Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2013-2014)
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Apr 3, 2013, 11:44 am by markr33Read 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:
- 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.
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•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.
#661
Quote:
I'm talking about the non-reloadable ones that you can load up to $500 on for a $4.95 fee:
I've read conflicting reports...some say yes, others no.
I did it at WM without any issues, both from the machine and also at the money center.Originally Posted by Bean
Can the One Vanilla prepaid Visa GCs be used to fund BB?I'm talking about the non-reloadable ones that you can load up to $500 on for a $4.95 fee:
I've read conflicting reports...some say yes, others no.
WJ
#662
TheDapperDon , May 15, 2013 2:20 pm
Quote:
But I bet CVS would sell them, I never bothered because I would rather go with the cheaper VRs or paypal cash card for 3.95 vs 4.95 for moneypaks.
Charlie victor sierra won't...Originally Posted by drdrew450
I tried buying green dot moneypaks with a credit card once at walmart and once at 711, failed on both.But I bet CVS would sell them, I never bothered because I would rather go with the cheaper VRs or paypal cash card for 3.95 vs 4.95 for moneypaks.
Well i made my first boneheaded move. Paying bills with BB and i have a credit card and car loan at the same bank. I sent my car payment in and then the next day went to pay the credit card and inadvertently sent another 1k to my car payment instead of the credit card. Of course the bank can't just move the money from one account to the other.. That would just be too easy. They say "they tried to reverse the payment and send it back to the originating bank" but it was refused by BB.. So worst case i am 3 months ahead on my car payments. (which i also caught them in the fact they reversed it as a payment and changed it to a principal payment when they tried to send it back to BB) So i have to wait a few days to see how its going to play out.
#664
Quote:
No, they won't. VRs - no problem (except one store for me), Green Dot - no way. Same for Rite Aid and Walgreens.Originally Posted by drdrew450
But I bet CVS would sell them, I never bothered because I would rather go with the cheaper VRs or paypal cash card for 3.95 vs 4.95 for moneypaks.
This blogger has had success at rite aid...but like I said I never have tried at CVS:
http://thepointsguy.com/2013/05/the-...prepaid-cards/
http://thepointsguy.com/2013/05/the-...prepaid-cards/
#667
daringtofly , May 16, 2013 6:46 am
Formerly known as god_forbids
Quote:
made multiple cash deposits into my accounts...and i have no problems.
why would you scare about it? as long as it is not 10k deposit in cash...
It is not the bank that i am worried..it is BB that i am concerned to get shut down.
Our names are completely different but we both have BB and BB checks with same address. Should we not write checks to one another?Originally Posted by oozze
Quote:
Replace BB with your regular bank and ask again - would you dare ?
regular bank? why not?Originally Posted by Spoddy
Another way to put it is, "Can I keep writing ordinary (but large) bank checks to my SO who lives at the same address?"Replace BB with your regular bank and ask again - would you dare ?
made multiple cash deposits into my accounts...and i have no problems.
why would you scare about it? as long as it is not 10k deposit in cash...
It is not the bank that i am worried..it is BB that i am concerned to get shut down.
#668
TheDapperDon , May 16, 2013 9:22 am
Quote:
I would do what you are comfortable with. I think that leaves you more likely to get shut down.Originally Posted by god_forbids
Our names are completely different but we both have BB and BB checks with same address. Should we not write checks to one another?
#669
TheDapperDon , May 16, 2013 3:14 pm
I must say, BBs bill pay is outstanding. I haven't had one hiccup or delay. It is delivered on time every time. Long live beans and gcs with pins.
#670
FlightNurse , May 16, 2013 7:01 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Quote:
WJ
Did you set a pin or just you the last 4 digits of the card as the pin?Originally Posted by jwudbwei
I did it at WM without any issues, both from the machine and also at the money center.WJ
#672
Quote:
Paid a bill immediately after loading the Bluebird.
I am in the game!
Me too. I bought my first-ever VR card today. ^ Actually, it's a CVS that's near my workplace - I go there frequently or to buy items, greeting cards and misc items. For the longest time (basically, ever since VR was introduced), those cards are not in stock. I was there to buy a Father's Day greeting card and wanted to grab a gift card to go along with it when lo and behold, I located a stack of vanilla reload cards! I was surprised. Originally Posted by JATR4
Just purchased my first Vanilla Prepaid Reload at CVS. Loaded it to my Bluebird--after customer service informed me that the account number to use was my Bluebird number (my stupidity).Paid a bill immediately after loading the Bluebird.
I am in the game!
I plucked out one from the stack and brought it to the cashier, not confident if the transaction will be declined (happened the first time I tried it some weeks ago at another CVS). This time, it worked like a charm! Loading it to BB was pretty easy too.
Don't think I will abuse it and will only buy what I need when I need it (for petty bills here and there, i.e. regular uses, and not so much for manufactured spend). I have no illusion that VR supply will be available when I go there next time, but oh well. I just wanted to try it out having heard so much about VR on the blog-o-sphere.
#673
Quote:
Magic Beans, Live Long & Prosper \\ // /Originally Posted by TheDapperDon
I must say, BBs bill pay is outstanding. I haven't had one hiccup or delay. It is delivered on time every time. Long live beans and gcs with pins.
#674
Quote:
I plucked out one from the stack and brought it to the cashier, not confident if the transaction will be declined (happened the first time I tried it some weeks ago at another CVS). This time, it worked like a charm! Loading it to BB was pretty easy too.
Don't think I will abuse it and will only buy what I need when I need it (for petty bills here and there, i.e. regular uses, and not so much for manufactured spend). I have no illusion that VR supply will be available when I go there next time, but oh well. I just wanted to try it out having heard so much about VR on the blog-o-sphere.
I now have a photo of a VR prepaid card on my phone and show it to one of the cashiers at CVS whenever I can't find them in the gift card/prepaid card racks. Half the time, the cashier knows where they are and they are NOT on the rack. The rest of the time, they are either sold out or are not carried by that store ("we've never carried those at our store"). YMMV.Originally Posted by BOShappyflyer
Me too. I bought my first-ever VR card today. ^ Actually, it's a CVS that's near my workplace - I go there frequently or to buy items, greeting cards and misc items. For the longest time (basically, ever since VR was introduced), those cards are not in stock. I was there to buy a Father's Day greeting card and wanted to grab a gift card to go along with it when lo and behold, I located a stack of vanilla reload cards! I was surprised. I plucked out one from the stack and brought it to the cashier, not confident if the transaction will be declined (happened the first time I tried it some weeks ago at another CVS). This time, it worked like a charm! Loading it to BB was pretty easy too.
Don't think I will abuse it and will only buy what I need when I need it (for petty bills here and there, i.e. regular uses, and not so much for manufactured spend). I have no illusion that VR supply will be available when I go there next time, but oh well. I just wanted to try it out having heard so much about VR on the blog-o-sphere.