The prepaid card provider nFinanSe Inc. said Thursday it is offering a reloadable card for customers of the retailer Fred's Inc.
The Visa Inc. card offered through Fred's carries the same fee structure as a Discover Financial Services card nFinanSe introduced in September. The cards cost $3 to buy, have a monthly maintenance fee of $2.95 and an automated teller machine withdrawal fee of 99 cents. It charges 44 cents for online bill payment, matching the price of a stamp.
Prepaid card fees have been under recent scrutiny since the November launch — and demise — of the Kardashian Kard, endorsed by television's Kardashian sisters. During the card's brief run, it came under fire for charging up to $100 in fees up front.
"With the $3 Visa Card from nFinanSe, Fred's will be offering a reloadable prepaid card with the best overall fees to the consumer," Jerry R. Welch, nFinanSe's chairman and chief executive, said in a press release.
The nFinanSe card is issued by Palm Desert National Bank of California. Fred's operates 674 discount general merchandise stores in the southeastern and Midwest U.S.
