Abstract: A package assembly and method for permitting the activation and deactivation of prepaid debit cards, such as prepaid telephone calling cards, at a point of sale. The package assembly has a prepaid debit card with a particular identification number and is contained within a cavity formed between a backing material and a sheath. A machine readable marking is disposed on the package assembly and is detectable by machine reading apparatus currently used in the industry. The machine readable marking is encoded with information identifying the package assembly as a prepaid debit card and with the identification number of the prepaid debit card. When the machine readable marking is scanned by a machine reading apparatus at the point of sale, the identification number of the prepaid debit card, along with an activation or deactivation request, is communicated to a host computer.