FAQ
Do I need to activate my card before it can be used?
From 1st October 2023, ALL Mastercard Gift Cards must be activated and registered online by the card recipient on allgogiftcard.com
To activate your card -
- Go to portal.allgogiftcard.com and click Login / Create an Account.
- Enter your name, your email address, home address, and create a password.
- A verification email will be sent to your email address – click the link to verify your account.
- In your verified account, click through to the “My Cards” Page and click the “Add a Card +” Button.
- In the Add a Card pop-up, enter the 16-Digit Card number on the front of your card and the 6-Digit Security code on the back of the card
- Click Add Card and you're done!
How do I register my card to my Allgo Mastercard account?
Firstly, sign-up for an Allgo Mastercard Account (or login if you already have an account) on portal.allgogiftcard.com
To sign-up, you will need to enter your name, your personal email, date of birth, and create a password. A verification email will be sent to your email address – click the link to verify your account.
Once your account is verified, login and click the "Add Card" button. Enter your card details to register your card. You can then see your transaction history and balance and enrol your cards for 3D Secure.
You can register as many cards you as you like to your account.
Why should I open an Allgo Mastercard account?
Registering an Allgo Mastercard Gift Card on portal.allgogiftcard.com allows cardholders to-
- Activate their card for use - instore, abroad or online
- See transaction history for all their registered cards
- Enroll cards for 3D Secure (for using online)
How do I check the balance on my card?
If your card is not already registered to your Allgo Mastercard account,
you can quickly check your balance on portal.allgogiftcard.com. Click the "My Cards" button and enter your card number and 3-digit security code to get your current balance. Please note, your card will need to be activated
BEFORE it can be used in store or online.
How do I see the transactions on my card?
To see your card transaction history, you need to register your card online. This will allow you to review your transactions and also will allow you to register your card for 3D Secure online payments.
How do I spend my card in a store?
Once you have activated your card, to use the card instore in any country, simply swipe along the reader and sign for your goods. You can use your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card as many times as you like until the expiry date printed on the front of the card or up to the amount available on the card.
As the card is used, the amount of each purchase is automatically deducted from the card’s available balance.
Do I need a PIN for my card?
No, the Allgo Mastercard is not a Chip & PIN card, therefore no PIN number should ever be needed. The card has a magstripe at the back and this is used to “swipe” the card at the retailer checkout to pay for purchases.
If the Card Machine does request a PIN, you should try to enter 0000 or the last four digits of the card - this will work in about 98% of these cases. If this doesn't work, you can ask the shop assistant to bypass the PIN request, but this may not be possible to do - so you may need to pay by an alternative means.
In some cases, if you try and enter a PIN into the Card Machine, the system may automatically block your card. In this case you will need to contact us to unblock your card.
How do I use my card online?
3D Secure is required for using your card online. To enroll a card for 3D secure, you simply need to verify your mobile phone number. To this this-
- Go to portal.allgogiftcard.com
- Enter your card details (16-Digit card number and 6-Digit Security Code) and your mobile number
- You will receive a verification code by text
- Enter the verification code and you're done!
Can I merge cards together?
No, as of 1st October 2023 Allgo Mastercard Gift Cards can no longer be merged.
Can I top up my card?
No, the Allgo Mastercard Gift Card can only be loaded once.
Can I withdraw cash at an ATM with my card?
No, you cannot withdraw cash at an ATM with your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card, as this would invalidate the terms of the Small Benefit Scheme.
Can I use the Allgo Mastercard Gift Card with PayPal?
No, you cannot use your PayPal account with your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card, as this counts as a money transfer which invalidates the terms of the Small Benefit Scheme.
Can I use the card with Google Pay or Apple Pay?
No. Allgo Mastercard physical gift cards cannot be used on mobile wallets to tap (yet). Only our Digital+ gift cards can currently be added to Google Pay and Apple Pay for tap payments.
You can add your physical gift card to the Google Pay app, but you will be restricted to one-off Google Pay transactions and online payments. Physical cards cannot be added to Apple Pay in this way.
Can I use my card with the Revolut App or Revolut Card?
