Prepaid cards are becoming the new wallets in hand. You can buy one at a retail shop and get your transactions rolling in no time. However, the card needs to be activated before it’s ready for online use. This might leave you wondering how to activate a vanilla prepaid card.
To activate a Vanilla prepaid card, you have three options. The first is to get it activated at the point of purchase by the retailer.
The second option is to dial the customer service line behind the card, give your card details, and await activation. The third option is to visit the Vanilla website, enter your card details on the site, and follow the prompts.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to activate Vanilla prepaid cards. So, let’s get started.
The merchant you purchased the Vanilla prepaid Visa card from would most likely activate the card before handing it over. However, this might not be your case. You might have bought an unactivated Vanilla prepaid card and need to activate it.
Here are some options on how to activate a Vanilla prepaid card, if it is a Visa card.
The first step is to confirm with your retailer if your prepaid card has been activated. You’d need to pay activation fees to get this done. Also, you need to sign the back of your prepaid Visa card and write out the card number. It’s recommended to write down the card number and the customer care number in case your prepaid card is lost or stolen. Keep this information safe.
For Vanilla Visa eGift Cards, activation is not needed before the first use. Cards are activated immediately after purchase and are sent to the recipient’s email, ready for use.
If you are wondering how to activate a Vanilla prepaid card that is a Visa eGift Card, according to their website FAQ, they don’t need to be activated prior to first use. They are activated upon purchase and shipped to the recipient’s email ready to use.
However, to activate a physical card you can either do it on their website or contact them by phone. Before calling, make sure you have the information on the back of your gift card ready, such as your gift card number, valid through date, and security code.
For a Vanilla prepaid Visa starting with 485097, dial 1-833-502-6535, while for cards starting with 426370, please call 1-844-864-6951.
The customer service agent knows how to activate a Vanilla prepaid card and can easily help you with this task. When the agent picks up your call, they’ll request your card details. These are the numbers engraved on the front and behind the card. Your card would be activated in no time by the agent.
Next, enter your card details in the space provided and follow the prompts. Your card would be activated. If the activation process is taking a long time to complete, you can send them a mail.
All Vanilla prepaid Visa card complaints should be sent to:
Vanilla Visa Prepaid Customer Care
P.O. Box 48235 – 595 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC V7X 1A1

The Vanilla prepaid Mastercard is similar to that of a prepaid Visa card except that it has lower denominations. The activation process is also quite similar.
The first option to activate a Vanilla prepaid Mastercard, if it’s a Mastercard branded, is to ensure it’s activated at the point of purchase. To do this, you’d have to pay activation fees. Also, you need to sign and write the card number on the back of your prepaid Mastercard.
You can reach the company by phone if the seller didn’t activate your card, you need help on learning how to activate a Vanilla prepaid card, or if you need to talk to customer service for any other reason.
For a Vanilla prepaid Mastercard starting with 520356, dial 1-833-502-6535, while for others starting with 533621, dial 1-800-652-9174. The customer service agent would request your card details for activation.
When reaching the company by phone, you will need to provide your gift card number, valid through date, and security code located on the back of your gift card.
Here, you need to visit the Vanilla website to get your prepaid Mastercard activated. On reaching the site, select the Vanilla prepaid Mastercard and enter your card details. Follow the prompts until your card is activated.
Just like the activation by phone, you will need to provide your gift card number, valid through date and security code located on the back of your gift card.
If you’re having issues learning how to activate a Vanilla prepaid card or you have other complaints, send a message to Vanilla. To do this, send mail to:
Vanilla Prepaid Mastercard Card Customer Care, P.O. Box 48235, 595 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V7X 1A1, Canada.

If you’ve purchased a prepaid Vanilla Mastercard Gaming, you can follow the steps outlined above to activate it.
Customers who have questions about how to activate a Vanilla Prepaid Mastercard Gaming or need to request a replacement for their card, should contact a customer care representative using one of the two options below:
The Vanilla prepaid cards are of three types. The Vanilla Visa Gift Card, Vanilla Mastercard Gift Card, Vanilla Mastercard Gaming and OneVanilla Prepaid Mastercard. The above piece on how to activate a Vanilla prepaid card would guide your card activation process.
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No. The Vanilla prepaid cards are not acceptable for recurring payments. This is because the card is no longer useful once the funds in it are exhausted.
No. Funds on prepaid cards are not withdrawable. However, you can make payments with the card in both online shops and shops with physical locations.
For a Vanilla prepaid Visa card, the denominations available are $20–$500 cards, $25, $50, $75, $100, $150, $200, and $250 cards. For the Mastercard denominations, there are $20–$500, $25, $50, $100, and $200 cards. The OneVanilla Mastercard comes in $200 to $500 denominations.
Yes. You can get a refund if your card is stolen. However, you'd have to reach out to customer service and provide your card details. It is good to keep your card information safe and within reach.
Aside from the activation fees, you'd be charged 2.5% on foreign transactions. The activation fee for a prepaid Mastercard is between $3.95 and $7.95, while the fee for a prepaid Visa is between $3.95 and $8.95.
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