Inserting value into customer account at point of sale using a customer account identifier

A system is provided for adding stored value to a stored value card account associated with a stored value card comprising indicia of an identifier, the stored value being selectively redeemable to add account value to a customer's pre-existing account with any of a plurality of providers of goods or services. Each of the plurality of providers has a carrier processing system (60) on which the pre-existing account is maintained. The system comprises a merchant terminal (40) having a transceiver device for communicating over a merchant network (39), a card indicia receiving device for receiving or reading the indicia of a stored value card, and an input device for receiving information sufficient to identify the customer's pre-existing account with any of the plurality of providers of goods or services. The system also includes a central processing system (10) comprising a user interface portion (16) that has an interface with each of the merchant terminal (40) via the merchant network (39), and a carrier network (59) with which the carrier processing system (60) is in selective communication; a memory portion (14) configured for receiving and storing data and information associated with the stored value account; and a processor portion (12) in communication with the user interface portion (16) and the memory portion (14). The processor portion (12) is configured to receive and process information from the user interface portion (16), control data storage to and retrieval from the memory portion (14), assemble data transmissions for communication to the merchant terminal (40) and the carrier processing system (60), and control the transfer of said data transmissions to the merchant terminal (40) and the carrier processing system (60) by the user interface portion.