No, you cannot top up your Revolut account with your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card, as this would invalidate the terms of the Small Benefit Scheme.
Can I use my card to transfer funds to credit card or a bank account?
No, you cannot transfer funds from your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card to a credit card account or to a bank account, as this would invalidate the terms of the Small Benefit Scheme.
Is there an expiry date on my card?
Yes, the expiry date is printed on the front of the card under "Valid Thru".
Allgo Mastercard Gift Cards are valid for 5 years.
What charges apply to my card?
- Spending Card in the Eurozone: no charge
- Spending Card in a Foreign Currency: 2.75% foreign exchange charge
- Monthly Card Charge: There is no monthly charge for the first 12 months after card load. After 12 months, a €3 monthly fee will be deducted from any unused card balance.
- Replacement Card Charge: €20 per card
Why is there a €3 per month charge on my card?
There is no charge to use the Allgo Mastercard Gift Card for the first 12 months after the card is loaded. After 12 months, there is a €3 charge per month on any unused balance.
This charge pays for the cost of providing and maintaining the card. These costs include bank charges, payment processing fees, card funds safeguarding, anti-fraud measures, regulation & compliance, technology platform costs, customer service for cardholders, and company salaries and overheads.
The fee charged is competitive with other similar cards, and unlike some other gift cards, we do not charge any commission to retailers when the card is used.
The vast majority of Allgo Mastercard Gift Cards are spent within 12 months and incur no card fees. A low, single digit percentage of all card values has the fee deducted.
The fees are displayed on the back of each Allgo Mastercard Gift Card, on the card wallet that each card is presented in, on our websites, and on all our marketing material.
More about the Allgo Mastercard Gift Card
The Allgo Mastercard Gift Card is a universal gift card that can be spent anywhere that accepts Mastercard - instore, online or even abroad. It is provided by Allgo Rewards, a 100% Irish company employing 20 people in Dublin.
We sell the card exclusively to businesses, and not to consumers. The vast majority of cardholders receive their Allgo Mastercard Gift Card from their employer as a tax-free reward on the Small Benefit Scheme, saving both the employee and the employer up to €657 in Benefit-In-Kind taxes per card.
The card comes with a minimum 5 years Valid Thru date, and the card funds are completely safeguarded and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Unlike a retailer gift card, if Allgo ceases to trade, the card can still be used as normal.
Are there any spending limits on using my card?
For security, there is a limit of 10 transactions per day that you can use your card for.
Are there any retailers that don’t accept the card?
The only retailers that we are aware of that don’t accept the Allgo Mastercard Gift Card are-
- Three Ireland Stores
- Vodafone Ireland Stores
- Circle K
- Applegreen
Eir Retail Stores have told us they do accept the Allgo Mastercard, so if you would like to buy mobile phone services with your gift card, please visit your nearest eir Retail Store.
Likewise, many Maxol Petrol Stations will accept the Allgo Mastercard for payment of fuel and products. Please check with your local Maxol Station.
Powercity process instore payments as online payment – you must have 3D Secure enabled to facilitate this.
Additionally, there are a number of transaction types which are blocked on the cards, this includes -
- Charity donations
- Gambling transactions
- Re-occurring payments - some popular online retailers that use these payment types for orders include: Lookfantastic.com, Cult Beauty, MyProtein, Zavvi
What if my instore purchase is greater than the balance on my card?
In this case, you should ask the checkout assistant for a “split tender”, which will then allow you to pay x amount from your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card, and the remainder using another payment source eg cash, debit or credit card.
What if my online purchase is greater than the balance on my card?
Unfortunately, unlike instore purchases, you cannot get a “split tender” for online transactions (a split tender is where you to pay x amount from your Allgo Mastercard Gift Card, and the remainder using another payment source eg debit or credit card).
So, for online transactions, you need to make sure there are sufficient balance on your card for the full purchase price.
Can I make donations to charity using my Allgo Mastercard?
There are a number of transaction types which are blocked on the Allgo Mastercard, including charitable donations. These blocked transactions are listed below:
- Charity donations are blocked as there is a risk that charities can be a front for money laundering or terrorist activity
- Gambling transactions are blocked as the is a gift card to buy a product with, not gamble.
