Billing FAQ

These are all frequently asked questions that relate to bars and Whirled's billing system. For information on coins, bars, and bling, read the currency page.

What are bars?
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

Bars are used, as an alternative to coins, to purchase items in the Whirled Shop. To get bars, click the golden bar picture in the upper right hand corner of your Whirled window and use the "Buy Bars!" button, or use the "Get bars!" link from any item in the Shop. This would take you to the Whirled billing page. For more information on bars, please see the currency page.

How do I get bars?
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

Offers and Surveys
You could get bars for free by filling out surveys and offers from Gambit, SuperRewards and Peanut Labs. The surveys and offers there change frequently and are controlled by Gambit and Peanut Labs, not by Three Rings. Occasionally there will be nothing there--come back a little later and some more will be rotated in!

If you completed an offer or survey and don't think you received the bars:
 * Check your transactions to make sure they really aren't there.
 * Make sure you've waited the amount of time that the survey or offer said it would take for you to receive your bars.

If they are not credited to your account when they should be, you'll need to check in with Gambit, SuperRewards or Peanut Labs. See below for instructions!

Gambit

 * Go to the Gambit page.
 * Click the "Offer Status" tab.
 * Check for the offer or survey from which you're expecting the bars. If it is listed as incomplete, you must complete it to get your bars.
 * If the offer is listed as complete, and you have waited the length of time Gambit said it would take to grant you your bars, click the "Problem?" link next to the offer and submit your report to Gambit.

SuperRewards

 * Go to the SuperRewards page.
 * Click on the "View Offer Status" button.
 * Check for the offer from which you're expecting the bars. If it is listed as "Waiting for offer to report...", make sure you have finished the offer.  If the offer is listed as "Viewed..." and you are missing your bars, click on the  "Missing these Bars?" link to read the FAQ with reasons why bars may not have been awarded.
 * If you have completed the offer and it shows up on the Awarded tab with "Awarded" as its status, and you have waited the length of time SuperRewards said it would take to grant you your bars, click on the "Missing these Bars?" link and then the "Continue to the offer inquiry page" on the bottom of the FAQ and submit your report to SuperRewards.

Peanut Labs

 * Go to the Peanut Labs page.
 * Click the "Need Help?" link.
 * On the box that pops up, click the "My Transactions" tab.
 * Find the survey or offer you're looking for.
 * If the survey or offer says it isn't fully complete, you'll need to complete it to get your bars.
 * If it says it IS complete, but you still have no bars, click the "Contact Us" button next to the transaction and submit a description of the problem to Peanut Labs.

Three Rings Game Cards
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

Three Rings game cards could be used to pay for any of our current games. Our current denominations of $10 and $20 have the same value as cash for the purchase of bars. The cards are for sale at Target stores nationwide. The first cards released have Puzzle Pirate art on the front (We'll get ones with pretty Whirled Art soon, promise!). If you have trouble finding the cards, you can ask the helpful Target staff for product number 012/15/0176 for $10 denominations, and product number 012/15/0177 for $20 denominations.



Using Your Game Card

The Three Rings game cards are easy to use. Each card has a unique code that, once activated at the store, can be used to redeem the full value of the card for use in the game. Card redemption can be completed from our website. To redeem a card for use with Whirled use the following methods:

''If you're new to the game, you should first create an account. You can do this by going to here''

Otherwise, do the following:
 * Go to billing and log-in with your user name and password
 * If this is your first time buying from us, you will be prompted to select a payment method for buying Bars. To use your gift card, select "Game Card" from the list of options.
 * Type the game card code (located on the back of the card) into the interface and click to enter.
 * After clicking, you will be shown the current value for the valid code you entered. You can then click "Redeem Card" to add the value of card to your account. Remember that the value is added to the account for which you have logged on. The card will retain no residual value after it has been redeemed.

Ultimate Game Card
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

You can get bars with an Ultimate Game Card, sold at 7-11, Rite-Aid, and more. For more information, see Ultimate Game Card.

Credit Card
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

You will find the Billing options on the billing page of the website.

We accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express cards. Debit / ATM cards with the VISA / MasterCard logo should work fine. This is the preferred payment mechanism as it gives you instant access and keeps things simple for us and inexpensive for you.

Is your credit card server secure?
Absolutely. Our credit card server is secured with 128bit industry-standard SSL encryption. You can verify this by looking for the golden padlock in the bottom corner of your web browser window.

