PSA - Visa1 (Only1) - No Longer Usable to Pay ATO

CheapskateQueen on 07/03/2018 - 10:41
Last edited 07/03/2018 - 16:24 by 1 other user

I've been using Visa Only1 prepaid credit cards to pay my tax bill for the last 6 months as i know some people here do.

Just bought $500 (5 x $100) worth and none of them work. I'm getting "Transaction error. Contact merchant" with each card.

Each card is activated and I've checked them online.

I just contacted their call centre and they say the merchant doesn't accept the card. Obvs I told them it's been working for 6 months so they're going to "escalate it". However I don't think anything will come of it.

So be warned that there's now an issue and they're unlikely to work anymore before you buy your next batch!

edit confirmed to no longer work to pay the ATO

Let me end by ranting, ugh annoying. $500 worth of rubbish cards which cost $503 :( (lol)

Financial

Comments

  • atris17 on 07/03/2018 - 11:00
    +1

    Where ya get this VISA prepaid credit card with discount?

    • dbui8743 on 07/03/2018 - 11:07
      +2

      Probably with Wish Gift cards, 105.95x5x0.95 = 503.2625

  • FirstWizard on 07/03/2018 - 11:02

    If you spend $503 to get a $500 visa gift card, and ATO charges a transaction fee, is there a benefit in doing that?

    EDIT: Unless you're using a rewards credit card(1%+ off with points) to buy Woolies gift cards (5% off with CR), and buy Visa One card ($3 Fee) to pay ATO (0.78% fee)

    • CheapskateQueen on 07/03/2018 - 11:25
      +1

      correct.

      ATO fee for visa is 0.15%. For every $99.85 of my tax bill I paid, it cost me gross $100.65. So 80 cents. But Net I ended up ahead $2.

      But the method and point is moot since it seems ATO no longer accepts Visa Only1 prepaid cards.

      • modsec802 on 07/03/2018 - 13:49

        Wow, seems like so much effort to spend $500 and save $10.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/03/2018 - 14:00

        +30-55 interest free on your credit card

        If you put that $95 on you credit card at start of billing cycle
        and use that period to put the money on a homeloan mine is 4.09%
        30 Days ~$0.30
        55 day ~$0.55

      • Neoika on 19/03/2018 - 22:31
        +1

        No,I think Blackhawk(Indue) excluded ATO as valid merchant rather than ATO not accepting it.

        I can confirm that Coles Prepaid MasterCard still works.You may get some on sale from Wednesday this week.

        • endolphin on 23/03/2018 - 06:58
          -1

          Coles prepaid mastercard on sale you say??

    • ronnknee on 07/03/2018 - 11:42

      Yea basically what you're saying in your edit. 5% off from Entertainment Book/Cash Rewards and 3 points/$1 (potentially ~3% equivalent) if paid with AMEX Platinum Edge.

  • MrBr0 on 07/03/2018 - 11:53

    yes this stopped working a few weekends ago with visa1 saying that the ATO is no longer a payment partner

  • JIMB0 on 07/03/2018 - 12:13
    +3

    You can probably thank the people who have posted about this method on public forums. If it were just a few people doing it no one would have noticed. It's obviously gotten too big so they shut it down.

    • T-man on 07/03/2018 - 23:33
      +2

      There are so many idiots, so many. Amex will not be accepted to buy eGift card soon, keep talking about this and show the people how to buy a discounted gift card with Amex.

  • Baysew on 07/03/2018 - 12:18
    +3

    Switch to iTunes cards.

  • whooah1979 on 07/03/2018 - 12:23
    -3

    Is your income tax only ~$500 ?

    • CheapskateQueen on 07/03/2018 - 12:43
      +1

      no. read the first sentence in my OP again.

      • whooah1979 on 07/03/2018 - 13:35
        -1

        Ohh. I get it. Your tax is ~$500 for two quarters and ~$1000 for this fiscal.

        • CheapskateQueen on 07/03/2018 - 15:02
          +3

          Lol no. Why are you trying to guess my tax anyway?

          there's insufficient information in my post for you to estimate my tax bill. You've also assumed facts that are incorrect lol

  • [Deactivated] on 07/03/2018 - 13:15
    +2

    The Cards aren't really wasted,
    just use them to pay your utility bills.

    I do get bummed though that a list of providers don't accept my Only1 branded visas
    *Fairfax and Stan (They take the hold confirming card valid but fail at time of payment)
    *IGA Self Service (They take the money from the card but software crashes causing till to think you have not paid)
    *Choice subscription (They take the hold confirming card valid but fail at time of payment)
    *Woolworths has started asking for signature recently (many self service have no digital sign pad so hang)
    *retailers were using Bendigo Bank and Suncorp EFTPOS machines
    Did not have Sign Option at all and not configured no Pin no Sign under $100
    *TPG doesnt recognise the Only1 Visa cards (They take the hold confirming card valid but fail at time of payment)

    I always used the remaining junk balances on cards to pay in advance in ISP Utilities Retail
    United, 7 eleven, Coles and Coles Express all take Only1 with no pin or sign

  • electriccurio on 07/03/2018 - 17:38
    +1

    Anyone know a good reason why they would stop doing it?

    • [Deactivated] on 09/03/2018 - 13:35

      In light of advice here is they are updating the computers

      It is probably a software interface problem to the giftcard wholesaler Blackhawk
      The failure seems to be at the point of loading/activating the cards and not related to the payment methods

  • Samsungnote10 on 07/03/2018 - 19:41
    -2

    If you dont know how to spend a only1 visa card your doing it wrong…..very wrong

  • Neoika on 08/03/2018 - 13:23

    I also used Prepaid Coles MasterCard,Vanilla VISA card two months ago.Maybe they were banned as well.

    • MrBr0 on 08/03/2018 - 19:42
      +1

      Still works

  • Neoika on 08/03/2018 - 19:45

    Anyone knows if Only1 VISA can still be used to buy 5% off Wish eGiftcard?It was working 9 months ago for me.Not sure about it now.

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