Aug 2, 2013, 6:51 pm
Last edit by: CWAL
A new thread was created for the new year in 2017. This is the old thread. For the 2017 on this topic, go here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1819562-cvs-master-thread-2017-a.html
CVS is cash only for all Incomm-related reloads and reloadable cards, including Vanilla Reloads and Serve swipe reloads. See memo to stores for complete list. Other cards at CVS can still be bought using credit, but YMMV depending on location, Manager, etc.
New limits rolling out starting 10/20:
Transactions with $300 or more of card face value require ID.
Limit $2000 of card face value per 24 hour rolling period.
Limit of 10 cards per 24 hours.
Cashback posted in 48 hours.
Cash Register Freezing
Multiple reports that the CVS cash register will freeze and lock after scanning the ID when purchasing multiple prepaid cards. Then the register's computer needs to be restarted. Some report that "swiping" the ID instead of "scanning" will avoid the issue.
Limit of 7 tenders (swipes) per transaction. This is most commonly run into when using low-value AGCs. After seven, the transaction must be complete, no cash (or any other payment method) will be accepted to pay the balance.
CVS is cash only for all Incomm-related reloads and reloadable cards, including Vanilla Reloads and Serve swipe reloads. See memo to stores for complete list. Other cards at CVS can still be bought using credit, but YMMV depending on location, Manager, etc.
New limits rolling out starting 10/20:
Transactions with $300 or more of card face value require ID.
Limit $2000 of card face value per 24 hour rolling period.
Limit of 10 cards per 24 hours.
Cashback posted in 48 hours.
Cash Register Freezing
Multiple reports that the CVS cash register will freeze and lock after scanning the ID when purchasing multiple prepaid cards. Then the register's computer needs to be restarted. Some report that "swiping" the ID instead of "scanning" will avoid the issue.
Limit of 7 tenders (swipes) per transaction. This is most commonly run into when using low-value AGCs. After seven, the transaction must be complete, no cash (or any other payment method) will be accepted to pay the balance.
CVS master thread(2013-2016)
Jun 30, 2015, 3:29 pm
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 292
So I went to my regular CVS yesterday to pick up some OV's, and the cashier that helped me was the manager. I thought everything would go smoothly, but the "Alternate Payment Required" message kept popping up. . The cashier said the credit card company was not letting it go through. Checked my phone for a fraud alert text, and nothing showed up. Went home later and called Chase, and everything was fine...
It was weird, because when I asked for the little receipt that says "Transaction cancelled," the cashier manager got visibly annoyed and outright said "No! It's for company records."
At that point, I decided it's probably best to just leave. I saw the receipt slip and it said everything was cancelled, so pretty sure it's okay. I thanked her for trying as politely as possible. Informed her she's probably right and that I'll call my bank later -- and then I left lol.
I read somewhere that the "Alternate Payment Required" pops up if the cashier made a mistake or entered the CVV instead of the last 4 digits. We tried 3 times, so do you think she was intentionally mis-typing it? Maybe there was something on my part I mis-stepped on?
It was weird, because when I asked for the little receipt that says "Transaction cancelled," the cashier manager got visibly annoyed and outright said "No! It's for company records."
At that point, I decided it's probably best to just leave. I saw the receipt slip and it said everything was cancelled, so pretty sure it's okay. I thanked her for trying as politely as possible. Informed her she's probably right and that I'll call my bank later -- and then I left lol.
I read somewhere that the "Alternate Payment Required" pops up if the cashier made a mistake or entered the CVV instead of the last 4 digits. We tried 3 times, so do you think she was intentionally mis-typing it? Maybe there was something on my part I mis-stepped on?
Jul 2, 2015, 6:30 am
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
.....
Last edited by Chelski; Jan 9, 2016 at 7:01 am
Jul 2, 2015, 9:06 am
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 595
I used my passport card and DL within 20 minutes of each other at 2 different locations without a problem.
