Apr 3, 2013, 11:44 am
Last edit by: markr33
Read the wiki before posting a question.
Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.
Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.
The original FlyerTalk discussion thread is here: Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Bluebird Load Limits:
*For online debit load, only use of bank-issued cards is allowed. The use of pre-paid debit cards (Netspend, Paypower, Univision, Paypal, etc.) and VGC/MGC/AGCs is not allowed. Your account will be flagged upon first/second attempt. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).
The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.
For online bill pay
Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.
Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift cards when loading, even though the register and the MCE do not enforce. Do not make your prepaid debit cards visible. Show them a bank debit card if asked. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.
Loads at register over $500 will sometimes trigger ID requirement. There is a limit of four swipes per transaction; this means your card plus three payments.
If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.
Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.
Training a WM cashier:
Error Messages:
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Received when I used a card I thought I had activated but hadn't.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
TENDER NOT ALLOWED
Card was incorrectly read, or wrong PIN entered .
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again. Try again later.
UPdate Notice on Sept 15, 2014.
Some minor changes on the ATM limits and fees:
• Out-of-Network ATM Fees:
Beginning October 30, 2014, the fee for withdrawing funds using out-of-network ATMs will increase from $2.00 to $2.50. ATM operator fees may also apply.
• Free In-Network MoneyPass® ATMs:
Effective immediately, all Bluebird Customers can withdraw funds for free when using in-network MoneyPass ATMs. You can find one of the more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs below.
• ATM Withdrawal Limits Increase:
We have increased your daily ATM limit, so you can withdraw up to $750 per day. Your monthly ATM withdrawal limit will remain at $2,000.
-----
•If you use Wal-Mart Savings Catcher, you can earn double rewards by redeeming to your BlueBird account <== Doubling of savings catcher amounts ended sometime in the summer of 2015.
Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.
Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.
The original FlyerTalk discussion thread is here: Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Bluebird Load Limits:
- BB loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
- Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
- Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
- Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
- ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month
*For online debit load, only use of bank-issued cards is allowed. The use of pre-paid debit cards (Netspend, Paypower, Univision, Paypal, etc.) and VGC/MGC/AGCs is not allowed. Your account will be flagged upon first/second attempt. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).
The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.
For online bill pay
- You can pay the credit card that you used to buy reloads
- Error 1302 means that you have 1 pending payment the same amount as the one you just submitted. For example, 1000 bill pay to sapphire preferred from Friday and then on Saturday you submit another bill pay for 1000 to sapphire preferred, you will get this error.
- Tip: if using online bill pay to the same place multiple times, vary your amounts by $0.01 to make it easier to track since your confirmation number does not match the tracking number on your credit card statement
Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.
Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift cards when loading, even though the register and the MCE do not enforce. Do not make your prepaid debit cards visible. Show them a bank debit card if asked. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.
Loads at register over $500 will sometimes trigger ID requirement. There is a limit of four swipes per transaction; this means your card plus three payments.
If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.
Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.
Training a WM cashier:
- If the WM cashier doesn't know how to load the card, advise them to enter "70" then press "action code".
- If you are using a temp card that doesn't have your name on it, you can swipe the card from your side of the terminal. The WM rep never has to touch any of your cards. The screen will say "enter account." That is your prompt to slide the card.
- The terminal will ask the WM employee if you are loading in multiples of $2000. Advise them to enter "no."
- Avoid saying gift card. Always refer to your card as a debit card.
Error Messages:
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Received when I used a card I thought I had activated but hadn't.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
TENDER NOT ALLOWED
Card was incorrectly read, or wrong PIN entered .
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again. Try again later.
UPdate Notice on Sept 15, 2014.
Some minor changes on the ATM limits and fees:
• Out-of-Network ATM Fees:
Beginning October 30, 2014, the fee for withdrawing funds using out-of-network ATMs will increase from $2.00 to $2.50. ATM operator fees may also apply.
• Free In-Network MoneyPass® ATMs:
Effective immediately, all Bluebird Customers can withdraw funds for free when using in-network MoneyPass ATMs. You can find one of the more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs below.
• ATM Withdrawal Limits Increase:
We have increased your daily ATM limit, so you can withdraw up to $750 per day. Your monthly ATM withdrawal limit will remain at $2,000.
-----
•If you use Wal-Mart Savings Catcher, you can earn double rewards by redeeming to your BlueBird account <== Doubling of savings catcher amounts ended sometime in the summer of 2015.
Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2013-2014)
May 12, 2013, 6:59 am
#631
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
I wonder why employees even care enough to make a huge deal about using these gift debit cards to load BB. I'm pretty sure they don't have any printed rule about restrictions of loading BB with debit gift card. I sure as hell would've taken legal action if they kept you from leaving and was holding on to your personal belongings (this case, your Amex BB/receipts.) You weren't doing anything illegal and you have the right to use these debit gift cards anyway you like.
May 13, 2013, 7:42 am
#632
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 17
Question for the community:
I see lots of people using BB to pay to credit cards. I suppose that you're paying off cards that have been used to purchase gift cards/VR/etc.
