I suspect Gene is talking about the three shops I will be doing soon, where you go to a bank or Western Union or some other place, present a check they won't cash, then ask about a pre-paid debit card as an alternative. The idea is to find out what information the clerk gives regarding fees, reloading it, etc. You don't actually get the card, just brochures and information about it. You're portraying someone who doesn't want to use a bank, but needs a card to make purchases.
the MSC mails you a check to take in with you; it is your fee for the shop, you deposit it in your own bank after using it as a "prop" in the shop.
I haven't done mine yet, I have three assigned, I'm waiting for the checks to arrive. Hopefully they're in my mail box already. I want to do one today because I really don't want to do all three in the same day.
I named Western Union because they are not the client; either the client is the provider of the debit cards, or the client is a company doing research on them. I won't know until I get there if both the WU and the bank I'm assigned to sell the same cards or not. The shops are being done in a variety of different places.
So now that I've said all that, gene, is this the shop you were talking about, and if so, did you have a question about it.
Time to build a bigger bridge.