Serve from American Express is a prepaid card that isn’t necessarily a card – it’s an account that lets you pay virtually. Pay for purchases with your phone or online, or request a card that you can use anywhere American Express is accepted. There’s no fee to sign up, no credit check, and members are eligible for American Express benefits like purchase protection, roadside assistance, and special entertainment offers. You can load money onto the card in many different ways including text messages or Facebook posts and you can withdraw money from ATMs too – your first withdrawal each month is even free.
| Credit level recommended: | Limited/Bad/Fair |
|---|---|
| APR on purchases: | N/A |
| Annual fee: | None |
Special offers:
It’s free to sign up, and there are no monthly or annual fees. There is also no credit check – you are guaranteed approval. You get the security of American Express in a prepaid card, and you can even register your card with the Zynga Rewards program and earn virtual rewards in popular games. Get the app for your phone and pay on the go. And the first ATM withdrawal is free every month – a savings of $2.
Earning rewards:
Earn rewards from Zynga – the makers of popular online games like Farmville, Castleville, The Pioneer Trail, Zynga Poker and more. Just register your Serve account with the Zynga rewards program and you’ll be eligible to earn virtual rewards in six different Zynga games.
Redeeming rewards:
Just go to the Zynga Serve Rewards site after activating your account and registering it with the rewards program. You’ll find all the details on virtual properties and goods you can buy in the games you play.
Benefits:
With Serve, there are several different ways to send and receive money – link it to your credit card or bank account, use the Green Dot MoneyPak service, even request money through email or text message. You can use your account all over the world, split bills with friends easily right from your phone, and transfer money between accounts with the app, available from Windows, Android, or iPhone. You’ll also be eligible for purchase protection, roadside assistance, and entertainment offers from American Express.
Considerations:
American Express takes prepaid cards to the next level with Serve – a virtual prepaid account that’s actually more of a digital wallet than a card. If you’re considering a prepaid card for your high school or college student, you can’t do better than Serve. Fees are very low, and it’s got all the digital and virtual capabilities your teenager will love. Request money with a Facebook post, transfer funds with an app on your smartphone, use rewards to buy virtual property on Zynga games like Farmville and Castleville – and it’s all free to sign up, with no monthly or annual fee. For anyone concerned about prepaid cards charging high fees and not being back by insurance, set your mind at ease. This is backed by American Express, so you know your transactions are secure. You can add and withdraw money so many ways, it won’t be a problem to refill the card when it runs out of money. If virtual payments aren’t your cup of tea, get a physical card and use it anywhere American Express is accepted.
