Introduction
A long long time ago, I wrote a post about a unicorn US Buxx type card that would let you load using a cc for a minimal fee and letting you use it as a real debit card. I then alluded to it in a follow post. Some people also commented on its existence in a post that I can no longer find. Anyway, the unicorn was told to me in a small private group. I waited to make sure it was DEAD DEAD before asking the group if I could post about it. Then I heard it was talked about at a conference session, which may have coincided with its death.
I’m sure this took many hours to scour the internet of all banks that had a visa prepaid card. So that’s why you didn’t hear about it. Why would someone who spent many hours just give you the unicorn for free?
The first unicorn
The first unicorn lasted about 4 months for me. Here were my transactions. As you can see, I definitely didn’t abuse it. I think there was an unwritten agreement not to abuse it. That may be why it lasted that long. Eventually the CU stopped accepting loads from cards not from the CU. And yes, the LOADS WERE FREE!!!
| 7/20/2015 | Initial Load | $2,500.00 | Arrival |
| 7/27/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Arrival |
| 7/27/2015 | FIA AMEX | $2,200.00 | |
| 7/30/2015 | FIA AMEX | $2,200.00 | |
| 8/3/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Citi More |
| 8/4/2015 | FIA AMEX | $2,200.00 | |
| 8/15/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Cap1 Spark |
| 8/18/2015 | FIA AMEX | $2,200.00 | |
| 8/26/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Cap1 Spark |
| 9/6/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Arrival |
| 9/23/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Cap1 Spark |
| 10/16/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Cap1 Spark |
| 10/24/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Arrival |
| 11/2/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Cap1 Spark |
| 11/12/2015 | Load | $2,500.00 | Cap1 Spark |
The second unicorn
I can’t seem to find a record of the 2nd unicorn in my files. I know it was even shorter lived than the one above. This one was talked about at the conference. I think loads were also free with this one.
Why did both die?
Most likely exposure. I think we were all playing prisoner’s dilemna and hoping no one was being a hog. But if one or two ppl were going really hard or word go out, the cumulative usage could have raised a red flag. Remember, these are small CU’s, so they can easily see the spike in usage.
Why aren’t you telling us what it was?
Because the 2 unicorns are linked to the same mother. I believe another unicorn is still working, but you have to be a member of that CU for it to work or else they’ll send you a refund check for the load (I haven’t tried in a year so not sure.) Last I heard there were 2 other unicorns from the same litter. Not sure if they are still alive or not. And that’s the reason why I won’t expose it. But if you use these clues and look for it, you may stumble onto them.
So why did I make this post? Because it shows that if you look hard enough, you may find a similar unicorn. Or if you network with people, the collective group might be able to find them. And not all unicorns need to be a Buxx like card. I think a unicorn is just a generic term for a scalable deal that not many people know.
Do you usually have to live in the state the CU is in? I’ve seen a few different portals in use, CUmoney, myprepaidbalance, gprprepaid, etc. Have you had more success with one portal vs another?
I just stumbled across one a few weeks ago that I had to jump through hoops for to get eligible. It’s just now starting to pay off. I’m always interested in other ways though. So how do you get invited into these small secret groups? Alternatively are there any MS conferences worth attending? I’ve never gone to any because I heard they were full of already public information.
Been doing this for a few years now and I’m interested how several thousand people know about these things before they are killed (without the blogs, Reddit and FT).
Dans Deals! The guy who paid 1 million SPG points to throw out the first pitch of the World Series. He has the most secrets! Impossible to join. And those in the know tease the outsiders about methods that might or might not be true. UPS Method anyone?!
I went to Chicago Seminars and if your a veteran who reads blogs, Reddit and FT then it’s a waste of time. Their presentations are rehashes of content that they’ve posted.
Feel like Milesperday posts don’t get enough coverage since its not on boarding area yet he gives one of the more useful content strategy.
I have one still alive. Not sure how. It was closed a few weeks after I picked one up. Others I’ve spoke to have had theirs closed. I am in the state and a member of the CU.
Ah nice. Exactly the reason why I didn’t give any more hints.
Not sure if you can answer this, did those Unicorn Buxx type cards have restrictive language in the T&C that only their bank CC’s can load but the system didn’t deny outside cards? Or did it not have the language?
I ask because I have scoured the internet trying to find these exact Unicorns before and I did come across one without the language but I didn’t live in the state to acquire it. Eventually that card got posted on Reddit and died a couple months thereafter.
All the other ones I have come across usually have the restrictive language.
Yes you have to find the ones that don’t have that language or maybe they do and it still just works.