Jul 2, 2015, 9:39 am
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 60
That's a pretty good idea. I might have to get a state id and try it out with my drivers license. If you try it out first, report back
Jul 2, 2015, 9:55 am
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 286
So I went to my regular CVS yesterday to pick up some OV's, and the cashier that helped me was the manager. I thought everything would go smoothly, but the "Alternate Payment Required" message kept popping up. . The cashier said the credit card company was not letting it go through. Checked my phone for a fraud alert text, and nothing showed up. Went home later and called Chase, and everything was fine...
It was weird, because when I asked for the little receipt that says "Transaction cancelled," the cashier manager got visibly annoyed and outright said "No! It's for company records."
At that point, I decided it's probably best to just leave. I saw the receipt slip and it said everything was cancelled, so pretty sure it's okay. I thanked her for trying as politely as possible. Informed her she's probably right and that I'll call my bank later -- and then I left lol.
I read somewhere that the "Alternate Payment Required" pops up if the cashier made a mistake or entered the CVV instead of the last 4 digits. We tried 3 times, so do you think she was intentionally mis-typing it? Maybe there was something on my part I mis-stepped on?
It was weird, because when I asked for the little receipt that says "Transaction cancelled," the cashier manager got visibly annoyed and outright said "No! It's for company records."
At that point, I decided it's probably best to just leave. I saw the receipt slip and it said everything was cancelled, so pretty sure it's okay. I thanked her for trying as politely as possible. Informed her she's probably right and that I'll call my bank later -- and then I left lol.
I read somewhere that the "Alternate Payment Required" pops up if the cashier made a mistake or entered the CVV instead of the last 4 digits. We tried 3 times, so do you think she was intentionally mis-typing it? Maybe there was something on my part I mis-stepped on?
After he got done with that customer, we did them one at a time and it worked without issue. FWIW, my ID was scanned as the mag strip doesn't work.
Jul 2, 2015, 2:09 pm
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: w/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez; SG Silver
Posts: 1,188
Training Updated
I have a friend that is a pharmacist at CVS. She said all the store employees, including her are being up-trained on selling gc's. Don't know if this is company wide but at least one store is trying to get some consistency in handling this.
Jul 2, 2015, 2:11 pm
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,293
Jul 2, 2015, 3:16 pm
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Champaign, IL
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Wyndham Diamond, Marriott Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 564
Hopefully which barcode to scan on the back of the ID was included.
Several clerks I encounter just start scanning all of them until one works. I finally asked a manager which one its supposed to be. She said the long one on top.
This is on an IL state ID.
Several clerks I encounter just start scanning all of them until one works. I finally asked a manager which one its supposed to be. She said the long one on top.
This is on an IL state ID.
Jul 2, 2015, 4:00 pm
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: San Joaquin Valley, CA, (formerly Madison, WI)
Posts: 39
Datapoint for using two IDs.
Yesterday 7pm, used my California license to get 2 x $500 VCG using an AGC at CVS A. Worked perfectly.
Today noon, used my old but hole-punched Wisconsin license to get 2 x $500 VGC using AGC which auto drained and I used credit for the remaining odd balance. Worked perfectly. This was at CVS B.
Today noon + a few minutes, tried the same thing with Wisconsin ID and it was immediately denied after they scanned the barcode. This was at CVS B.
Both licenses have the same exact first middle last names, DOB, but different addresses. Walked away after the failed attempt and loaded the VGCs from the prior day and today at Target.
Yesterday 7pm, used my California license to get 2 x $500 VCG using an AGC at CVS A. Worked perfectly.
Today noon, used my old but hole-punched Wisconsin license to get 2 x $500 VGC using AGC which auto drained and I used credit for the remaining odd balance. Worked perfectly. This was at CVS B.
Today noon + a few minutes, tried the same thing with Wisconsin ID and it was immediately denied after they scanned the barcode. This was at CVS B.
