How to Load Your Prepaid Card from Wells Fargo

Do you bank at Wells Fargo but also use prepaid cards for your kids or for envelope budgeting purposes? If your prepaid cards have account and routing numbers, it’s easy to load them directly from your Wells Fargo checking account using a browser or your mobile phone. (Don’t bank at Wells Fargo? No worries. The steps are very similar at most banks and credit unions, so read on anyway.)

Here’s an outline of the steps:

1. Find the account and routing numbers for your prepaid card.
2. Add your prepaid card as a Non-Wells Fargo checking account in Wells Fargo Online.
3. Initiate the account verification process which involves Wells Fargo making two small trial deposits to your prepaid card and then reversing the deposits with one withdrawal.
4. Check your prepaid card for the trial deposit amounts in a few business days.
5. Enter the trial deposit amounts back in Wells Fargo Online to complete the verification process.
6. Make transfers from your checking account to your prepaid card using Wells Fargo Online or from the Wells Fargo mobile banking app. Each transfer typically takes about 3 business days and is free. An expedited transfer incurs a fee of a few dollars.

Note: If you have FamZoo prepaid cards and you’d like to investigate other card loading options including instant and free options, see here.

Here’s a detailed look at each step with screen shots so you’ll know what to expect along the way:

1. Find the Account and Routing Numbers

The first order of business is to find out whether your prepaid card has associated account and routing numbers that can be used for making direct deposits. If you have a prepaid card from FamZoo, you’re in luck: the account and routing numbers are displayed on the Card Information Screen within FamZoo (see here for detailed instructions).

If you have a prepaid card from another vendor, then try googling on “how do I find account and routing numbers for _____” filling in the blank with the name of the prepaid card. Or, contact the vendor’s customer service and ask.

2. Add Card as Non-Wells Fargo Account

Armed with the routing and account numbers, now you’re ready to add your prepaid card as a Non-Wells Fargo account so you can initiate transfers from your checking account.

To do so,

• sign into your Wells Fargo Online account,
• navigate to the Transfers tab, and
• click on the Add link next to the My Non-Wells Fargo Accounts label.

A form will come up where you can fill in the appropriate attributes of your prepaid card: the account use (select Transfers), the account type (choose Checking), the account number, and the routing number.

3. Initiate Account Verification

When you successfully submit the form above, Wells Fargo kicks off the verification and displays a screen indicating the steps you need to take to complete the process. They’ll make two small trial deposits to your prepaid card and then reverse them with a single withdrawal for the combined amount.

4. Locate Trial Deposit Amounts

After a few business days, sign into your prepaid card account and look for the trial deposits. Or, turn on your card activity alerts so you’ll know as soon as they come in. Here’s what they look like in FamZoo on the Transactions page for your prepaid card.

5. Enter Trial Deposit Amounts

Once you know the trial deposit amounts:

• sign into your Wells Fargo Online Account,
• visit the Transfers tab,
• click on the Manage link next to the label My Non-Wells Fargo Accounts, and
• click on the Enter Trial Deposit Amounts link next your prepaid card account that is pending verification.

Enter the amounts on the form, click Submit, and you’ll be good to go for making transfers to your prepaid card.

6. Make Transfers

Now you can load your prepaid card from your checking account whenever you want. Simply:

• sign into your Wells Fargo Online Account,
• visit the Transfer tab,
• select your prepaid card account as the destination for the transfer,
• fill in the amount and a description, and
• click Continue.

Wells Fargo does a nice job of spelling out the fees, the timing, and all the relevant terms regarding your proposed transfer. (Note: back in 2013, Wells used to charge $3.00 for an unexpedited transfer. Now, those transfers are free. And we’re seeing the same at other banks too.)

If you’re happy with the everything, click Submit to initiate the load and you’ll see the money appear on your prepaid card about 3 business days later.

The mobile app works the same way. Just:

• sign into your Wells Fargo mobile app,
• visit the Transfer screen via the menu,
• select your prepaid card account as the destination for the transfer,
• fill in the amount and a memo, and
• click Continue.

Here’s what it looks like on a Droid phone:

Questions or problems loading your FamZoo card from your checking account? Don’t hesitate to contact us.