A pre-paid debit or credit card account, and an associated pre-paid debit or credit card, is provided to a consumer for use with one or more check conversion stations. The check conversion stations include a card reader for obtaining user account data associated with the consumer's pre-paid debit or credit card account from the pre-paid debit or credit card and a paper check scanner for obtaining check data from a paper check provided by the consumer. At least part of the user account data and the check data is then subjected to analysis, verification, and/or approval of a transfer of at least part of the funds indicated by the check data to the balance of the pre-paid debit or credit card.