Nov 10, 2013, 11:26 am
Last edit by: mcdullhk88
Dead as of 10/13/14
FAQ's
Is Amazon Payments treated as a cash advance? No CC issuer has been reported as treating an AP transaction as a cash advance unless the sender selected "Payment is for Cash Advance" on the Send Money screen.
What does it mean when your payment is "pending"? Your payment will be reviewed. We are unsure whether this review is done by a human or computer. It should take less than 24 hours but is usually within minutes.
How should you describe your payment? "Goods or services" will allow you to charge with a CC and it will not be treated as a cash advance. Note: If you choose cash advance, it may be treated as such by your CC issuer; always choose Goods/Services. There is no reason to put anything in the optional description field - leave it blank.
What is the monthly limit for sending CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What is the monthly limit for receiving CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What if it is not allowing me to send/receive more than $500 or any at all? You probably have not verified your bank and/or added a CC. In order to get the full $1,000 allowance for sending and receiving you must have a bank verified AND a CC added to your account as a payment method.
Does AP qualify for special spending categories? Specifically it qualifies for Discover's (usually 4th quarter) category of online purchases but so far, not Chase's "5% CB on Amazon.com purchases." Refer to thread for other options.
Can you get shutdown? Yes.
How do you get shutdown? No one knows. Anecdotes are found throughout the thread. Some suspicious behavior that MIGHT get your AP account(s) shut down is listed below.
Which transaction is most advisable? A -> B -> C -> A (see here)
Are any fees charged during this process? No, not by Amazon Payments. If your transaction is treated as a cash advance by your card issuer--fees are possible. Beware and always double check that goods/services is selected!
Can you liquidate Amazon GC via AP? NO!
Can you liquidate other gift cards via AP? Yes. Note that you cannot liquidate the full value of a GC because amazon places a $1 hold while it verifies the validity of the GC. You can sometimes (not always) avoid the hold by entering an incorrect expiration date for the GC when adding it to your AP account, and after you have added it, go to "Edit my account settings," then to "Add edit or delete my credit cards" and edit the expiration date there.
When does the month end? It appears as if Amazon is on pacific time, so midnight PDT/PST is when the month resets.
It bears repeating that no one knows the methodology amazon uses to police AP transactions, determines which transactions violate its T&Cs, or identifies violators. However, various people in this thread and elsewhere have confirmed that their AP account(s) were shut down for the following reasons:
Additionally, we have updated the terms and conditions of our User Agreement (https://payments.amazon.com/help/Personal-Accounts/User-Agreement-Policies/User-Agreement) that apply to your use of the products and services provided by Amazon Payments. Our updated User Agreement revises certain terms (including, among other things, the elimination of person-to-person payments). Our new User Agreement will become effective on October 13, 2014, which is more than 30 days from when we first posted our updated User Agreement. By continuing to use our services after October 13, 2014, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of our new User Agreement.
Is Amazon Payments treated as a cash advance? No CC issuer has been reported as treating an AP transaction as a cash advance unless the sender selected "Payment is for Cash Advance" on the Send Money screen.
What does it mean when your payment is "pending"? Your payment will be reviewed. We are unsure whether this review is done by a human or computer. It should take less than 24 hours but is usually within minutes.
How should you describe your payment? "Goods or services" will allow you to charge with a CC and it will not be treated as a cash advance. Note: If you choose cash advance, it may be treated as such by your CC issuer; always choose Goods/Services. There is no reason to put anything in the optional description field - leave it blank.
What is the monthly limit for sending CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What is the monthly limit for receiving CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What if it is not allowing me to send/receive more than $500 or any at all? You probably have not verified your bank and/or added a CC. In order to get the full $1,000 allowance for sending and receiving you must have a bank verified AND a CC added to your account as a payment method.
Does AP qualify for special spending categories? Specifically it qualifies for Discover's (usually 4th quarter) category of online purchases but so far, not Chase's "5% CB on Amazon.com purchases." Refer to thread for other options.
Can you get shutdown? Yes.
How do you get shutdown? No one knows. Anecdotes are found throughout the thread. Some suspicious behavior that MIGHT get your AP account(s) shut down is listed below.
Which transaction is most advisable? A -> B -> C -> A (see here)
Are any fees charged during this process? No, not by Amazon Payments. If your transaction is treated as a cash advance by your card issuer--fees are possible. Beware and always double check that goods/services is selected!
Can you liquidate Amazon GC via AP? NO!
Can you liquidate other gift cards via AP? Yes. Note that you cannot liquidate the full value of a GC because amazon places a $1 hold while it verifies the validity of the GC. You can sometimes (not always) avoid the hold by entering an incorrect expiration date for the GC when adding it to your AP account, and after you have added it, go to "Edit my account settings," then to "Add edit or delete my credit cards" and edit the expiration date there.
When does the month end? It appears as if Amazon is on pacific time, so midnight PDT/PST is when the month resets.
It bears repeating that no one knows the methodology amazon uses to police AP transactions, determines which transactions violate its T&Cs, or identifies violators. However, various people in this thread and elsewhere have confirmed that their AP account(s) were shut down for the following reasons:
- Associating one credit card number with more than one AP account (Be Careful if authorized user card has the same number as the primary card holder - in some instances the CC numbers are completely different)
- Associating one bank account with more than one AP account
Amazon Payments
Sep 30, 2014, 10:35 am
#4861
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 880
Have been doing a simple A>B since the early days, but considering B>A for $1K today, followed by A>B>A again tomorrow. Essentially risking a guaranteed $2K in October (figuring a shutdown would come only after the B>A transaction), for an extra $1K in September.