What appears on my credit card statement?
Your credit card statement will show a billing for 'Three Rings'.

PayPal
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

Yes, there is an option to pay using PayPal in our automated billing system, and your account will be instantly credited following payment.

If you wish to make a gift Bar purchase using a PayPal account, visit the Paypal website, choose Send Money, and send your payment to paypal@threerings.net You can use your credit card via PayPal or transfer money from your bank account if you setup an account with them. Be certain to include the permaname of the account you wish to credit in the note, and that it is a Bar gift. We will send you a confirmation email shortly after your payment is received and processed.

Check or Money Order
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

If you would prefer to avoid all that messing around in Cyberspace, you can also send us a check directly. We normally process each check the day it is received and immediately credit your account. When you mail us, be sure to include:


 * Your account's permaname (not your display name, as anyone can have the same display name as you)
 * A valid email address or some other way to contact you, so that we can send you payment confirmation.
 * How many bars you would like to purchase.
 * Anything else you think we should know about your Whirledly otherness.
 * If you decorate your envelope or include a fun note, we may display it on the office wall! TOFU us!

Please send your mail to:

Three Rings Design P.O. Box 482 San Francisco CA 94104-0482 USA

NOTES:
 * PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH! If you send cash, you run the risk of it getting lost or stolen on its way to us.
 * Sorry, we cannot accept checks or money orders from outside the USA, even if they are in U.S. dollars.

Text Messages (SMS)
We currently offer the ability to buy bars via text message to players in the countries listed here (see the "Your Country" dropdown box on the righthand side of the page). Not all phone providers are supported in every region.

In order to purchase bars via SMS, go to this page. The prices are listed in dollars, but you will be charged in your local currency. Select the amount of bars you wish to purchase, and you will be taken to the Boku site. On the Boku page, select your country. Enter your phone number, and Boku will send you an SMS confirmation. Follow the instructions in the SMS message and reply "YES" or "Y". You will then receive additional premium text messages to pay for your coins or subscription.

Be aware that additional phone carrier fees will be added to the price of your purchase. These fees vary from region to region. Boku will make the final price (including all fees) very clear before you begin payment. Please take this increased price into account to when making your purchase. Also, ensure that your phone will have enough funds available to pay for the total cost. Otherwise the purchase may fail, and you could still be charged for some of the text messages.

My country or phone provider is not listed!
Boku is working to expand the countries and phone providers for each country. For a list of the ones they're currently working on see here. On that same page via the link at the bottom you can also submit your interest in having a country or phone provider added. We recommend doing this so they have a good idea of where to expand next.

What if I still have old SMS codes?
If you have any old-style, 6-digit SMS codes, you can still redeem them here for Bars.

Coinstar at the Grocery Store
Simply go to a Coinstar machine. There are nearly 65,000 worldwide. Search here to find the one nearest you.

Place coins/bills in the machine and get a Green Dot TM Prepaid MasterCard® that you can then use to purchase Bars.

Electronic Bill Pay
Certainly. Simply go to the Bill Pay section of your online bank account.

Payable to: Three Rings Design, Inc.

Three Rings Design 612 Howard Street #500 San Francisco CA 94105 USA

Please ensure that you include your account permaname and registered email address in the memo section. Please enter the correct amount of money so we're not in doubt of what you're buying. You may refer to What are the Bar Prices? for pricing information.

Other Methods (Cash, Debit Cards, Splash Plastic, etc.)?
PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept payments directly in cash (i.e., please do not send us envelopes full of bills and coins). Cash mailed to us will be returned to the sender if a return address is provided.

If you don’t currently have a credit card or other online means of paying for Whirled Bars, and cash is your only option as a payment method, here are some cash services that will transmit your funds to us safely:

PayByCash (online check or money order)
You can get credit online for Whirled Bars using a check or money order through the PayByCash Service. PayByCash accepts any of the following payment options:


 * Certa-Pay
 * Check via Postal Service or FAX
 * Cyphermint's PayCash System
 * Direct Debit
 * e-gold&reg;
 * Easecard
 * eNets
 * GoldMoney&reg;
 * hyperWALLET
 * INSTADEBIT&reg;
 * Money Order via Postal Service
 * moneybookers&trade;
 * NETeller&reg;
 * Paymate
 * Paynova
 * paysafecard&reg;
 * Splash Plastic
 * TravelersExpress MoneyGram
 * Virtual Check ("E-Check")
 * Western Union QuickPay&trade;
 * Western Union SwiftPay&trade;
 * Wire or Bank Transfer
 * WebMoney Transfer

For a complete and updated list of the payment options PayByCash offers please see the PayByCash payment options page.

