Consumer Focus Groups Relating to Prepaid Products Rulemaking and Model Form Development

Participant Screener for Prepaid Card Focus Groups
Location (TBD)
Dates (TBD)
General Information and Recruiting Specifications


Four Focus Groups
o Two focus groups will be held on two different dates, at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM
o Length of each focus group: 90 minutes
o Participant incentive: $75
o Twelve participants will be recruited for each group.



RECRUITERS: Ask all focus groups participants to bring their reading glasses, if necessary,
because they may be asked to review one or more documents as part of the focus group.

Recruiting Script
Hello, my name is [first and last name]. May I speak to [candidate]?
If someone other than Respondent asks why you are calling, say: I’m calling regarding an important
US government study about prepaid cards.
Say to Respondent: I am calling from [marketing company’s name] for ICF International. ICF
International is working with a US government agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The Bureau is an agency in the Federal government whose role is to ensure that consumers get the
information they need to make financial decisions. For this specific project, the Bureau is studying
how people use prepaid cards and how they make decisions about those cards.
We are seeking people to participate in focus groups being held on _______. The focus group will last
90 minutes, and we will give participants an incentive of $75. If you are selected and agree to
participate in one of these focus groups, we will ask you some questions about your use of prepaid
cards and how you choose between different products. You will not have to provide any information
that you feel uncomfortable discussing.
It is important that you know that we will be audio- and videotaping your focus group so that we can
be sure to collect what you say accurately. However, your name will not appear in any reports. Also,
just so you are not surprised, staff from the Bureau and ICF International will observe your focus
group from another room.
Do you have a few minutes to answer some pre-qualifying questions? (If not, When would be a
convenient time to call back?)
If necessary: We are not selling anything, we are only looking to find people to participate in a study
that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is conducting. Everything you say will be kept private
except where required by law. Further, your personal information will not be given to the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau.

Q1:

In the past six months, have you used a reloadable prepaid card that you can load funds onto
yourself? You can buy these cards in a store or online and can reload them by cash or direct
deposit if you wish. Examples would include prepaid cards such as GreenDot, NetSpend,
RushCard, or Bluebird cards. These cards do not include gift cards.



Yes  Continue to Q1a
No or doesn’t know  Participant does not qualify for study; thank them politely and end
call.

Q1a:

Are you only able to use this card at a single business or retailer, or can you use it at a
variety of different businesses or retailers on the Visa, Discover, American Express, or
MasterCard networks?



Q1b:

What is the brand name of the prepaid card you have used most frequently (if you
remember)?


Q2:

Record open-ended response. If respondent says “Visa” or “MasterCard,” ask if
there is another brand identified on the card.

Do you work or have you ever worked for a bank or other financial institution?



Q3:

Single kind  Thank respondent politely and end call.
Variety  Participant qualifies for study; continue to Q1b

Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
No  Continue

Do you work or have you ever worked for a consumer rights non-profit related to the banking
or financial industries?



Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
No  Continue

Q4:

Have you participated in any other focus groups in the past 6 months?
 Yes  Thank respondent politely and end call.
 No  Continue

Q5:

ARTICULATION QUESTION: In a few sentences please tell us why you use prepaid cards.
Tell us some things you like about this product. If you could change one thing about your
prepaid card account, what would it be? (Record respondent’s answer.)



If respondent gives a thoughtful, articulate answer  Respondent qualifies
If respondent does not give a thoughtful, articulate answer  Thank respondent politely
and end call.

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Recruiting Quotas
(Total across all 48 participants for
the 4 focus groups)

Screening Criteria
Q6: In the past two years, have you ever used a card that
your employer or another organization provided and
loaded money onto? Examples include payroll cards or
cards used to access student loans or workers’
compensation funds.


Do not include gift cards or any prepaid cards
that you purchase yourself.



Yes  Continue to Q6a
No  Skip to Q7



Q6a: Were you only able to use this card at a single
business or retailer, or could you use it at a
variety of different businesses or retailers on
the Visa, Discover, American Express, or
MasterCard networks?
a) Single kind  Skip to Q7
b) Variety  Continue to Q6b
Q6b: Please describe this card. Who placed the funds
on this card? Why were the funds placed on the card?
Record open-ended response

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 At least 12 recruits should answer (a)
to Q6a.

Recruiting Quotas
(Total across all 48 participants for
the 4 focus groups)

Screening Criteria
Q7: In the past 12 months, have you purchased a prepaid
card? Again, do not include gift cards.
a) Yes  Continue to Q7a
b) No  Skip to Q8
Q7a: In the past 12 months, have you opened a
prepaid account online or purchased a prepaid
card online? Please answer based on whether
you have opened an account or purchased a
card online, not whether you have loaded
funds online.
a) Yes
b) No

 At least 36 recruits should answer
Yes to Q7
 At least 8 recruits should answer Yes
to Q7a
 At least 24 recruits should answer
Yes to Q7b

Q7b: In the past 12 months, have you purchased a
prepaid card in a store? Please answer based on
whether you have purchased prepaid cards in a
store, not whether you have loaded funds onto
them in a store.
a) Yes
b) No
Q8: Do you currently have a checking or savings account
with a bank or credit union?

 At least 12 recruits should answer No

a) Yes
b) No
Q9: What is your age?

 At least 12 recruits should answer (a)

a) 18 to 35
b) 36 to 50
c) 51 or above

 At least 12 recruits should answer (b)
 At least 8 recruits should answer (c)

Q10: Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin (ethnicity)?
a) Yes  Continue to Q10a
b) No  Skip to Q11
Q10a: Do you primarily speak Spanish at home?
a) Yes
b) No

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 At least 12 recruits should answer
Yes to Q10
 At least 9 recruits should answer Yes
to Q10a

Recruiting Quotas
(Total across all 48 participants for
the 4 focus groups)

Screening Criteria
Q11: What is your race? You can select more than one, if
applicable.
a) White
b) Black or African-American
c) Asian
d) Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
e) American Indian or Alaska Native
Q12: What is the highest level that you reached in school?
a) High school degree or less
b) Some college work
c) College graduate

 At least 12 recruits should answer (a)
 At least 12 recruits should answer
(b), (c), (d), or (e)

 At least 14 recruits should answer (a)
 At least 12 recruits should answer (b)
 At least 8 recruits should answer (c)
 At least 20 recruits of each gender

Q13: Gender

If participant qualifies: Based on your responses, we would like to invite you to participate in a focus
group, which will be held at [facility name and address]. The focus group will last about 90 minutes.
We may be showing you some documents to look at during the focus group, so if you use reading
glasses please be sure that you bring them. We will provide you with a $75 incentive for participating
in the focus group.
If participant is willing to participate, record their name and contact information, confirm the time and
date and indicate that they will receive a confirmation call the day before the group. Regardless of
whether or not they are willing to participate, thank them before ending the call.

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