Target Debit Card

[Anonymous]

Does anyone has any information on the Target Debit Card? 

I was in Target a few hours ago and the cashier asked me if I wanted to sign up for the Target Debit Card.  (I used a check to pay for my purchase). She said that the card would be linked to my checking account.  I said sure because I thought she was going to give me something similar to a Winn Dixie or  CVS card, etc. She scanned my DLicense and then my address came up on her screen. She told to me to follow the prompts on the cc machine pad.  It asked for my SS # which I refused to input --I have never heard of  a Target Debit Card.......... Let me know your thoughts

Thanks

[Red1Blue]

I think it is a standard debit card. You can check it out on the Target Website.

[Anonymous]

camille, I'd be scared to death to apply for a debit card from someplace other than a bank.

In fact, debit cards scare me silly anyway! But that's just me.

[Anonymous]

I agree!  I was not giving out my SS# just for a debit card.

Camille

[Anonymous]

I wonder what the benefit to Target is for offer this "service"  Is it purely marketing, or is there some sort of financial benefit for issuing these debit cards?

[Anonymous]

I agree with Sylvia debit cards do not have the security as credit cards---very risky if not your bank ??? IMO

[Anonymous]

I won't even use a debit card from my own bank much less one from a store linked to my own bank.  Geesh, what will they think of next!

[llecs]

The Target Check Card is a debit card (non-visa or -mc) that is linked directly with your checking account. When you apply, you have to give them a voided check. You can't use it at any ATM but you could get cash directly debited from your checking acct in advance of $40 including your purchase.

Why get this card? I guess if someone didn't have any credit at all and didn't have a Visa or MC check card AND they shop at Target, then it might be ideal. You also get the same awards as if you had the store card. Other companies are doing this like Wal-Mart, Exxon (w/ the speedpass), etc.

[Anonymous]

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krystofur wrote:

I wonder what the benefit to Target is for offer this "service"  Is it purely marketing, or is there some sort of financial benefit for issuing these debit cards?

---

I guess they figure if you're paying with a check, you must not have a debit card issued by your bank, so they're giving you an "opportunity" to not have to write paper checks in their store anymore.

If they "target" (pun intended) this card towards people who pay with checks, then they could get a small financial benefit in the fact that electronic transactions are cheaper for them to process than paper ones, due to the storage and handling costs of paper.

[Anonymous]

Major retailers converted to Check 21 - everything is electronic now (no paper returned to your bank at all - only digital images.

Safest way to purchase anything is with a CC that has 0% fraud liability.