Cards advertised for AI subscriptions failed with Google; $23.49 in fees
I issued two Buvei virtual cards specifically to pay for a Google/Gemini subscription. Buvei's card issuance page advertises an “AI Subscribe” category and explicitly mentions Gemini. The first card failed Google's mandatory verification, so I assumed it might be a setup issue and paid to issue a second card. The result was the same. Buvei's transaction history shows the Google authorizations as declined with the reason “This MCC has been restricted. (Blacklisted).” Support later told me that the transaction used MCC 5816 and that “the bank declined.” They also refused to refund the card issuance fees. My confirmed direct costs are $23.49: $20 for issuing two cards, $0.74 in card top-up fees, and $2.75 for eleven separate $0.25 transaction fees, including failed attempts. Another $30 remains on the two cards. If that balance is not returned, my total exposure will be $53.49 plus any additional withdrawal fee. During the support conversation, a laughing emoji was sent in response to the unresolved problem. In my experience, the product description was misleading: I bought the cards for the advertised use case, but neither card worked with Google. I would not recommend issuing these cards unless Buvei confirms in writing that the exact BIN supports Google account verification, the required MCC, recurring charges, all fees, and the refund terms.
By Robert K.