Jan 3, 2015, 3:13 am
Last edit by: CWAL
Welcome to Manufactured Spending. If you are new here, please spend some time reading before posting. Most likely your questions have already been answered multiple times. Consider deals that you share. These threads are searchable by Google. A volatile deal may be worth holding close to the vest.
Hints
1) On FT, topics are heavily consolidated. Sometimes the title of the thread and first few posts may not properly reflect the broad range of discussion inside the thread. Be sure to visit any thread relating to the product or service you want to learn more about because you might be surprised by how in depth the discussion really is. High "View Count" and "Replies" are good indicators of active "master threads" on a specific topic.
2) Use Google to search FT. It works a lot better than the built-in search.
Important Rules
1) MSing is very YMMV. It varies by store, manager, and right down to the cashier working at the moment. That being said, always be nice and courteous in the face of rejection. The biggest secret for success is to lay low so you can try again.
2) DO NOT spend more than you can afford. START WITH SMALL AMOUNTS TO TEST THE WATER! As an example.. don't start with a $5000 purchase of VGCs if you can't afford to float that much! Instead, buy one and try it, and scale up once you are comfortable with a new method. It's easy to lose track, or get robbed, when you are handling so much money. Getting a refund is NOT always possible.
3) DO NOT ask employees, cashiers, customer service representatives, etc... about how to MS, or about things you read on this forum. The information you read here are very specific, unknown, legal uses of products or services. Most employees, cashiers, and even managers do not know about them. At best you'll get bad information. At worst you'll create a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding.
4) It bears repeating that there are no guarantees. you could easily buy $10,000 in gift cards or some other instrument, only to discover that your method for liquidating them vanishes the very next day. MS is not "normal" financial activity ("normal" being defined by the banks), and thus is often perceived as "suspicious" even if it is legal.
5) never underestimate the risk of criminal activity. gift cards can easily be stolen, loaded onto a compromised account, loaded in a debit card skimmer, or even fraudulent (e.g., an already used card put back on the rack).
If you have a question that does not seem to fit anywhere, or you have not found an appropriate place for it, post it here.
- A helpful note from seat17D about some of the inherent risks of MS
Hints
1) On FT, topics are heavily consolidated. Sometimes the title of the thread and first few posts may not properly reflect the broad range of discussion inside the thread. Be sure to visit any thread relating to the product or service you want to learn more about because you might be surprised by how in depth the discussion really is. High "View Count" and "Replies" are good indicators of active "master threads" on a specific topic.
2) Use Google to search FT. It works a lot better than the built-in search.
Important Rules
1) MSing is very YMMV. It varies by store, manager, and right down to the cashier working at the moment. That being said, always be nice and courteous in the face of rejection. The biggest secret for success is to lay low so you can try again.
2) DO NOT spend more than you can afford. START WITH SMALL AMOUNTS TO TEST THE WATER! As an example.. don't start with a $5000 purchase of VGCs if you can't afford to float that much! Instead, buy one and try it, and scale up once you are comfortable with a new method. It's easy to lose track, or get robbed, when you are handling so much money. Getting a refund is NOT always possible.
3) DO NOT ask employees, cashiers, customer service representatives, etc... about how to MS, or about things you read on this forum. The information you read here are very specific, unknown, legal uses of products or services. Most employees, cashiers, and even managers do not know about them. At best you'll get bad information. At worst you'll create a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding.
4) It bears repeating that there are no guarantees. you could easily buy $10,000 in gift cards or some other instrument, only to discover that your method for liquidating them vanishes the very next day. MS is not "normal" financial activity ("normal" being defined by the banks), and thus is often perceived as "suspicious" even if it is legal.
5) never underestimate the risk of criminal activity. gift cards can easily be stolen, loaded onto a compromised account, loaded in a debit card skimmer, or even fraudulent (e.g., an already used card put back on the rack).
If you have a question that does not seem to fit anywhere, or you have not found an appropriate place for it, post it here.
- A helpful note from seat17D about some of the inherent risks of MS
New to Manufactured Spending? Start Here (2015)
Aug 26, 2015, 1:31 pm
#901
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 910
Alright,
So I'm kind of in the ..... I recently bought 3k of AGC's that I converted into VGC's that I purchased at a CVS with the idea to deposit them into my redbird account. However, my local target stopped allowed me to load gift cards to my redbird accounts and I just realized that Bancorp VGC's don't work properly when buying MO's at WM. I'm attempting to find a plan C at this point which is essentially buying MO's at either DG or my local grocery, HEB. Can you guys hint me in the right direction? Thanks!