Both licenses have the same exact first middle last names, DOB, but different addresses. Walked away after the failed attempt and loaded the VGCs from the prior day and today at Target.
Jul 2, 2015, 8:43 pm
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: South Florida, USA
Posts: 184
Stopped at 2 local CVS stores here (Florida) and they only have Vanilla VGC. I couldn't find a single "regular" VGC that would work cleanly on BB/Serve! Is that a new thing? Have 2k AGC to unload.
Jul 3, 2015, 6:02 am
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 97
Nothing new. Pretty much how it works at CVS. You can always load serve with Vanilla at Family Dollar
Jul 3, 2015, 11:08 am
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 140
I went to my usual local CVS today. One particular cashier always gives me the dirty look and limits me to $1k per visit. So I've learned to just not make a big deal of it and always do $1k when he's on shift. Today, when he scanned my DL for 2 OVs, he also quickly wrote down my DL # on a piece of paper. He didn't say why he was doing it and I didn't want to make a big deal of it.
I can understand him writing it down if the system was down, but everything seemed to go through just fine. Has anyone experienced this before? Is he allowed to do this? And what could he possibly need my DL # for?
I can understand him writing it down if the system was down, but everything seemed to go through just fine. Has anyone experienced this before? Is he allowed to do this? And what could he possibly need my DL # for?
Jul 3, 2015, 11:20 am
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
I went to my usual local CVS today. One particular cashier always gives me the dirty look and limits me to $1k per visit. So I've learned to just not make a big deal of it and always do $1k when he's on shift. Today, when he scanned my DL for 2 OVs, he also quickly wrote down my DL # on a piece of paper. He didn't say why he was doing it and I didn't want to make a big deal of it.
I can understand him writing it down if the system was down, but everything seemed to go through just fine. Has anyone experienced this before? Is he allowed to do this? And what could he possibly need my DL # for?
I can understand him writing it down if the system was down, but everything seemed to go through just fine. Has anyone experienced this before? Is he allowed to do this? And what could he possibly need my DL # for?
I never hand them my DL at locations near me. I just turn it around and they know what to do. If they look stuck after entering the gift card amount I let them know it's time to scan and get back to loading the others.
Jul 3, 2015, 5:39 pm
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 140
Seems like he could just write down the transaction and have the info he needs.
I never hand them my DL at locations near me. I just turn it around and they know what to do. If they look stuck after entering the gift card amount I let them know it's time to scan and get back to loading the others.
I never hand them my DL at locations near me. I just turn it around and they know what to do. If they look stuck after entering the gift card amount I let them know it's time to scan and get back to loading the others.
Are they able to look up my driver's license information through searching by transaction number? I would imagine that kind of personal information wouldn't be so easily available to cashiers. CVS has to protect PII and such.
He wasn't writing our DL # into a book of some kind (like at Walmart for buying MOs), just scratch paper. Any chance he's committing identity theft? What else would he be doing this for?
Jul 4, 2015, 10:14 pm
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Good point. I'm going to start doing that from now on.
Are they able to look up my driver's license information through searching by transaction number? I would imagine that kind of personal information wouldn't be so easily available to cashiers. CVS has to protect PII and such.
He wasn't writing our DL # into a book of some kind (like at Walmart for buying MOs), just scratch paper. Any chance he's committing identity theft? What else would he be doing this for?
Are they able to look up my driver's license information through searching by transaction number? I would imagine that kind of personal information wouldn't be so easily available to cashiers. CVS has to protect PII and such.
He wasn't writing our DL # into a book of some kind (like at Walmart for buying MOs), just scratch paper. Any chance he's committing identity theft? What else would he be doing this for?
I have no idea why he would write the DL down. I could only speculate as to the why.
If you can avoid him or that CVS then that could be the best alternative. If not, then it might be a good idea to find the store or assistant store manager and ask them their policy on buying the VGCs. After that you can let the store manager your concern regarding the cashier writing down your DL info when it's already recorded in the system.
