Visa gift cards are sold in predetermined increments and given as gifts in place of cash. The recipient can use a Visa gift card to make a purchase in stores, online or over the phone in the same way that regular credit cards are used. However, Visa gift cards cannot be used to get cash from an automated teller machine.
No PIN
Automated teller machines, more commonly called ATMs, allow consumers to withdraw money from their bank accounts using debit cards. Withdrawal from an ATM requires that you enter a personal identification number, or PIN, into the machine. Because Visa gift cards do not have PINs associated with them, they cannot be used to take cash out of an ATM.
Prepaid Cards Can Be Used
Visa also offers prepaid credit cards, which you can purchase for yourself and load with a certain amount of money. Because these credit cards come with a PIN, they can be used to withdraw money from ATMs.
