I accidentally used my FlexCard for a personal purchase. What should I do?

In the event that a Cardholder uses their FlexCard for a personal purchase the Cardholder will need to work with the vendor to have the transaction reversed or, if that is not an option, must promptly reimburse the transaction. If personal purchases are repeatedly made the FlexCard may be suspended or canceled, even if all transactions are reimbursed in a timely manner.

My FlexCard is going to expire, what do I do?

All FlexCards expire on the last day of the month listed on the card. About a month before the expiration date U.S. Bank will send your replacement card to the Program Administrator. Once the new card arrives the Program Administrator will notify the Cardholder via email and ask for the Cardholder’s mailing address. Once the Cardholder sends their address the card and information on how to activate the card will be mailed out.

How can I access my FlexCard monthly statement?

Each month the Program Administrator will send an email out to the FlexCard listserv notifying Cardholders that their monthly statement is available. To access these, the Cardholder will need to register on Access Online. 

To create an Access Online account with U.S. Bank, please follow the following steps:

  1. Once logged onto Access Online, click REGISTER ONLINE.
  2. On the Online Registration page, enter the following information:
    1. Organization Short Name: UCSB (not case sensitive)
    2. Account Number: Your 16-digit FlexCard account number
    3. Account Expiration Date: Month and year, as inscribed on your FlexCard
    4. Account Zip Code: 93106 for all campus departments
  3. Click “I Accept” at the bottom of the Licensing Agreement page.
  4. Complete all required fields on the Password and Contact Information page and submit your request.
  5. You will be asked to create three safety questions, which can be used in cases where you forget your password, or to identify yourself when speaking with the bank about issues.

Can I purchase gift cards with my FlexCard?

Gift cards are allowable but will be blocked on your FlexCard. You will need to submit a ticket to the FlexCard team to have this block lifted.

Also, keep in mind:

  1. Any purchase of a gift card or certificate for services (such as meals, theater or sporting event tickets, lodging, facials or spa treatments, golf lessons) is subject to withholding as wage income and is taxable.  This applies whether the purchase is for employee recognition, a service anniversary or retirement.
  2. Any purchase of a gift card or certificate of any kind (goods or services) for a service anniversary is subject to withholding as wage income and is taxable.
  3. Any purchase of a gift card or certificate for tangible goods (department or retail stores, VISA gift cards), if for employee recognition or retirement, qualifies as a non-cash award and is not subject to withholding as wage income, if within the allowable thresholds.

For more detailed information please contact us flexcard@bfs.ucsb.edu.

Can I use the FlexCard for federal orders under $10,000?

The FlexCard can be used for purchases on federal funds up to $9,999.99 (including tax and shipping). If the total federal amount of the acquisition exceeds $9,999.99, you will need to enter a standard purchase order requisition in Gateway.

Due to federal regulations for contract and grant awards, the UC is required to flow-down certain contract provisions to the vendor. As a result, every vendor we need to use for federal purchases over the microcap threshold will need to be vendored into Gateway.

What is a Statement of Fraud?

A Statement of Fraud is an affidavit that U.S. Bank sends to Cardholders who have had a fraudulent transaction(s) post to their account. (NOTE: Sometimes fraud is detected early enough to prevent it from actually posting to the account.) The bank's Fraud Division will notify the Cardholder, during their conversation, if a Statement of Fraud is being sent. It usually arrives via U.S. Mail within 7-10 days and MUST be completed and returned. If it does not arrive within 10 days, the Cardholder should contact the bank. If the Statement of Fraud is not returned, the provisional credits on the Cardholder's account will be voided after 60 days and the fraudulent charges will reappear on the account.

What do I do if an unidentified charge appears in the FlexCard Allocation Module?

Verify the legitimacy of the transaction with the Cardholder. As soon as a fraudulent charge is confirmed, the Cardholder must first contact U.S. Bank Fraud Division (800-523-9078) immediately to report it. Then the Cardholder must also inform their Department Administrator of the fraud, so the Department Administrator can report it to FlexCard Administration via the FlexCard Management Module.