The PASS Card from American Express is a prepaid card that has been designed to teach teens how to be financial responsible. The PASS Card is a reloadable prepaid card that parents give to teens and young adults. Any adult 18 years or older can purchase the PASS Card for anyone 13 years of age or older. The Card purchaser loads the Card with funds and can reload it so that the card user can use it again and again.
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Using the PASS Card
PASS Cardmembers can use the Card at any merchant that accepts American Express® Cards worldwide. This includes mail-order, online and in-store locations. You can also use it to withdraw cash from ATMs. The Card cannot be used at cruise lines, casinos or for car rental charges. The PASS Card is not intended for use for alcohol, gambling, adult entertainment or illegal activities.
Managing Your Account
Both parents and teens are involved when it comes to managing the card. Its easy and safe. All you do is load the card, use the card, and then check your account information online. Here’s how it works:
- Load/Reload: The person who purchases card is the only one who can load the card. The initial load must be made online, but you can it can be reloaded either online or by calling Customer Service at 1-877-405-7277.
- Using the Card: The Card can be used at millions of locations around the world – anywhere American Express® Cards are accepted.
- Managing the Card: Both the PASS Card purchaser and PASS Cardmember can create online accounts to view transaction history, check balances and set up account controls.
Choosing your Card design
One of the cool features of the PASS card is that you can choose your own design. Cardmembers and purchases get to choose from four different card colors and you can even have your own photo or image added to the card. This is a great way to personalize your card. There are guidelines about what type of images are acceptable and you can see this guidelines once you start the process of adding your own design. When you apply for the card online you will get to choose if you want to add your own image or not.
Rewards Mall
The Rewards Mall is basically an online shopping mall that gives PASS Cardmembers special access to discounts and offers at hundreds of merchants. Some special offers many include things like free shipping or a percentage off a purchase at merchants. When you shop at the Rewards Mall, American Express will make a charitable donation to United Way for each eligible purchase. The Rewards Mall shows the percentage of your purchase that American Express will donate to the charity. For additional details about the Rewards Mall and charitable contributions, log into your PASS account at americanexpress.com/pass in the “Teen Manage Your Account” section and click the “Rewards Mall” link under the Perks section.
Benefits for Parents and Teens
- Money can be added 24/7, online or by phone, from an American Express® Card or bank account.
- Teens can use the card at millions of locations around the world: in stores, online, at ATMs American Express charges a fee of $1.50 to the PASS Card for each ATM withdrawal.
- Both you and your child can Log in to your online account to check the Card balance, view transactions and set up alerts.
- Teens can learn how to better manage their money by tracking purchases online. Plus, they can visit the JA Student Center to learn more about budgeting and planning.
- Teens can also become “Financially Certified” through an online assessment.
- PASS also includes Roadside Assistance
- Teens can also view balances online, or track their funds via text messages2Carrier charges may apply for receiving text messages and mobile web browsing.
- Make it yours, pick a color. You can even add an image for free when your parents order PASS.
PASS Card Fees
The PASS card does not charge interest and you cannot overdraft the account. The only fee you need to be concerned with is the fee for withdrawing money from an ATM. The fee is $2.00 per withdraw, but you get one free ATM withdrawal per calendar month. Keep in mind that banks may also charge their own fees for each withdrawal. There are no fees for activating or reloading the PASS Card.
How to Apply for the PASS from American Express®
Applying for this credit card is quick and easy. We’ve provided a link below that will take you to the official PASS from American Express® website. From this page, you can click on the apply now button to go to the PASS from American Express® secure online application. The application takes just a few minutes to complete, and they will even notify you about the outcome of your application.
AVOID this card at all costs. AMEX PASS is a hassle to administer and use. The online application process is long and they incorrectly sent the original card for my daughter, in my (parent) name. Then subsequently PASS customer service accused my of “losing” the card and that is why the 4 to 6 week clock started over to get the $25 bonus they were offering when in fact they had sent the card out incorrectly and so I had to call and have them send another one. Believe me, it’s not worth the hassle for $25 in bonus money. Also, why would I want to pay $3.95 a month for the privilege of carrying this card. They are just hoping the parents will forget about it as AMEX waives the monthly fees for the first year. There are so many other great debit and gift cards that make more sense. As soon as the money is spent that we’ve loaded on the card we are canceling it immediately.
The PASS card from AMEX is an absolute joke! We got a card for our 16 year old daughter for all the same reasons you mentioned above and their claims that in the event that the card is lost, stolen or has fraud activity, they would restore the card immediately. My daughter used it at a local merchant on Saturday and the clerk was confused by message from AMEX. They called AMEX and AMEX told them there was an 8 day hold on account. Merchant sent my daughter home without purchase only to learn that card had been charged. The call center in India and the Executive office said there is nothing they can do to reverse an “authorization” and we simply need to wait 8 days for the transaction to reverse. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I have been an AMEX card holder for years and I am canceling all of my accounts with them because of their bogus product. Don’t use this card! It does not do what it claims to do. Cash is better!
Well, I can’t speak for everyone who receives the card but our family loves the Pass card, everyone got one in our family and we can load it from our American Express card instantly every week on a schedule automatically. Works great for kids whom seem to not check their pockets before the wash… just order a replacement and it’s free, and the best part the money is still on the card, not “destroyed” or unusable at the store. This has saved us several times with our kids. The PASS card can also be locked from ATM use so kids can’t keep taking money out and get hit with ATM fees. The best part I like about the PASS card is you have several ways to load it, without a fee or charge if you use a checking account or AMXE credit card, and you can track their spending online. “Super Duper Card”
FYI: Also works great for that over indulgent wife that doesn’t know her limit.
Correction AMEX not AMXE, Sorry….
Oh also forgot to say the $3.95 monthly charge is gone…..it’s no more…. AMEX has changed the card so it does “NOT” have a monthly free. FREE……….FREE…….Love it…………