Any worries about the "circular" path here? Probably being too careful, but I've been purchasing mostly on one card and have been very hesitant to pay off that main card with BB. Anyone who investigated with any amount of sense would be able to see the pattern ....
I see lots of people using BB to pay to credit cards. I suppose that you're paying off cards that have been used to purchase gift cards/VR/etc.
Any worries about the "circular" path here? Probably being too careful, but I've been purchasing mostly on one card and have been very hesitant to pay off that main card with BB. Anyone who investigated with any amount of sense would be able to see the pattern ....
May 13, 2013, 8:59 am
#633
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: Bunch of mid-tiers
Posts: 1,034
Question for the community:
I see lots of people using BB to pay to credit cards. I suppose that you're paying off cards that have been used to purchase gift cards/VR/etc.
Any worries about the "circular" path here? Probably being too careful, but I've been purchasing mostly on one card and have been very hesitant to pay off that main card with BB. Anyone who investigated with any amount of sense would be able to see the pattern ....
I see lots of people using BB to pay to credit cards. I suppose that you're paying off cards that have been used to purchase gift cards/VR/etc.
Any worries about the "circular" path here? Probably being too careful, but I've been purchasing mostly on one card and have been very hesitant to pay off that main card with BB. Anyone who investigated with any amount of sense would be able to see the pattern ....
This is very much a do-what-you're-comfortable-with situation. As you noted many people do load/payoff. Others do not. Some will not do this on certain CC's (notably AMEX), others do it on everything.
I would guess someone who had access to all of your financial records certainly would see this if they cared to look. But, I'm not sure BB would. I don't know how BB would know what CC you bought a CE with. I'm also not sure how your CC company would see the cycle without having access to you BB records. I don't know how much data sharing various financial institutions do that would allow them to definitively connect the dots.
Just a few thoughts.
May 13, 2013, 9:26 am
#634
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 17
Welcome to FT.
This is very much a do-what-you're-comfortable-with situation. As you noted many people do load/payoff. Others do not. Some will not do this on certain CC's (notably AMEX), others do it on everything.
I would guess someone who had access to all of your financial records certainly would see this if they cared to look. But, I'm not sure BB would. I don't know how BB would know what CC you bought a CE with. I'm also not sure how your CC company would see the cycle without having access to you BB records. I don't know how much data sharing various financial institutions do that would allow them to definitively connect the dots.
Just a few thoughts.
This is very much a do-what-you're-comfortable-with situation. As you noted many people do load/payoff. Others do not. Some will not do this on certain CC's (notably AMEX), others do it on everything.
I would guess someone who had access to all of your financial records certainly would see this if they cared to look. But, I'm not sure BB would. I don't know how BB would know what CC you bought a CE with. I'm also not sure how your CC company would see the cycle without having access to you BB records. I don't know how much data sharing various financial institutions do that would allow them to definitively connect the dots.
Just a few thoughts.
I agree - don't know how they could necessarily see the entire "loop" ... but it doesn't take much imagination to put it all together. The real question is what things can we do to keep them from having an incentive to "look." :-) But if I knew that it wouldn't be a problem in the first place!
I think my major concern was the credit card seeing a check from Bluebird. Maybe these are processed automatically without much human intervention, but should someone decide to review checks coming from BB for instance, it wouldn't take much digging to figure out the transactions on the CC statement.
You can argue it's no worse than just w/d cash via ATM and using that to pay the bill. I do that to some degree ... I guess having that one additional layer of obfuscation makes me feel a little more protected ....
Appreciate your thoughts. Good to know some people are doing it and no issues thus far.
May 13, 2013, 10:09 am
#635
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
Thanks for the welcome CTbaron. Appreciate your thoughts. Agree with you on AmEx - I don't do that with them at all. Chase is my main concern.
I agree - don't know how they could necessarily see the entire "loop" ... but it doesn't take much imagination to put it all together. The real question is what things can we do to keep them from having an incentive to "look." :-) But if I knew that it wouldn't be a problem in the first place!
I think my major concern was the credit card seeing a check from Bluebird. Maybe these are processed automatically without much human intervention, but should someone decide to review checks coming from BB for instance, it wouldn't take much digging to figure out the transactions on the CC statement.
You can argue it's no worse than just w/d cash via ATM and using that to pay the bill. I do that to some degree ... I guess having that one additional layer of obfuscation makes me feel a little more protected ....
Appreciate your thoughts. Good to know some people are doing it and no issues thus far.
I agree - don't know how they could necessarily see the entire "loop" ... but it doesn't take much imagination to put it all together. The real question is what things can we do to keep them from having an incentive to "look." :-) But if I knew that it wouldn't be a problem in the first place!
I think my major concern was the credit card seeing a check from Bluebird. Maybe these are processed automatically without much human intervention, but should someone decide to review checks coming from BB for instance, it wouldn't take much digging to figure out the transactions on the CC statement.
You can argue it's no worse than just w/d cash via ATM and using that to pay the bill. I do that to some degree ... I guess having that one additional layer of obfuscation makes me feel a little more protected ....
