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)
Apr 24, 2014, 3:50 pm
#5266
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, SW Companion
Posts: 94
Update
Went to different WM just now and card load success with same OV.
(I think it may be the time intervals between loads at the cashier)
Went to different WM just now and card load success with same OV.
(I think it may be the time intervals between loads at the cashier)
Last edited by cmlsu; Apr 24, 2014 at 4:07 pm
Apr 24, 2014, 3:53 pm
#5267
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA,UA,BA,SPG,IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, UR, MR
Posts: 195
I have a lovely "tender not allowed" question involving loading the BB at regular cashier in wally world. I've been using the OV since CVS shot down the other method involving VRs. My scenario is as follows:
I loaded a single $500 OV at cashier last night at 7:45 PM with success. Today, at 12:30PM I attempted to load two $500 OV and asked the cashier for seperate transactions. The first load was a success...the second load declined stating "tender not allowed". Any answers? I was always under the impression that the BB daily limit was not a rolling 24 hour period and reset at midnight? My other thought was, do I need to wait a certain amount of time between loading at cashiers. Thanks. Also, GC's were purchased from CVS yesterday...so didn't try to unload too quickly.
(Searched and couldn't find answer)
I loaded a single $500 OV at cashier last night at 7:45 PM with success. Today, at 12:30PM I attempted to load two $500 OV and asked the cashier for seperate transactions. The first load was a success...the second load declined stating "tender not allowed". Any answers? I was always under the impression that the BB daily limit was not a rolling 24 hour period and reset at midnight? My other thought was, do I need to wait a certain amount of time between loading at cashiers. Thanks. Also, GC's were purchased from CVS yesterday...so didn't try to unload too quickly.
(Searched and couldn't find answer)
Apr 24, 2014, 10:55 pm
#5269
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: PDX
Programs: AS Gold
Posts: 123
I was unable to load my card today with PINned gift cards, and, curiously was able to load ONE $500 GC on my wife's Bluebird. On the second GC the kiosk stalled and an ill-informed "manager" came to help me. She and the money center staff stumbled around various excuses before deciding that gift cards cannot be used anymore to fund Bluebird. This was after I managed to fun a Bluebird with a gift card.
Apr 24, 2014, 11:03 pm
#5270
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 16
I have done this twice now and it has worked without any problems. However, I got a call recently from Bluebird wanting to verify that the debit card I used to fund my Bluebird account was, in fact, owned by me. Luckily, the bank who issues the debit cards (my secret) was closed when bluebird called. Funds were not frozen, but I was sure to immediately write a bluebird check to myself and deposit it via mobile...went through just fine. The BB rep asked me to call bank during normal bank hours to confirm that this debit card was mine, but I have no intention to do so...that debit card is a non loadable giftcard with a zero balance (I won't be using it again).
Apr 25, 2014, 2:04 am
#5271
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
I was unable to load my card today with PINned gift cards, and, curiously was able to load ONE $500 GC on my wife's Bluebird. On the second GC the kiosk stalled and an ill-informed "manager" came to help me. She and the money center staff stumbled around various excuses before deciding that gift cards cannot be used anymore to fund Bluebird. This was after I managed to fun a Bluebird with a gift card.
as for the, as you call her, 'manager'... she was not ill informed. WM policy is not to take gift cards- she was right. that is why you never show them a gift card. you need to understand who the average WM customer is. hint: not us. what do you think criminals buy with stolen credit cards? hint: VGC's! add in the drug dealers/$ launderers, skimmers, patriot act, global warming and locust and... they don't prejudice- they assume anyone trying to buy with VGC's is up to no good.
think about it: the avg WM money center customer does not have a credit card and deal mostly in cash. who in the world would pay $4.95 in cash to buy a VGC and then turn around and use it to load BB when, duh..... they could have brought the cash to WM without a trip to a different store first to pay $4.95 for a VGC they don't need?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
NOBODY.
the concept of miles and points is above all of our friends' heads- you think a WM employee is thinking points and miles? ahh... no. they're thinking... criminal.
/rant
short version: NEVER show them a gift card.... NEVER. when they walk up commiserate and say, 'do you hate this machine as much as i do, it never works'. they'll laugh, agree and nobody will be strip searching you for gift cards.