PaidByCash (at your local store)
Not to be confused with PayByCash (see above), PaidByCash allows you to easily pay cash for an online purchase at one of more than 60,000 locations in the United States.

Search here to find the location nearest you.


 * Get a Payment Code from the PaidByCash website, then go pay cash at one of the locations.
 * Receive a Virtual MasterCard loaded with the amount you've paid cash and use that MasterCard for your online purchase.
 * Enter the MasterCard number in the credit card number field and select the option you wish to buy.

Keep in mind that your MasterCard may retain a balance after your transaction (depending on the cash value you put into the card), so don't lose it!

For more information on how PaidByCash works, click here.

I live outside the US, how should I pay?
Your non-US credit card should work fine if it is a VISA, MasterCard or American Express. Alternatively, use one of the other payment options listed above.

You will be responsible for converting your currency into US Dollars. With a credit card, PayPal, PayByCash or Text Message transaction this will happen automatically. To get a US Dollar check or money order you will probably have to visit the bank, or perhaps your post office.

What are the bar prices?
If paying with credit card, PayPal or other direct methods, bar prices are as follows. If you pay with SMS, PayByCash and other indirect methods the prices will vary according to your country and the payment mechanism used.

Bars are priced as follows:
 * 45 Bars $4.95 (~ 11&#162; / bar)
 * 100 Bars $9.95 (~ 9.95&#162; / bar)
 * 210 Bars $19.95 (~ 9.5&#162; / bar)
 * 540 Bars $49.95 (~ 9.25&#162; / bar)
 * 1100 Bars $99.95 (~ 9&#162; / bar)

The billing system is telling me that I can't buy any more bars! What do I do?
''Please note: as of March 31st, 2013, bars are no longer available for purchase or use within Whirled, and all currency has been transfered to coins. Please see this discussion for more information.''

Alas, due to issues with fraud and credit card abuse, we have a $75/month limit imposed on the total amount a player can spend without sending a signed authorization to Three Rings. We still love you though! To increase your limit you will need to:


 * Email billing@whirled.com and request a credit increase authorization form.
 * Complete and sign the authorization form acknowledging that you are responsible for these transactions. This page will be retained for our records.

You may send us this information via Fax to US (1) 415 615-6895.

Please email billing@whirled.com with any related questions. Thanks and sorry to put you to the trouble.

My credit card keeps being declined, but I know I have funds.
You are probably entering the incorrect security code. Follow the instructions on the page carefully. If it continues to fail then you should probably consider PayPal or Check payment as described above.

My credit card was declined, but it still got charged?!
Actually, your Credit Card has not been charged if it was declined. However, some banks (your bank; it has nothing to do with our bank or credit card processing procedures) place a hold on funds when an authorization is requested even though they have declined the charge. This apparently happens more often with ATM / Debit Cards. The funds are then released again after a few days, when the bank realizes that actually no charge was placed (which is unsurprising, as they denied it).

We are completely perplexed by this behavior, but according to our bank it is commonplace and there is absolutely nothing we can do to prevent it. Our apologies. If this happens to you we suggest you use another payment mechanism such as PayPal or a check (see above).

I paid using PayPal (or sent a check) and my Account is not yet activated.
We have to process PayPal payments sent to paypal@threerings.net and mail payments by hand, so they may take a while to get to. Please be patient. If you have sent a check and desperately want Bars, you can ask an Agent to check on it.

I sent a text message but did not receive a code back.
If after a couple of hours you did not receive the text message with the code to enter, you will not have been charged by your phone provider for that order. We recommend that you verify that you have not been charged with your phone company, and ask them if they are aware of any reason why you did not receive the reply SMS message. An exception to this rule is Finnish Sonera which will charge upon sending.

Also make sure you have room for new Text Messages and sufficient funds to pay for the order.

If you have checked all of those things, you could also try contacting Boku's customer service on the Boku website.

Where should I send billing inquiries?
If you find that none of the above entries answer your question, please email billing inquiries to billing@whirled.com. Please include as much information about your inquiry as possible so we can better assist you. Thanks!