So I'm kind of in the ..... I recently bought 3k of AGC's that I converted into VGC's that I purchased at a CVS with the idea to deposit them into my redbird account. However, my local target stopped allowed me to load gift cards to my redbird accounts and I just realized that Bancorp VGC's don't work properly when buying MO's at WM. I'm attempting to find a plan C at this point which is essentially buying MO's at either DG or my local grocery, HEB. Can you guys hint me in the right direction? Thanks!
If you have other Target stores nearby did you try them? I'd try them first, out of ease of unloading (comparing to MO)...I'd also go back to the same store at a diff shift to verify that the no-go was a store policy and not some cashier/supervisor not feeling like you should load Redbird with GCs.
Aug 26, 2015, 2:16 pm
#902
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Absolutely I would never mention anything about VGC. I had my normal debit card from my bank out if she wanted to see it. But several MS'ers from this forum told me the Kate machine at WM in Poway (Community Road location) would work but when I swiped my Serve card there was no option to load it. I swiped it and it would ask me how much I wanted to load. I put $500 and then it would take a minute and then it would ask me again for my Serve card. I'm 
with this because the sequence is swipe your prepaid, enter load amount, finish and pay with DC. It does not ask to swipe the card you want to load I tried it a few times but wouldn't work. It asked me what I wanted to do and I chose Reload but it never would ask for a debit card .
Do you think it's just a case of the machine being broken?
with this because the sequence is swipe your prepaid, enter load amount, finish and pay with DC. It does not ask to swipe the card you want to load I tried it a few times but wouldn't work. It asked me what I wanted to do and I chose Reload but it never would ask for a debit card .Do you think it's just a case of the machine being broken?
Google for the WM money express kiosk to see what it looks like and compare it to what Kate at YOUR WM looks like. Off the top of my head, some of the buttons are Walmart money card, Bluebird, Rapid Reload; Money Order, ATM, Pay WM credit card. To load Serve, I press any of the first 3 buttons. The next screen comes up and you press LOAD and then you'll be asked to swipe your BB/Serve/prepaid card. Then you key in the amount you want to load. A long pause then it shows the amount and you press FINISH AND PAY. Next screen you press DEBIT. Then swipe your DC on your terminal, enter PIN. Want cashback? NO. XX amount will be debited from your card. YES....long pause followed by printing of receipt if load is successful. If there is a problem, a shorter print-out will say any of the error messages like Debit not Approved, Debit not available, Call card issuer, etc.
Hopefully, you're not just confused. Go over the procedure and compare it with what you've done and try again. Let us know if you succeed
Aug 27, 2015, 2:13 pm
#903
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 9
can you take the time to take Kate's pic at your WM and upload it here? I'm thinking it may not be the fully functional Kate that load cards, issues MOs, pay WM credit card, use as regular ATM etc.
Google for the WM money express kiosk to see what it looks like and compare it to what Kate at YOUR WM looks like. Off the top of my head, some of the buttons are Walmart money card, Bluebird, Rapid Reload; Money Order, ATM, Pay WM credit card. To load Serve, I press any of the first 3 buttons. The next screen comes up and you press LOAD and then you'll be asked to swipe your BB/Serve/prepaid card. Then you key in the amount you want to load. A long pause then it shows the amount and you press FINISH AND PAY. Next screen you press DEBIT. Then swipe your DC on your terminal, enter PIN. Want cashback? NO. XX amount will be debited from your card. YES....long pause followed by printing of receipt if load is successful. If there is a problem, a shorter print-out will say any of the error messages like Debit not Approved, Debit not available, Call card issuer, etc.
Hopefully, you're not just confused. Go over the procedure and compare it with what you've done and try again. Let us know if you succeed
Google for the WM money express kiosk to see what it looks like and compare it to what Kate at YOUR WM looks like. Off the top of my head, some of the buttons are Walmart money card, Bluebird, Rapid Reload; Money Order, ATM, Pay WM credit card. To load Serve, I press any of the first 3 buttons. The next screen comes up and you press LOAD and then you'll be asked to swipe your BB/Serve/prepaid card. Then you key in the amount you want to load. A long pause then it shows the amount and you press FINISH AND PAY. Next screen you press DEBIT. Then swipe your DC on your terminal, enter PIN. Want cashback? NO. XX amount will be debited from your card. YES....long pause followed by printing of receipt if load is successful. If there is a problem, a shorter print-out will say any of the error messages like Debit not Approved, Debit not available, Call card issuer, etc.