- Re-occurring payments are blocked as they cannot use it to pay their Netflix subscription, mobile phone bill as the charges could continue to be attempted once funds have been spent.
What if the Merchant does not have swipe and sign functionality?
While most larger stores will have swipe and sign functionality, some smaller retailer will not. In this case most merchants should be able to issue a payment link via SMS, email, WhatsApp or any other messaging platform. This link will lead to a secure payment gateway where you will be able to make payment using the card details, same as if you were making an online purchase.
An example of this is SumUp: Mobile Credit Card Machines, below is information for the merchant, if they are unfamiliar with the process.
"The Payment Links feature allows you to get paid by sharing payment links with your customers via SMS, email, WhatsApp or any other messaging platform. There are no costs associated with this feature, however, a 1.69% flat fee will be charged per transaction.
To generate a Payment Link from your Dashboard, kindly follow the steps provided below:
- Log in to the Dashboard at sumup.me.
- Select ‘Payment Links’ from the left-hand menu.
- Under the ‘Create new link’ section, enter the amount and the description then click on ‘Create link’.
- You can now click on ‘View’ to open the link generated or ‘Copy’ to copy it to your clipboard and share it with your customer.
Once the transaction is completed, the status of the payment will automatically change to "Paid". To amend the status of your Payment Links, simply scroll down to the "Links" section of the page.
Please note that you can only create links from the "Payment Links" section of your Dashboard. To create a QR code or share it directly via email, SMS or any other messaging platforms, please use the SumUp App."
Why is my card declined and my payment not going through?
In most cases, payments are declined because your card does not have enough left in your balance. For online payments, 3D Secure must be enabled for your card via your Allgo account. Please also ensure you are entering all card details correct – the Cardholder name is your own name.
The following types of transactions are not allowed on the Allgo Mastercard:
- Money transfer or withdrawal e.g. PayPal, Credit Union, Revolut, ATM withdrawal
- Subscription or recurring payments e.g. Netflix, Spotify
- Some merchants may have their payment system classified as a recurring payment, even if the transaction is a once-off. Loveholidays.ie, Cult Beauty, Lookfantastic.com and Myprotein are common examples of online merchants who classify their payments as ‘recurring’ and will therefore fail.
- Gambling
- Charitable donations and payments
Can refunds be sent back to the card?
Refunds are processed on Allgo Mastercards as with any other Mastercard. It is the merchant’s responsibility to manage your refund, which usually appears back on your card within 5-10 business days. In some cases, if the refund is the same amount as the original transaction with the merchant, the original transaction will simply disappear, and your balance will have been adjusted accordingly.
Why is there a ‘Balance brought forward’ transaction for my card before it was active?
"Balance brought forward" is a visual error with the cards which we have been working with our suppliers on since 07/Dec/22. We can confirm that this technical error is underdevelopment with their IT department and it is something which we chase for a resolution on every week during our account management sessions with this supplier.
We appreciate that this error can be confusing for cardholders as the transaction displayed as "balance brought forward", appears on the system to be dated back from before the card was loaded and activated. We can confirm that no funds have been deducted from your card before it was activated and the balance at the top of your page is accurate.
Through our own investigation of these cases we can correlate the sum displayed as "balance brought forward" with a pending transaction on the card. In these cases, the cardholder has initiated a transaction which has not completely settled on the merchant's side. Once these merchant claims this transaction, the "balance brought forward" error is displayed with the full transaction details as a standard transaction. In the case that a transaction is not completed on the merchant's side, the "balance brought forward" query is removed and the balance is reinstated.
We would like to apologise for this error and we understand the frustrations which can arise in these cases. If you, or a cardholder from your order, experience this issue and you would like the full details of the pending transaction, you can contact our customer support team on help@allgo.ie and they will provide the details of the transaction in question.
Is the Allgo Mastercard Physical Card Environmentally Friendly?
Yes, the physical gift card is made out of recycled PVC and degradable material (79% recycled + 21% degradable). Once used up, the card can be recycled through general household recycling.
