Prepaid Mastercard, "automatically declined by bank".

[Afro_Samurai 240]

A few days ago, I used a Vanilla Prepaid Mastercard, to buy crystals.  I know the cards work, because I used the same type of card months ago to purchase crystals.  However, this time, the crystals never appeared on my account.  I contacted help@tankionline.com, and this is what they said:
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello.
Our system does not receive payments to your nick. You should contact the support service of your payment system to clarify the status of the payment.
Thank you for being in touch.

--
С уважением, поддержка пользователей.
Best regards, support team.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So then I contacted Xsolla, the support service of my payment system. (help.xsolla.com).  They replied, saying this:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hello,

Unfortunately, your payment was automatically declined by the processing system. We do not see the reasons of cancellation. The money will be returned on your bank account within several business days.

 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


As you can see, the problem is considered "solved".  However, I don't know if the money will be returned on my card for sure, or how long it will take to be returned.

If anyone else has had the same problem before, I'd appreciate if they could tell me whether they had their money returned or not, or how long it took for the money to be returned.
If any consultants know anything that could be helpful, I'd appreciate if they could tell me it.  

[xTremeAluminium 1,379]

Wait for the money to get returned back, check your bank account and try buying crystals again (if you want to).

 

Probably something got wrong in their processing system.

Edited July 25, 2013 by xTremeAluminium

[Ilia.ArchangeI 6,785]

Well, I doubt they'd lie to you, and they did say a few business days, so either Friday or Monday. Things like this happen. Maybe try another card?

[Afro_Samurai 240]

Wait for the money to get returned back, check your bank account and try buying crystals again.

 

Probably something got wrong in their processing system.

It has been 4 days so far, I just checked the card history on the vanilla website, still $0 left on it.  It shows that I paid $25 for "XSOLLA TANKI Online".  Anyhow, I don't know how long it will take to get the money returned.  If it gets returned within a few days, then I'll wait.  But if it is going to take 30 days, then I might as well just call Xsolla on the phone, and talk to a real person instead of e-mailing a computer system.  Even if it costs a few dollars to call them, it's better than waiting 30 days.  That is why I posted this topic, if anyone out there has had the same problem before, and knows how long it takes for the crystals to be returned, they would be able to tell me.  I really appreciate you trying to help me though.  :)

[Afro_Samurai 240]

Well, I doubt they'd lie to you, and they did say a few business days, so either Friday or Monday. Things like this happen. Maybe try another card?

First of all, thanks for replying, I appreciate it. :)  Second of all, I have no clue when their "business days" are.  I think that was a computer system that replied to me.  I checked the card history, and it has something called a "Pre-authorization" and it was of $25 (all of the card money).  A pre-authorization is a hold on the card.  It stops you from spending money, for example, if I paid $10, it would subtract $10 from my card.  The purpose of the pre-authorization, is to stop you from spending money that you already used to order something on-line.  You see, a pre-authorization happens the moment you buy something with the card, and it will remain on the card until the merchant either "confirms" or "voids" your transaction.  If the merchant confirms your transaction, the money you spent with the card will be paid to them.  If the merchant voids your transaction, the money you spent will be returned to you, however that can take 7 to 10 days.  The reason I'm worried though, is that "Tanki Online" is the merchant in this case.  When they replied, they said that they did not receive the payment.  This could mean that they can't confirm or void it, which also means the pre-authorization stays on my card.  I don't know for sure though, maybe "XSOLLA TANKI Online" was the merchant.  Anyway, I'll wait 11 days in total, and if nothing happens, I'll call Xsolla, and actually talk to a human, instead of a computer.  They can remove the pre-authorization and return the money.  I would have called them already, but apparently, there will be a fee on your card if you call them.

[Ilia.ArchangeI 6,785]

there will be a fee on your card if you call them.

That's dumb.

 

I'm just saying, cause when I was trying to link my paypal to my Eastern European card, I had to go through a series of cards, all the same type, from the same back, before I successfully connected the accounts. I don't know what the problem was, I just now that's it's not an exact science, and is extremely sensitive to the slightest details.

[Afro_Samurai 240]

That's dumb.

 

I'm just saying, cause when I was trying to link my paypal to my Eastern European card, I had to go through a series of cards, all the same type, from the same back, before I successfully connected the accounts. I don't know what the problem was, I just now that's it's not an exact science, and is extremely sensitive to the slightest details.

That's Xsolla for you!  I know for sure with the Visa prepaid card, it costs 50 cents to call Xsolla, plus 75 cents to talk to a staff member.  It's ridiculous!  That's not all, on both the Mastercard and Visa prepaid cards, after 6 months, they start to charge you $2.00 every 30 days.  What makes it even more ridiculous, is that they don't tell you about the fee you have to pay when you talk to someone, or see how much is on your card using the phone.  They don't say it anywhere in the instructions, or on the card or package.  I heard that they also say that it is "toll free" to call.  As I stated before, you find out it costs 50 cents to call Xsolla when you call them, meaning that they lie to you in the instructions.

 

This link is the link to a news channel website, where they show a video about Visa (I used Mastercard though).

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2011/visagiftcard/

 

[HeroPlayer 797]

You have to activate the prepaid card, else it will turn out as a failed payment.

 

Read the back of the card, it will have a website on.

[Afro_Samurai 240]

You have to activate the prepaid card, else it will turn out as a failed payment.

 

Read the back of the card, it will have a website on.

It was already activated.  It gets activated the moment you buy it.  I've used this type of card months ago, and it worked.  I didn't have to go on-line to activate it, as it was activated the moment I bought it.  Thanks anyway. :)

Edited July 26, 2013 by Afro_Samurai

[HeroPlayer 797]

At the moment you buy it you have to wait 1 hour than you will be able to activate it online. It has to be activated online.

 

Probaly you use a different typ of card, just try the payment again asap. Payments often get denied for some error.

Edited July 26, 2013 by HeroPlayer

[Afro_Samurai 240]

At the moment you buy it you have to wait 1 hour than you will be able to activate it online. It has to be activated online.

 

Probaly you use a different typ of card, just try the payment again asap. Payments often get denied for some error.

Not with Vanilla prepaid Mastercards.  You actually pay an activation fee when you buy it.  I still have the card I used a few months ago, so I know for sure it is the same type of card.  I think the problem was that I used the card soon after I bought it.  I didn't know you had to wait 60 minutes before you use it, which I read sometime after I paid the money on the card.

Thanks though. :)

[Afro_Samurai 240]

Yes!  The money was returned in 9 days!  The problem was the Pre-authorization had to take time to leave the card.  Thanks to everyone who helped.  Now, anyone else who has the same problem, can read this post for help.  

@Staff: You can close this if you want. :)