Appreciate your thoughts. Good to know some people are doing it and no issues thus far.
I generally use 3 different CC a month and if I buy any VR/GC on, say card X, I would then use BB to pay my balance on card Y, which wasn't used to purchase any VR/GC that billing statement. I would personally stay away from using card X to purchase 1k VR and then later on use BB to pay card X. Your card issuer then sees a payment of 1k from bill pay and the rest paid another way. Of course they may not notice at all and not even care about these different payment source.
May 13, 2013, 10:36 am
#636
Join Date: May 2000
Location: I see palm trees....
Posts: 414
In-laws agreed to let me manage a BB account for them. Just tried to sign them up and received the following message:
Thank you for signing up for Bluebird! We are reviewing your request and will send you an e-mail to provide an update on your Bluebird Account status.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling Customer Service at 1-877-486-5990.
All the info was correct (SSN, DOB, etc...). I did use my address so I would receive the card. Does BB care what address is used? Is it cross-checked with the other info.?
Thank you for signing up for Bluebird! We are reviewing your request and will send you an e-mail to provide an update on your Bluebird Account status.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling Customer Service at 1-877-486-5990.
All the info was correct (SSN, DOB, etc...). I did use my address so I would receive the card. Does BB care what address is used? Is it cross-checked with the other info.?
May 13, 2013, 11:14 am
#637
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: Bunch of mid-tiers
Posts: 1,034
FWIW, most of the issues people have seen are transaction-specific, such as individual purchase rejections, bank transfers, etc. No reports of over-arching problems yet.
In-laws agreed to let me manage a BB account for them. Just tried to sign them up and received the following message:
Thank you for signing up for Bluebird! We are reviewing your request and will send you an e-mail to provide an update on your Bluebird Account status.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling Customer Service at 1-877-486-5990.
All the info was correct (SSN, DOB, etc...). I did use my address so I would receive the card. Does BB care what address is used? Is it cross-checked with the other info.?
Thank you for signing up for Bluebird! We are reviewing your request and will send you an e-mail to provide an update on your Bluebird Account status.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling Customer Service at 1-877-486-5990.
All the info was correct (SSN, DOB, etc...). I did use my address so I would receive the card. Does BB care what address is used? Is it cross-checked with the other info.?
May 13, 2013, 11:44 am
#638
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 182
In-laws agreed to let me manage a BB account for them. Just tried to sign them up and received the following message:
Thank you for signing up for Bluebird! We are reviewing your request and will send you an e-mail to provide an update on your Bluebird Account status.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling Customer Service at 1-877-486-5990.
All the info was correct (SSN, DOB, etc...). I did use my address so I would receive the card. Does BB care what address is used? Is it cross-checked with the other info.?
Thank you for signing up for Bluebird! We are reviewing your request and will send you an e-mail to provide an update on your Bluebird Account status.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling Customer Service at 1-877-486-5990.
All the info was correct (SSN, DOB, etc...). I did use my address so I would receive the card. Does BB care what address is used? Is it cross-checked with the other info.?
May 13, 2013, 11:45 am
#639
Join Date: May 2000
Location: I see palm trees....
Posts: 414
I believe BB uses the data as an ID check, where they are seeing if key info matches some database (probably like a soft credit pull). It may well be that the address not matching is causing the issue. You'll probably want to wait a few days to see what happens. If need be after this, I would have your in-laws call and simply state that you manage some money on an informal basis on your in-laws behalf. Go very light on the details here...
May 14, 2013, 7:03 am
#640
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 110
Can I load my BB with a green dot moneypak?
May 14, 2013, 7:25 am
#641
Join Date: May 2000
Location: I see palm trees....
Posts: 414
There is something really satisfying about running up a $6K bill on my Citi Dividend card which had 5% cash back this quarter and paying it off in full with a few clicks on BB. In fact, I paid $2K from the wife's BB and $4K from mine. Both payments posted the next day. It doesn't get much easier....
May 14, 2013, 7:27 am
#642
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 204
When you pay your CC through BB bill pay and they have your card issuer in their system, the payment is done electronically and no check is sent to your CC company.
I generally use 3 different CC a month and if I buy any VR/GC on, say card X, I would then use BB to pay my balance on card Y, which wasn't used to purchase any VR/GC that billing statement. I would personally stay away from using card X to purchase 1k VR and then later on use BB to pay card X. Your card issuer then sees a payment of 1k from bill pay and the rest paid another way. Of course they may not notice at all and not even care about these different payment source.
I generally use 3 different CC a month and if I buy any VR/GC on, say card X, I would then use BB to pay my balance on card Y, which wasn't used to purchase any VR/GC that billing statement. I would personally stay away from using card X to purchase 1k VR and then later on use BB to pay card X. Your card issuer then sees a payment of 1k from bill pay and the rest paid another way. Of course they may not notice at all and not even care about these different payment source.
May 14, 2013, 8:45 am
#644
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
May 14, 2013, 1:09 pm
#645
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL Platinum, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 110