The last two weeks, some ads in the Metro and Spits (free newspapers, distributed at train stations) informed the public that a pre-paid Mastercard would soon become available. Advantage: no loan applications and check with the credit registration office (BKR) would be required. Furthermore if you run out of the pre-paid funds you cannot use the card. The translated name of the company is: No-BKR.
The consumer tv-programme Kassa wanted to know more about the product and started enquiries. As such I had the opportunity to contribute to the tv-programme and inform the public on the card and the website. No-BKR wanted to introduce a standard pre-paid Mastercard. Yet, it did not have the required license as an e-money institution, nor the appropriate contracts and agreements with banks. So, having phoned with Kassa, No-BKR decided to discontinue its marketing campaign.
As an aside, the tv-item of Kassa also warned the consumers that still a number of legitimate sites exist where consumers can very easily apply for a Mastercard (with the highest intrest rates legally allowed). Most of these agressively marketed sites end up at the DSB Bank. Interested Dutch readers may want to further explore these sites:
-Betaalplan,
-In een Wip een Volle Knip,
-Krap Bij Kas,
-de Geldbutler,
-Go Card,
-Studentennet.
And as for me. It's a pity I had to leave the openhaard-weblog-meeting in de Vondeltuin quite early in order to be in the studio on time. Attentive viewers may have wondered what the tattoo (flames) was on my right hand. Wel nothing permanent actually, but a remainder of an elementary discount arrangement (cheaper beers) in the Vondeltuin.
