So I had get a replacement phone last week. I wiped and factory reset my old phone but forgot to reset Google wallet. Crap...

so I went online in Google Wallet and saw the "disable app" under my device. Being a logical person, I thought, I'll just disable it and activate the new phone when I get... (DO NOT DO THIS) It tried to remote wipe the app on my phone, but since my phone had been wiped it got stuck at "reset initiated"

Well new phone comes, and I get a error whenever I try to add my google card or citibank card back on. Sigh. Check the website and I see my old device sitting there stuck on "reset initiated". Well, that's why it won't let me add them to the new card...

I call Google wallet and explain what happened and that I need to ""unlink" the cards so I can activate them on the new device. He tells me I need to talk to cicbank and "money network"(they own/support google's prepaid card). He transfers me to the Money Network folks (he was very helpful)

This is where my problem started, I explain to "E---" that I want to unlink my card. She won't do it and starts asking what kind of device I have and what network I'm on(oh uh). I should have lied and said ATT&T but I tell her VZW... From that second on, I could get nothing out of her accept its not supported on that network blah blah...

Fudge, What the heck am I going to do?


I say screw it and call back. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure I got the exact same person (same name, voice sounded the same, everything...lol).

As soon as she asks how she can help, I tell her I want to close my Google account. She takes my information and asks if I have money on the account, I tell her a couple dollars and I'm not worried about it. (I guess I could have got them to send me a check?) So she closes the account.

I wait about 5 minutes, and try to link my citibank card back up to the app.(it kept failing before) This time it works just like it should I go and try the prepaid card and that works also!( lost my balance)

So at least I got my GW working again

tl;dr

1. don't disable GW online unless you really need to!
2. don't expect any help at all from Money Network (if your on VZW)
3. Write your Google prepaid card id down some where safe!!! (you need this if you ever talk to (Money Network)

 

this wasn't actually quite the same as "secure element" error from what I've read in that thread. I think this issue was more on the network side with Money Network not being able to "drop" my old phone...

I find it interesting that as soon as MN broke the "link" for prepaid card, it also "fixed" my citibank card.