Anybody else in this boat? I'll probably go for it. I can always make up the difference with GC's, I suppose (just a bigger PITA).
Anybody else in this boat? I'll probably go for it. I can always make up the difference with GC's, I suppose (just a bigger PITA).
Sep 30, 2014, 11:03 am
#4862
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 119
Have been doing a simple A>B since the early days, but considering B>A for $1K today, followed by A>B>A again tomorrow. Essentially risking a guaranteed $2K in October (figuring a shutdown would come only after the B>A transaction), for an extra $1K in September.
Anybody else in this boat? I'll probably go for it. I can always make up the difference with GC's, I suppose (just a bigger PITA).
Anybody else in this boat? I'll probably go for it. I can always make up the difference with GC's, I suppose (just a bigger PITA).
Sep 30, 2014, 11:10 am
#4863
Join Date: Oct 2004
Programs: DL Gold
Posts: 880
A) A>B in Sept/Oct for $2K. Total = $2K.
B) A>B>A in Sept for $2K. Risk shut down and $0 in Oct. Total = $2K. If not shut down, repeat in October; Total = $4K.
C) A>B Sept. A>B Oct. Then B>A in Oct. If shut down at this point, Total = $3K.
Sep 30, 2014, 11:30 am
#4864
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 135
Sep 30, 2014, 11:44 am
#4865
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,503
Yeah, that's essentially where I'm at. Although A>B>A is pretty much guaranteed in October, so the choice is really between B and C below, not A and B.
A) A>B in Sept/Oct for $2K. Total = $2K.
B) A>B>A in Sept for $2K. Risk shut down and $0 in Oct. Total = $2K. If not shut down, repeat in October; Total = $4K.
C) A>B Sept. A>B Oct. Then B>A in Oct. If shut down at this point, Total = $3K.
A) A>B in Sept/Oct for $2K. Total = $2K.
B) A>B>A in Sept for $2K. Risk shut down and $0 in Oct. Total = $2K. If not shut down, repeat in October; Total = $4K.
C) A>B Sept. A>B Oct. Then B>A in Oct. If shut down at this point, Total = $3K.
Sep 30, 2014, 12:42 pm
#4867
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 129
Sep 30, 2014, 1:04 pm
#4868
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 467
Sep 30, 2014, 1:23 pm
#4869
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,398
Tomorrow will be a sad day for me, last time I'll be able to use AP. Unlike the mint, I didn't abuse it and only sent $1k a month. While it was no nothing like the mint, was still an easy $12K a year in MS spending just 2 minutes a month without leaving my office and without pissing off any bank tellers (in the days of the mint the tellers would cringe when they would see me walking through the door carrying a couple boxes or when I would wheel in a dolly behind me with 4 to six boxes
I'm curious as to what people are using for the final AP. I'm going out using Discover for the 5% cash back. Will be an easy $50. Wish it was lasting through November so I can get the other $500 on it.
I'm curious as to what people are using for the final AP. I'm going out using Discover for the 5% cash back. Will be an easy $50. Wish it was lasting through November so I can get the other $500 on it.
Sep 30, 2014, 2:12 pm
#4870
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: DC
Posts: 360
I'm using Discover but indirectly: gonna buy two VGCs at Walgreens using Discover's special 5% at select stores in October/November: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...k-oct-nov.html.
Discover regular quarter 5% $1500 will be spent on Kiva.org entirely, like they are every year.
Discover regular quarter 5% $1500 will be spent on Kiva.org entirely, like they are every year.
Last edited by mikex163; Sep 30, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Sep 30, 2014, 2:24 pm
#4871
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Virginia
Programs: AA Gld 1MM; Marriott Silver; Hilton Gold
Posts: 47
If that Discover 5% is the new quarterly bonus, might not work with AP. Discover's Program Details states, in part: "... purchases made using virtual wallets or third party payment providers will not receive 5% Cashback Bonus." I don't know if those two categories include AP - anybody know?
Sep 30, 2014, 2:28 pm
#4872
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, Marriott Platinum, SW A List
Posts: 1,575
I'm using Discover but indirectly: gonna buy two VGCs at Walgreens using Discover's special 5% at select stores in October/November: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...k-oct-nov.html.
Discover regular quarter 5% $1500 will be spent on Kiva.org entirely, like they are every year.
Discover regular quarter 5% $1500 will be spent on Kiva.org entirely, like they are every year.
Sep 30, 2014, 2:39 pm
#4873
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: DC
Posts: 360
Because I get to help a lot of people (60 loans) and still get paid doing so ($75 minus the couple of bucks that might be lost because of defaults or currency exchange losses).
EDIT: and the 3 or 4 cents in lost interest over the loan period naturally
EDIT: and the 3 or 4 cents in lost interest over the loan period naturally
Last edited by mikex163; Sep 30, 2014 at 2:45 pm
Sep 30, 2014, 3:43 pm
#4874
Suspended
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ILG/PHL
Programs: Amex Plat, AA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Gold, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,075
If that Discover 5% is the new quarterly bonus, might not work with AP. Discover's Program Details states, in part: "... purchases made using virtual wallets or third party payment providers will not receive 5% Cashback Bonus." I don't know if those two categories include AP - anybody know?