SBM Smile Card online buying & Ebay?

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Hello, last week my parent registered a SBM Smile Prepaid Card (in USD) for me. The card has already been validated by the bank. I tried to shop on EBAY by using directly the card to pay (my EBAY account is registered to my name and not to my parent's). I tried to check out like 4 times in intervals of one minute but I always received the same message: "Sorry, we were unable to process your request. Please try again. You may need to retry your checkout.".

The day after I tried opening a PayPal account which took $1.95 from me for security reasons. Later I phoned the bank and they said that there were 4 transactions (payments) of $1, (the time matches when I clicked check out directly with the card). I did not buy anything costing $1 and the bank said that it may be linked with PayPal, but I didn't tried PayPal that day where $1 appeared.

The bank also gave me the 4-digit code to verify my PayPal account and to reimburse the $1.95. I input the code successfully, but when I tried buying on EBAY (this time through PayPal), I got the same message again. Everything was alright, the shipping address and the product was available.

Later I read on PayPal help that: "For security reasons, you can’t link a gift card, prepaid card, or one-time-use card." on Paypal

Yet I read that you guys registered PayPal accounts and bought online successfully with the card.

Can anyone help me please, even the bank couldn't help and advise me?

Can a difference between the information (email addresses, contact name, shipping/billing address) on Ebay and PayPal be the cause of my problem?

16 Replies

gices Level 6

When you buy on eBay with Paypal, the seller will send the items to the Paypal registered address. For you to associate a bank a/c with Paypal, both accounts need to have the same address otherwise, the bank a/c will not be verified.

I had doubts that the SBM Smile Card would work with Paypal, so I ended up going for the MCB Primo Card which is a credit card with low limit. However I know at least 2 members of CleverDodo who have actually been able to link their SBM Smile Cards to Paypal successfully. See @Ziya reply below. Therefore I would think the problem lies in the mismatch of information. How about opening a new Paypal a/c in your parents name to use with the SBM Prepaid card? The eBay a/c can remain in your name (I have been able to use someone else's Paypal with my own eBay a/c without any hassles).

1 Reply

ziya Level 2

I have tried to buy with paypal linked with the SBM smile card and was successful.I have talked with someone and the following solution was recommended:
normally your account on paypal and the card holder's name should not have any difference. so i do reccommend you to have card on ur name itself if you are over 18. shipping and billing address should be the same. i would recommend you to create or edit your paypal account. redefine all settings. when the card is linked 1.95 is charged but some days later it is normally reimburse. now if you linked it twice or thrice by mistake it may charge you likewise.

This solution was recommended by this SBM fanpage.If you are having more problem send them a message.

1 Reply

Gary_Chan Level 1

Well if I open a new PayPal account, will they have to recheck the card validity and charge $1.95 again?
Because they had already charged my $1.95, and I think they still haven't paid back.

Should I wait for them to pay back, or I can recreate a new account and they will still reimburse ?

Khush_Mendossa Level 3

I would advise you to create a new PayPal account with the right information this time as @Zia said.

And it's better to lose $1.95 than wait don't know how much time. If you get this sum back then lucky you.

ziya Level 2

When someone opens a paypal account and you have linked your card to it they would charge that $1.95 because you have not verified the card.When you have verified the card they would give you back your money.To verify the card you should call on the number found at the back of the card and the would give you a verification code.If you are saying that they did not gave you your $1.95 then it means that the card has not been verified yet.

I have the SBM smile card and paypal account with my name.When I called that number to verified it they did asked me details like name,address and all and for both card and paypal account I have used same details.I dont know if they did verified this for you before giving you the code.And after I had successfully verified the account I did got that $1.95 back.

Gary_Chan Level 1

@ziya When did you receive the money back?

ziya Level 2

As I have confirmed the card I have received that $1.95 back.

Gary_Chan Level 1

@Ziya: You mean immediately after you entered the cod?!

@Khush_Mendossa: I would erase the account, but as I stated, there was like 6 transactions totalling around $6.95 and the bank still haven't received any money back since I confirmed my card.

Anyone knows why I was charged $1?
: -$1 (by using the card directly without PayPal)
: -$1 (by using the card directly without PayPal)
: -$1 (by using the card directly without PayPal)
: -$1 (by using the card directly without PayPal)
: -$1.95 (through Paypal)
: -$1

I phoned the bank again and it was another person, giving my totally different indications, and still not useful as usual.

ziya Level 2

Yes as I entered the code I code the money back.Your smile card is in which currency?is it in dollar?Maybe you were charged the card fee.
If you think its really serious then why don't you go to the bank where you got the card from and esquire everything from there.

aishaazaidi Level 1

Hi @ziya u said u gt ur $1.95 back, but where? in ur paypal account? u can receive money in ur paypal account as u said u gt ur sbm smile card verified? means u can receive money in ur paypal account after verifying ur sbm smile cards? plz help thank u

nikhildaby Level 1

yeah very useful

hacker8 Level 1

I know your problem
you must create a new paypal account
you must verify the account
it must be on the name of the owner of the smile card
go to ebay
the name on the ebay account must be the same on the one on the paypal account and it must be the smile card owner's name
that's how you will be able to purchase something
that's why if someone takes your card and tries to buy something and they haven't entered the proper name , they won't be able to purchase something
you too register the ebay account and paypal account on your smile card's owner's name
and when it asks you the name on the card
give the owner's name
by the owner's name i mean when the person went to the bank to issue that card, which name did he give?
you must give that name

Avinash_Puncheon Level 1

can anyone help plz......i am opening a paypal account and im not sure what to put at STATE/PROVINCE/REGION and POSTAL CODE

gices Level 6

Please read the FAQ before posting. This is a Q&A website, not a forum. If you have a question of your own, then you should post it as a question rather than submitting it as an answer to an existing question.