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helpline 0845 603 7980




Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card like a normal bank debit card or credit card?
A. Your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is not a credit card, charge card or debit card. The Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is a prepaid Maestro® card that carries a variable amount of money based on the amount loaded onto the card when the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is purchased or at a subsequent time after purchased. Each time you use the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, the purchase amount is deducted from the available Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card balance.

Q. When do I get my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card?
A. Unless we notify you otherwise, we will issue your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card within twenty-one days of receiving your order.

Q. What do I need to do when I receive my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card?
A. The Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Cardholder must sign the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card as soon as it is received. You must then activate it before you can access your account or any funds can be loaded onto the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card.

Q. Can I top up my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card?
A. Yes, you can top up your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card account by contacting your credit union.

Q. How do I load money onto my account?
A. Once your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card has been activated, you can load funds onto it by contacting your credit union.

Q. When do I get my PIN number?
A. We never issue your PIN number together with your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, for security reasons. Your PIN number will be sent to you separately within three days of sending your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card.

Q. I have just received my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card and it does not work, why?
A. You will need to activate your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card when you receive it. Please go to the 'activate account' section of the website to do this. After this you will need to instruct the credit union to load the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card.

Q. My Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card has suddenly stopped working, why?
A. This could be for a number of reasons. 1. Your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is damaged, 2. You have no balance left on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card and need to load some more 3. We have blocked the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card for security purposes or on your instructions 4. The Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card has expired, please check the expiry date on the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card itself.

Q. Do I receive a statement?
A. No. However, you can view your current balance and transactions online free of charge.

Q. What happens if I need to return an item I have purchased?
A. Each retail store has its own return policies and will handle the returns in the same manner as any other Maestro® transaction. They may credit your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, provide a cash refund, or a store credit.

Q. Will my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card work abroad?
A. Yes, it will work and with most retailers with electronic terminals that display the Maestro® acceptance mark.

Q. Is there a limit to how many Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Cards I can hold?
A. There is no limit to the amount of Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Cards you can hold.

Q. How does my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card Work?
A. To pay with your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, simply hand your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card to the cashier, wait a few seconds while it's passed through the machine, then use your PIN number or sign a slip. That's it. Your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is debited straight away and details of the transaction are stored online for you to reconcile with your receipt. The dates, locations and amounts all appear on your online statement, so you can check them easily. You can use your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card to pay for all sorts of things in all sorts of ways. You can use it for amounts big or small and at many supermarkets (you can also get up to £50 cashback with your purchase).

Q. What are the benefits of holding an Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card?
A. Here are just some of the benefits it brings you:
• Over 960,000 places in the UK accept Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Cards - on the high street, over the phone and online.
• Since it's accepted almost everywhere, Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card saves you the hassle and worry of carrying lots of cash.
• If you need cash, you can get up to £50 cashback free of charge with your purchase at many stores - mostly supermarkets.
• There are no pre-set spending limits - except the amount available on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card.
• Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card helps you to keep tabs on your expenses - your online statement itemises where & when you used it.
• Having a Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card means you can use your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card abroad, as well as at home, to pay for all sorts of things and get cash from machines.
Fees, terms and conditions apply.

Q. Why is holding a Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card account good for me or my adolescents?
A. Your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is a safe way to carry money for you and your adolescents. If you are the adult your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is a limited liability payment device for buying online, over the phone or anywhere. Unlike a debit or credit card, if the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is lost, stolen or fraudulently copied then your bank details are not compromised and only the balance held on the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card can be accessed. For this reason we would advise you to load onto the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card only those funds which you may need it for prior to use.
If the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is lost, we can replace it. You will be refunded the amount of any transactions which investigations show are not authorised by you, provided you have kept your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card and PIN secure, you have not acted fraudulently, or acted without reasonable care.

Q. Can I view my adolescent's spending on the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card?
A. Yes, you can use your login that you created when purchasing the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card for your adolescent to monitor the spending on the account. This enables you to ensure your adolescent is using the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card safely and effectively.

Q. How is the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card educational for my adolescents?
A. Holding a Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is a great way to enable your adolescent to manage their pocket or gift money effectively. By using the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, you adolescent may improve knowledge of monthly budgeting of pocket money, looking after their Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, Internet safety, Internet shopping etc.

Q. Where can the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card be used?
A. You can use the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card wherever you see the Maestro® acceptance mark, including shops, restaurants, online or on the telephone. Before using the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card you need to make sure there are enough funds loaded on it. You will not be able to use your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card after its expiry date.

