Foo - H&R Block Emerald Card

DO NOT PUT YOUR REFUND ON THE EMERALD CARD!!!

I work in a call center for a huge catalog/internet automotive company.
When you place an order (nearly everywhere, not just us) & use a CC or a Debit Card
An authorization is done to verify the account & that you have enough money for your purchase
If you use a debit card, that amount of your purchase is pulled from your account so you can't spend it.
Normally the Authorization drops once the charges goes thru.
An authorization is also done on CC's but its usually not a big deal, except if its a pre-paid card.
Such as a Visa Gift Card or the H&R Block Emerald Card.
It took us nearly a week and 1/2 & quite a few supervisors & faxes to drop the auth $
And the customer service for this emerald card was - rude & ignorant

Please tell everyone you know

Do Not Put Your Refund on this Card

Bump

I cannot stress enough!!!
Do not put your refund on this card!!!!!!!:mad:

Gotta bump it

One more time

E-filed with the web-based TurboTax software and it was direct deposited into my bank account 8 days later. No emerald anything here besides my birthstone. :)

After I saw this original post, one of my customers gave me an emerald card an I was a little worried at first.
I ran it through my CC machine with no trouble. Now, I did run as credit, not debit.

This is no different than a debit card on your checking account, or credit cards near their limit.

I was running payday to payday several years ago, and knew my balance. It was about $100 dollars.

I put about $20 of gas in the car, then went to buy groceries (about $60). My card would not work for the groceries because the gas station had locked out $50... In fact, the next day, I had the actual $20-ish charge PLUS the $50 authorization hold. I called the bank and the gas station, and the bottom line was "Wait a week, and the $50 authorization will be dropped."

Needless to say, I didn't go to that gas station again.

But, I agree, file electronically and wait a week... although I think the Emerald Card actually is for more than the amount of the refund, so perhaps if you manage it right, it will be fine. My advice is to be cognizant of issues when using any cards for gas (or others that may pre-authorize) if you are close to the limit... whether debit, credit or cash card.

What is this "refund" of which you speak?

There is no need to put a refund on any card. If you have a bank account, they can deposit it directly.