Hopefully, you're not just confused. Go over the procedure and compare it with what you've done and try again. Let us know if you succeed
But then it just would never ask me for debit, etc. It would go back and ask me to swipe my BB/Serve card again. I tried it a few times but would never work. There was no error messages at all. Just wouldn't even allow me to select Debit swipe.
That's what was so confusing to me. I'll try another Walmart this weekend that a fellow FT member mentioned I should try that works for him. I'm hoping it's just the machine and not my card/account. Thanks.
Aug 27, 2015, 7:56 pm
#904
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 5
I don't know if you got any answers to this, I am sure there are a number of things that can be done such as buying additional gift cards through ebay or what I did today was use ebay gcs to buy items to resell
Aug 27, 2015, 10:20 pm
#905
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 37
You could hold them until there is a sale on gift cards that can be fairly easily liquidated at a gift card exchange...without much of a loss (and sometimes a profit depending on bonus bucks and portal payouts). The best option for this seems to be when there is a deal on gas cards (Shell, BP, Chevron, etc). Hope this helps.
Aug 30, 2015, 12:47 pm
#906
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 132
MetaBank VGC
I noticed my local grocery store had $500 VGC from MetaBank(MB). I read in a post a few weeks ago somewhere in this section that MB VGC were good to use in some places, and not so go in others. Could someone enlighten me on these, please?
Aug 30, 2015, 2:17 pm
#907
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 910
Same should apply to Walmart via Serve/Bluebird for Metabank gift cards, unless they won't let you swipe them.
Also, MS is for the most part local (same chain store might not behave the same in diff cities) so really anytime someone asks here for whether they can load X gift card to Y prepaid account or MO at Z store, they should include their city if they want to get pertinent information.
Aug 30, 2015, 6:21 pm
#908
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 132
First depends on the vehicle via which you can liquidate them. For instance you can load ANY pin-based gift card to Redbird (prepaid REDcard) at Target, unless they prevent you from swiping it.
Same should apply to Walmart via Serve/Bluebird for Metabank gift cards, unless they won't let you swipe them.
Also, MS is for the most part local (same chain store might not behave the same in diff cities) so really anytime someone asks here for whether they can load X gift card to Y prepaid account or MO at Z store, they should include their city if they want to get pertinent information.
Same should apply to Walmart via Serve/Bluebird for Metabank gift cards, unless they won't let you swipe them.
Also, MS is for the most part local (same chain store might not behave the same in diff cities) so really anytime someone asks here for whether they can load X gift card to Y prepaid account or MO at Z store, they should include their city if they want to get pertinent information.
Aug 30, 2015, 8:04 pm
#909
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,883
Aug 31, 2015, 8:57 am
#910
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 9
No, nothing has changed as of this afternoon when I loaded Serve and BB cards at Kate using debit VGCs. I follow the don't ask, don't tell principle. Even when I load at the registers or MC, I just tell them I'd like to load my card just waving it to cashier and I do my own thing on my terminal. If cashier looks confused and looks like he/she doesn't know how to load, say PRESS 70, action code and follow the prompts; say this in the friendliest way you can muster since some people take offense when others tell them how to do their job. Don't forget to thank them after successful load.
For details, I suggest you read the wiki on Serve, BB and other related threads for all the work-around strategies discussed thoroughly. Then practice with small amounts initially until you feel you have a grip of the whole procedure. Again, don't ask cashiers if you can load with a gift card (REFRAIN from calling them giftcards, refer to them ALWAYS as DEBIT cards which they really are. Swipe the cards confidently on your end following strategies in all those thread I mentioned. In no time, you'll be a pro
For details, I suggest you read the wiki on Serve, BB and other related threads for all the work-around strategies discussed thoroughly. Then practice with small amounts initially until you feel you have a grip of the whole procedure. Again, don't ask cashiers if you can load with a gift card (REFRAIN from calling them giftcards, refer to them ALWAYS as DEBIT cards which they really are. Swipe the cards confidently on your end following strategies in all those thread I mentioned. In no time, you'll be a pro
https://saverocity.com/chasingthepoi...the-new-serve/
It wouldn't work at all as described. Not even at the check-outs. When I applied last month there wasn't option for Green (not that I saw on website).
