balance will be forfeited. No notice will be given of expiry or cancellation.
Yes. It is the same as when you use a credit card. Merchants are permitted to add a surcharge to recompense them for paying the Merchant Service Fee to their bank.
Contact our team at [email protected].
For physical cards if the balance on the card exceeds $15 at the time you report its loss, you may order a replacement card which will be loaded with the balance of the lost / stolen card at the time its loss was reported, less an administration fee of $15.
For virtual cards if the balance on the card exceeds $10 at the time you report its loss, you may order a replacement card which will be loaded with the balance of the lost / stolen card at the time its loss was reported, less an administration fee of $10.
Like all payment cards, prepaid cards should be safeguarded and treated like cash. However, our cards are more secure than cash, because your signature is required for a purchase. If your card is lost or stolen, you can report its loss so it can be disabled and replaced, unlike many store cards.
We adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles. We will not disclose your personal details to anyone except for the purpose of operating these prepaid card programs, or as required by law. All data transmitted via the internet is encrypted. To see our Privacy Policy, click here.
Please contact us at [email protected].
If you have been sent a Virtual Card and it has yet to arrive, please check your email junk folder. If you still cannot locate the Virtual Card email, please email us at [email protected]
Cardholder information is used for identification and security purposes only. Your information will not be used for any other purpose.
