Alterna® Prepaid Mastercard® - How it Works
Alterna® Prepaid
Mastercard®
How it Works
The Alterna Card is an app-based bilingual prepaid Mastercard, that provides cross-border financial inclusion through our industry-leading features designed for immigrants, unbanked consumers and anyone looking for a better way to manage their money.
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How the Card is Loaded
How to Use the Card
Check Balances
by logging in to “MY ACCOUNT” or the AlternaCard App. Sign up to set up account and activity text alerts4.
How the Card is Loaded
✓ Reloading Cash
or Check on Your Card
✓ Direct Depoist / ACH
✓ Transfer & Share Money _____________________How to Use Your Card
✓ Making Purchases
or Check on Your Card
✓ Direct Depoist / ACH
✓ Transfer & Share Money _____________________
How to Use Your Card
✓ Making Purchases
✓ Paying Bills
✓ Using an ATM3/Retail Cash
Withdrawl
✓ Link Your Card
Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, & Google Pay
✓ Create a Virtual Account
for Online Shopping
✓ Check Balances
Get Started -
Alterna® Prepaid Mastercard®
Open an Alterna Card Account
Social Security Number is required for US citizens. If you are a Non-US citizen, you can enroll by providing an ITIN1,.
At the time you enroll for your card, you will be asked to set up your username and password for access to your online Alterna Card account and be able to download the AlternaCard App. Your card will arrive by mail within 7 to 10 business days. Once your card is activated and loaded with funds you can use it anywhere Debit Mastercard is accepted.
Activate Your Card
Activation is quick & easy:
✓ Call 1-855- 2-ALTERNA (1-855- 225-8376) ✓ Visit www.alternacard.com or Open the AlternaCard App to access your account.
✓ You will be asked to choose a PIN
✓ A direct deposit enrollment form will arrive with your card and can also be obtained by logging into MyAccount or in your AlternaCard App. Simply fill out the form, including your account and routing numbers. and give the form to your employer-it’s that easy!
Load Money Onto Your Card
Loading Money is Fast & Easy!
✓ Load cash on your card at participating retail locations with Mastercard rePower®, Green Dot® MoneyPack® and Western Union® ✓ Set up Direct Deposit of your paycheck or Government Benefits – No Fee5 for Direct Deposit
✓ Load paper checks using the Ingo™ Money6 App, or load from peer-to-peer payment apps, via ACH from a checking account or from another Alterna card account. Fees may apply.
Share & Transfer Money
Send Money across the U.S. and to Mexico with the AlternaCard App
✓ At the time you enroll or after you receive your card, you can refer Family and Friends for a card issued by partner bank in Mexico as a way to transfer money card-to-card2 The first time you transfer money to someone in Mexico, they will receive a What's App message telling them to download the app and complete the registration to establish their account. They can then choose to either go pick up cash or keep the funds in their digital wallet
✓ Share money with other Alterna cardholders in the U.S. and Puerto Rico for NO FEE5 . See cardholder agreement for more details.
- IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PROCEDURES FOR OPENING A CARD ACCOUNT: To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires that we obtain, verify and record information about each person who opens an account with us. What this means for you: when you open an Account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, social security number or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) and other information that will allow us to identify you. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.
- Receipt of funds is contingent upon connectivity and an approved Card issued by the recipient’s bank. Metropolitan Commercial Bank is not affiliated, nor does it endorse, the recipient’s bank or the card issued by the recipient’s bank. The bank in the receiving country may impose lower limits.
- When you use an ATM, you may be charged an additional fee by the ATM operator or any Network used to complete the transaction (and you may be charged a fee for a balance inquiry even if you do not complete the transaction).
- Third-Party fees, standard text messaging fees and/or data rate fees may apply.
- While this feature is available at no cost to you, certain other transaction fees and costs, limitations, terms and conditions are associated with the use of this Card. For more details, see the Cardholder Agreement.
- The Ingo Money service is provided by First Century Bank, N.A. and Ingo Money, Inc., subject to the First Century Bank and Ingo Money Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Approval review usually takes 3 to 5 minutes but can take up to one hour. All checks are subject to approval for funding in Ingo Money’s sole discretion. Fees apply for approved Money in Minutes transactions funded to your card or account. Unapproved checks will not be funded to your card or account. Ingo Money reserves the right to recover losses resulting from illegal or fraudulent use of the Ingo Money Service. Your wireless carrier may charge a fee for data usage. Additional transaction fees, costs, terms and conditions may be associated with the funding and use of your card or account. See your Cardholder or Account Agreement for details