Aug 31, 2015, 10:00 am
#911
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Looks like my Serve card falls under this problem.
https://saverocity.com/chasingthepoi...the-new-serve/
It wouldn't work at all as described. Not even at the check-outs. When I applied last month there wasn't option for Green (not that I saw on website).
https://saverocity.com/chasingthepoi...the-new-serve/
It wouldn't work at all as described. Not even at the check-outs. When I applied last month there wasn't option for Green (not that I saw on website).
I have the SoftServe card and can only test it starting tomorrow if there's new updates but as of the 25th and 29th, I didn't incur fees at the register when I loaded BB/Serve cards. I'd be glad if it turns out we'd been grandfathered to the old T&Cs with no fees to reload and no fees when account is loaded with at least $500/month. this is just another reason I'm glad I didn't switch most of my cards to RBs.
Aug 31, 2015, 11:33 am
#912
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 5
Looks like my Serve card falls under this problem.
https://saverocity.com/chasingthepoi...the-new-serve/
It wouldn't work at all as described. Not even at the check-outs. When I applied last month there wasn't option for Green (not that I saw on website).
https://saverocity.com/chasingthepoi...the-new-serve/
It wouldn't work at all as described. Not even at the check-outs. When I applied last month there wasn't option for Green (not that I saw on website).
I have a brand new Serve card, but I got a temporary card first based on a post on another forum. When I log in it shows Walmart as a loading option and it isn't listed as "coming soon"
Aug 31, 2015, 5:25 pm
#913
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 9
I'm sorry that it didn't work for you. We're having a discussion in another forum where some are now reporting that with their green Serve card, although it's free to load in-store per T&C, THEIR WM is only taking cash and cashiers have been told no more DC loads, whether their name is in the DC or not. This does not look good and hopefully, it remains local, as most restrictions are right now. Hopefully, it's not enforced nationwide (crossing my fingers).
I have the SoftServe card and can only test it starting tomorrow if there's new updates but as of the 25th and 29th, I didn't incur fees at the register when I loaded BB/Serve cards. I'd be glad if it turns out we'd been grandfathered to the old T&Cs with no fees to reload and no fees when account is loaded with at least $500/month. this is just another reason I'm glad I didn't switch most of my cards to RBs.
I have the SoftServe card and can only test it starting tomorrow if there's new updates but as of the 25th and 29th, I didn't incur fees at the register when I loaded BB/Serve cards. I'd be glad if it turns out we'd been grandfathered to the old T&Cs with no fees to reload and no fees when account is loaded with at least $500/month. this is just another reason I'm glad I didn't switch most of my cards to RBs.
I would be curious to know if your permanent card number starts with "3727-42"?
I have a brand new Serve card, but I got a temporary card first based on a post on another forum. When I log in it shows Walmart as a loading option and it isn't listed as "coming soon"
I have a brand new Serve card, but I got a temporary card first based on a post on another forum. When I log in it shows Walmart as a loading option and it isn't listed as "coming soon"
Aug 31, 2015, 7:38 pm
#914
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 5
Yes, this seems to be the problem with my card. I tried another Kate today and another Walmart it didn't work and the employees said only cash reload. No debit card.
Indeed the number on my card and my wife's card starts out 3727 42. Was this reported somewhere else that these cards with these numbers don't work? Looks like I won't be able to load debit cards at Walmart. They said cash only at 3 stores now.
Indeed the number on my card and my wife's card starts out 3727 42. Was this reported somewhere else that these cards with these numbers don't work? Looks like I won't be able to load debit cards at Walmart. They said cash only at 3 stores now.
Last edited by wallyworld2015; Aug 31, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Aug 31, 2015, 9:04 pm
#915
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: South Florida, USA
Posts: 184
Yes, this seems to be the problem with my card. I tried another Kate today and another Walmart it didn't work and the employees said only cash reload. No debit card.
Indeed the number on my card and my wife's card starts out 3727 42. Was this reported somewhere else that these cards with these numbers don't work? Looks like I won't be able to load debit cards at Walmart. They said cash only at 3 stores now.
Indeed the number on my card and my wife's card starts out 3727 42. Was this reported somewhere else that these cards with these numbers don't work? Looks like I won't be able to load debit cards at Walmart. They said cash only at 3 stores now.