Last edited by uncommonsensical; Apr 25, 2014 at 2:10 am
Apr 25, 2014, 7:41 am
#5272
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 784
I have done this twice now and it has worked without any problems. However, I got a call recently from Bluebird wanting to verify that the debit card I used to fund my Bluebird account was, in fact, owned by me. Luckily, the bank who issues the debit cards (my secret) was closed when bluebird called. Funds were not frozen, but I was sure to immediately write a bluebird check to myself and deposit it via mobile...went through just fine. The BB rep asked me to call bank during normal bank hours to confirm that this debit card was mine, but I have no intention to do so...that debit card is a non loadable giftcard with a zero balance (I won't be using it again).
Apr 25, 2014, 4:21 pm
#5273
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 12,482
A strange one for me.
Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Apr 25, 2014, 4:40 pm
#5274
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,506
A strange one for me. Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Apr 25, 2014, 5:01 pm
#5275
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 165
A strange one for me. Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Apr 25, 2014, 6:14 pm
#5276
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ATL
Programs: AA, AGR, DL, MR, WoH, UA
Posts: 951
Same thing happened to me this morning. I had my gowallet app open as well as bluebird. For me gowallet still showed funds and bluebird showed a successful then immediately reversed load. I waited 5 minutes and hit the machine again. It worked second time around gowallet shows zero balance now
The debit transaction fails for some reason, but the load transaction does not. Accept the gift and move on.
Apr 25, 2014, 7:36 pm
#5277
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Capital of the Confederacy
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 105
Hoping to find somebody in Richmond, Va to PM me re local walmarts and BB feeding in this black post-VR era.
I bought a test One Vanilla Visa Debit at my wonderful corner CVS and visited FOUR local WM's. None had Kate machines, and all were hard wired at the registers to not accept the VGC. The cashiers were very nice but none were able to load successfully.
Two WM's remain at the far end of town, but I am not optimistic.
Unless Evolve money adds some of my payers, I am SOL in Richmond.
I was doing $20,000 in VR's/mos across 4 BB accounts to pay business bills.
It's killing me to leave that amount of points on the table.
I bought a test One Vanilla Visa Debit at my wonderful corner CVS and visited FOUR local WM's. None had Kate machines, and all were hard wired at the registers to not accept the VGC. The cashiers were very nice but none were able to load successfully.
Two WM's remain at the far end of town, but I am not optimistic.
Unless Evolve money adds some of my payers, I am SOL in Richmond.
I was doing $20,000 in VR's/mos across 4 BB accounts to pay business bills.
It's killing me to leave that amount of points on the table.
Apr 25, 2014, 8:01 pm
#5278
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 205
A strange one for me. Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.Strange enough, the difference is that his GC has the expiration date of June 2021, while mine has that of June 2022. Both issued by Vanilla. Not sure if those cards with expiration date of June 2021 is too old to be used as a debit card.
Apr 25, 2014, 8:06 pm
#5279
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Capital of the Confederacy
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 105
That's happened to my friend for two of his Visa GC. Tried two walmarts, tried kiosk and register at money center, none worked. At the same time, my GC just worked fine at the same location.
Strange enough, the difference is that his GC has the expiration date of June 2021, while mine has that of June 2022. Both issued by Vanilla. Not sure if those cards with expiration date of June 2021 is too old to be used as a debit card.
Strange enough, the difference is that his GC has the expiration date of June 2021, while mine has that of June 2022. Both issued by Vanilla. Not sure if those cards with expiration date of June 2021 is too old to be used as a debit card.
Cashier swiped my bird, entered load amount, I approved amount, swiped the VGC (exp 6/22), terminal flashed "approved", then register tape showed transaction cancelled.
Apr 25, 2014, 8:29 pm
#5280
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,273
A strange one for me. Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.
Load VGC at WM cashier. All went well and pin pad flashed APPROVED after pin entry. However, receipt shows DEBIT NOT APPROVED HOST TIMEOUT. Strange part is: VGC shows zero balance while BB website shows successful load. What happened? Will BB balance be reversed? Basically, it looks like a successful load if you ignore receipt message.But--CVS made me pause to buy the card today. Hard stop before final purchase. Cashier read the screen, along the lines of "is the buyer in front of you, do they have a valid means of payment, is anyone being asked to buy the card for someone else?"--it was a long series of questions. I chatted up the cashier and she said it's a policy to prevent fraud. "too many scammers are buying these." (Scammers??) I asked--she said it was telephone and door-to-door scammers getting older people to buy cards or presenting empty cards to defraud people in face to face purchases. No mention of birds.