I have a friend of a friend I am doing their wedding cake for. I only take cash or check but now this woman wants to pay me in Visa cash cards. I'm weary of this because I've herd unless you use the balance all at once it becomes much harder to get the full amount of the card, and of course it won't pay bills or be put in savings. Here is the email....
" I would like to pay you with a Visa Cash Card (that can be used for anything you need).  Were doing this because if we can charge as much as possible, it will help us earn sky miles for our honeymoon in August. 
 Are you ok with us sending you a Visa Cash card to pay you?
 Hopefully you are fine with that, but lease let me know, as I want to get your deposits and/or final payments sent out to you."

Would love your thoughts and how to handle
 

I'd say no. It's not your responsibility to rack up their miles. They can get the cards themselves and cash them and pay you with the cash or do some other scheme to pad their credit card bill. I wouldn't change your policy to pay for their honeymoon. You're doing your part by making them a beautiful cake for their wedding. So tacky even asking like that!!

Just tell her that you only take cash or checks. I would be worried there is some type of scam involved in using them too.

FYI these are prepaid. They do not shortchange the accepting merchant. BUT the accepting merchant has to have a VISA account themselves.

So your answer is "sorry, no".

In future if you choose to set up PayPal or similar service, you can then accept payment by regular VISA credit/debit cards. NOT cash/gift cards.

All this person has to do is write down the number and security number on the back of the card. Give you the card then charge away the balance.
Here in California they warn you not even to buy gift cards from cash registers due to people taking the info. off of the back and charging at a later date they say to ask a sales associate to grab you one from behind the counter. I would be very careful of this.

Oh hell no.

If the security code on the back has been scratched off, assume the card has zero balance and do not accept them. If the code is still intact and the receipt is included, I would probably accept them for a 25% premium.

These days it's pretty easy to use the remaining balance of cash cards, since most POS systems can now handle multiple payment methods.

I offer PayPal as an option to customers who want to pay with a credit card. They do charge a fee (3.xx%) but I find it well worth it because I don't have to worry about cashing a check. I would absolutely not accept a Visa cash card, I would not want to have to deal with the accounting side of it.

If you're interested in finding a way to easily accept credit cards without the hassle of a contracted service, etc... I found the "Square" app on my smartphone was a good alternative. They charge you around 3% of the charged amount as a fee and the rest is direct deposited to your bank account.

Anyone can get this app. They mail you a little card slider doo-hicky for free which plugs into the headphone jack on your phone. But, you can also just punch in a credit card number by hand, so the card doesn't have to be present. (phone orders, deposits,...)

Just an option...

I'd just let them pay through PayPal or square, if you have a smart phone. They can use a card that way. It's not a big deal, and I'd charge the 3% convenience fee to them as well. More points cash cards probably won't look good to the IRS, it just seems shady, even if it is legit.

Hello All.

Janet White wanting to order asap 500 cupcakes- This is a scam. I just got it. Reads suspicious and writer provides a little too much info why she/he can't be conteacted via the phone. Total Scam. I hope no one acts on it. 500 cupcakes sounds nice but the when it looks the email read like a scam. It's a scam. Don't fall for it but certainly alert others to it.