Prepaid card fees to watch out for

Beware of Fees with Prepaid Cards

• Accessing Your Money: Many prepaid cards are not associated with ATM networks so accessing your money can be pricey.  Even if your cards are associated with an ATM network, they sometimes chage a fee.
• Checking Your Balance: Many customers are charged a convenience fee for checking their prepaid card balance, either at an ATM or by requesting paper account statements.
• Activation Fee: Prepaid cards may charge an activation fee of up to $10.  One way to avoid this fee may be to purchase the card online.
• Monthly Maintenance Fee: Lots of cards charge a monthly maintenance fee whether you use the card or not.  Sometimes this can be avoided by setting up direct deposit on the card.
• Overdraft Protection: Some prepaid cards will make a "courtesy payment" if you happen to overdraft your account.  Fees pile up when another deposit is made and the card then deducts the charges plus hefty penalty fees.
• Point of Sale Purchases: Some prepaid cards will charge you a small fee if you choose the PIN option rather than a signature when making a purchase.
• Inactivity Fees: Some cards will charge you a fee if you do not use them for a specific peiod of time.
• Customer Service: Some prepaid cards will deduct your account if you call its Customer Service line.

Source: Bankrate - “Switch to Prepaid debit cards? Know the fees”