Methods and Apparatus for Prepaid Card Packaging and Activation

Abstract

Techniques for providing cost effective and tamper evident prepaid card packaging are described. By forming a tear strip in a panel of the prepaid card packaging and aligning an activation bar code or other indicia on the card with the tear strip when mounting the card within the packaging, the security of the activation indicia can be maintained until after purchase. After purchase, access can be achieved by tearing away the tear strip and the card can be activated in a secure manner. Because the activation indicia is maintained secure until after purchase, if desired a single number, for example, a card account number can be used to identify both the card account and to activate the card.

1 . A tamper evident card carrier comprising:
 a bi-panel having a fold line with a first panel to one side of the fold line and a second panel to the other side of the fold line, the first panel having an area reserved for a product literature insert on an inside face and the second panel having an area reserved for a card located within a region on an inside face; and   a glue area extending inward from the edges of the second panel, wherein a tear strip is formed in the second panel.   
   
   
       2 . The tamper evident card carrier of  claim 1  wherein the fold line is scored. 
   
   
       3 . The tamper evident card carrier of  claim 1  wherein the glue area is at least 0.5″ wide. 
   
   
       4 . The tamper evident card carrier of  claim 1  wherein a gift card is attached to the area for a card with fugitive glue or a double sided sticky label; and
 a product literature insert is attached to the area for a product literature insert.   
   
   
       5 . The tamper evident card carrier of  claim 4  wherein glue is applied to the glue area, the bi-panel is folded about the fold line, and the glue is activated to form a tamper evident seal which is at least 0.5″ wide. 
   
   
       6 . The tamper evident card carrier of  claim 1  wherein a card has an activation indicia which is aligned with the tear strip when it is mounted on the second panel within the area reserved for the card and which is accessed for purposes of activating the card by tearing away the tear strip. 
   
   
       7 . A method for making a tamper evident card carrier comprising:
 forming a hi-panel having a fold line with a first panel to one side of the fold line and a second panel to the other side of the fold line, the first panel having an area reserved for a product literature insert on an inside face and the second panel having an area reserved for a card located within a region on an inside face; and   a glue area extending inward from the edges of the second panel, wherein a tear strip is formed in the second panel.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 scoring the fold line.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 applying glue to the glue area and wherein the glue area is at least 0.5″ wide.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 gluing a gift card to the area for a card with fugitive glue; and   gluing a product literature insert to the area for a product literature insert with fugitive glue.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 applying glue to the glue area;   folding the bi-panel about the fold line; and   activating the glue to form a tamper evident seal which is at least 5″ wide.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 aligning an activation indicia on a gift card with the tear strip and mounting the gift card on the gift card carrier in the area reserved for the card.   
   
   
       13 . A method of activating a prepaid gift card comprising:
 tearing away a tear strip from a package containing the prepaid gift card subsequent to its purchase to reveal an activation indicia;   obtaining identifying information from the activation indicia;   communicating the identifying information;   processing the identifying information; and   activating the prepaid gift card.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the activation indicia is a bar code and said step of obtaining comprises scanning the bar code with a bar code scanner. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of communicating further comprises transmitting the identifying information in an encrypted format.