Q. Where can I use my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card in the UK?
A. Over 960,000 places in the UK take Maestro®. You can your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card to buy things over the Internet, by phone and by mail order. As long as you have enough money loaded onto your account, you can pay for whatever you like.

Q. Where can I use my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card abroad?
A. Having a Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card means you can shop in over 100 countries worldwide, as easily as you do in the UK. Having a Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card also lets you get cash from over 900,000 machines across the globe. For more information on acceptance abroad, visit the Maestro® international website.

Q. Can I use my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card on the Internet?
A. Yes wherever you see the Maestro® acceptance mark.

Q. What about Internet Security?
A. Internet shopping is increasingly popular and most reputable retailers run sites that are safe and secure. However, if you are concerned about security, 
CardWatch offers some simple guidelines to follow when buying online. These should ensure that your shopping is as safe as it would be on the high street.

Q. What are my rights as a Consumer when shopping online?
A. Consumer protection rights apply to purchases made online, just as they do to those made on the high street. If you have problems with an online purchase or retailer, visit the Office of Fair Trading site - the Consumer Information Section has details of your rights.

Q. Will I earn interest on my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card balance?
A. You will not earn any interest on any funds loaded on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card.

Q. What do I need to do if any of my personal details change?
A. You must let us know as soon as possible by using the 'contact us' facility on the website if you change name, address, phone number or e-mail address. If we contact you in relation to your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, for example, to notify you that we have cancelled your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card or to send you a refund by cheque, we will use the most recent contact details you have provided to us. Any e-mail to you will be treated as being received as soon as it is sent by us. We will not be liable to you if your contact details have changed and you have not told us.

Q. How do I cancel my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card?
A. You have a legal right to cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card for 14 days after you receive the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card. Under these terms and conditions, you also have the right to cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card at any time after this 14 day period. If your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is cancelled, we will immediately block your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card so it cannot be used.
You will not be entitled to a refund of money you have already spent on transactions authorised or pending or any fees for use of the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card before the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is cancelled or expires. You can cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card by sending an email to us using the "contact us" function on the Website and confirming that you have destroyed your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card by cutting it up.
If you cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, we will arrange for any unused funds on your cancelled Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card to be refunded to you (by sending a cheque to your last notified home address), once all transactions and fees have been deducted, including the refund fee.
We may also cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card immediately if we suspect fraud or misuse of the Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card or we have any other security concerns or we need to do so to comply with the law. If we do this, we will tell you as soon as we can after we have taken these steps. If we cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, you must tell us what you want us to do with any unused funds within three months of the date we tell you your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is cancelled.

Q. What happens if my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card is lost or stolen?
A. You should treat your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card like cash in a wallet. If it is lost or stolen, you may lose some or all of your money on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, in the same way as if you lost your wallet. As a result, you must keep your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card safe and not let anyone else use it. If you are issued with a PIN, you must immediately memorise it and destroy the notification. You must keep your PIN secret at all times. Do not write it down or reveal it to anyone.
We recommend that you check the balance on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card regularly online at the Website. You can see your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card balance and most recent statement of transactions online at any time by selecting the "balance" button on the Website and completing the security details.
If you lose your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card or it is stolen or you suspect that your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card has been used by someone, you must tell us as soon as you can by calling us our 24 hour helpline 0845 603 7980. We will then cancel your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card. If you ask us to do so, we will ask the police to investigate any suspected misuse of your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card and they may need more information and assistance from you.
We will refund the amount of any transactions which the investigations show are not authorised by you, provided you have kept your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card and PIN secure. However, if the investigations show that any disputed transaction was authorised by you or you have not kept your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card or PIN secure, we will not refund the transaction amount and will charge you an administration fee of £5.00.

Q. Can I have the balance on my Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card refunded to me?
A. Provided that any unused funds loaded on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card are not invalid and you have at least £6.50 loaded on your Rainbow Saver Prepaid Maestro® Card, we will refund the unused value at any time. When we process a refund, we will deduct a fee of £4.99 before doing so.
We will send a cheque to your last notified address or arrange an electronic transfer to a bank account nominated by you. However, to enable us to comply with our legal obligations, we may ask you to provide us with certain information before we can process your refund request.


Maestro® is a registered trademark of MasterCard® International Incorporated and affiliates. This card is issued by Newcastle Building Society pursuant to license from MasterCard® International Incorporated.
Newcastle Building Society is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (
www.fsa.gov.uk/register ) and is entered in the Financial Services Authority Register under registration number 156058