Prima withdrawal with Ecocard - Success (for the most part)

MLSchaff · #1 02-06-2007, 04:38 PM

Just got my withdrawal from Prima through Ecocard. I had done a $1,000 test run. Here's the timeline:

1/24: Requested withdrawal from Battlefield
1/29: Money available in Ecocard account, requested wire transfer withdrawal to my bank account
1/31: Withdrawal no longer pending in Ecocard, customer service tells me by e-mail that it will take 2-4 business days to appear in my bank account
2/6: Money available in my bank account

However -- Ecocard's site says that there is a $10 wire transfer fee. When I did the withdrawal, I was able to take out $990, with $10 withheld for the fee. When I received the money today, only $970 appeared in the account. Not sure why there was an extra $20 deducted. Awaiting e-mail response from Ecocard on this. I was thinking $10 for a wire transfer was too good to be true, and I don't mind paying $30 for larger transfers, but it sucks to pay that kind of fee on a $1K withdrawal.

I will update thread with Ecocard's response on the fee when I hear from them.

Separately - I successfully withdrew cash from an ATM today with my brand spanking new epassporte visa and it worked beautifully. The ATM didn't even charge me the fee it normally does when you use someone else's card. Not sure why, but I'm happy to save the $1.50.

NesOne · #2 02-06-2007, 04:42 PM

Congrats.

However, it is my understanding that if we have not already signed up for Ecocard, it is too late for us to use it as a withdrawal option, correct?

lastcoyote · #3 02-06-2007, 04:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Congrats.

However, it is my understanding that if we have not already signed up for Ecocard, it is too late for us to use it as a withdrawal option, correct?

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for the update. I have not tried to sign up for EcoCard yet but I just sent them an e-mail to see if they are taking U.S. customers anymore. We'll see.

MLSchaff · #4 02-06-2007, 07:39 PM

Hadn't heard that Eco was no longer taking US accounts. I just requested another withdrawal from Prima to Eco so hopefully it goes through without problems.

If they did stop accepting new US accounts but are still ok for those with accounts it just proves a point I made in another thread about signing up for every possible payment option ASAP whether or not you are going to use it. Especially in the case of Eco since there were no startup fees.

Edited: Saw in another thread someone said that Eco told them they can't do business with US banks. This may be a miscommunication. They told me they can't do ACH, but can still wire transfer - this was when I signed up and since then obviously they did process a wire transfer to me.

iceman5 · #5 02-07-2007, 12:49 PM

BattleField told me that EcoCard was no longer an option but maybe youre right and the guy misunderstood my question.

However, I cant for the life of me figure out how to uese EcoCard. How do you set up your bank account with them. From what I can tell, it says that you have to give YOUR bank, their banks info. How do you give your bank their banks info? All the wensite says is Fortis bank. It doesnt give account number or routing codes or anything like that?

Can you detail exactly how you set this up please?

bap2086 · #6 02-07-2007, 12:55 PM

the $20 deducted was most likely your banks charge for recieving a wire transfer.

plano · #7 02-07-2007, 01:30 PM

Im trying to gets this to work also. This is what I know..you need to call your bank to get the swift code. I dont believe you need to give your bank any info.

My question is when it asks for accountnumber/IBAN (at ecocard) what exactly is the IBAN. Or do they just need the account number. I was told by my bank that I would also need to give ecocard a different routeing number than my usual one and was wondering if this is the IBAN? Asked my bank rep and of course she didnt know what an IBAN was.

Also the $20 you lost was with most certainty charged by your bank....mine said they charged 15 dollas for incoming transfers so at a total of $25 this is not the cheapest way to get funds.

MLSchaff · #8 02-07-2007, 02:34 PM

Just checked with my bank - they deducted an additional $10 for an incoming wire transfer. So the amount I received from Ecocard was $20 less than they said it would be, and I'm at a total of $40 in charges. Pretty steep, but about the same as Battlefield used to charge for a courier check ($35). When I asked Battlefield yesterday about checks, they said Ecocard was currently the only way to withdraw money.

You only need to give your bank Eco's bank's info if you are sending them a wire to deposit. To receive funds you only need to give Eco your bank's info. IBAN is an international bank account #. You will not have one. I put in my regular account #, the swift code the bank gave me, and the branch code was my regular routing number - although some banks do use a different routing number for wire transfers so you should check with your bank.

MLSchaff · #9 02-07-2007, 02:44 PM

Just tried to call Eco and their voice mailbox is full. No response to an e-mail I sent yesterday. And a transfer processed by Battlefield to Eco yesterday has not shown up in my account. Battlefield says it can take 5-7 business days, but last time it was in my Eco account the next day, so we'll see...

Between this and the reduced rakeback I think I'm done with Prima unless they add epassporte or some other reasonable alternative ASAP.

iceman5 · #10 02-07-2007, 03:05 PM

Rakeback is reduced and its hassle to get your money but at least its mostly non US players so there has been no dropoff in number of players or amount of fishiness.

Do you have to make a deposit before you can make a withdrawal?

You had to ask your bank for the SWIFT code right? Cuz I have no idea what a SWIFT code is.