Jan 6, 2016, 6:02 pm
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
Simon mall gift cards(2016)
May 23, 2016, 11:03 am
#646
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 800
It's much easier for me since they killed the kiosk, mainly because the folks at the kiosk kept odd hours, apparently whenever they felt like it. The mall office, where I get them now, actually keeps its posted regular hours. Plus, they're open seven days a week and as late as 8 PM some days.
One weekend, I decided to check this place out and there was a sign on the door that said they were closed for the day. It was not a holiday or special long weekend. It was a pretty "normal" weekend but it turns out the person who mans the desk was out sick. I now call the mall I go to each and every time before I head out. The clerks seem not to mind me calling.
May 25, 2016, 11:27 am
#647
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 34
Simon is the best place in my opinion to buy cards from. If you buy over a like $500 they do require that you fill out a form. They aren't fools. They know what manufactured spending is and its not illegal. They will straight up tell you that.
I'm in Houston and I use the post office. I usually do around $8000 everyday and then go buy postal money orders then put them in my Bank of America account. No issues. I save all receipt. I'm not doing anything wrong or illegal so I have nothing to worry about.
I'm in Houston and I use the post office. I usually do around $8000 everyday and then go buy postal money orders then put them in my Bank of America account. No issues. I save all receipt. I'm not doing anything wrong or illegal so I have nothing to worry about.
May 25, 2016, 11:55 am
#648
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Reread the post you quoted. If you can use a Vanilla GC, all other GCs with PINs should be fine.
May 26, 2016, 6:33 am
#649
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northeastern United States
Posts: 597
I think there are a handful of people going around posting misinformation to keep people from using popular MS tactics in hopes of making them last longer. I use SMGCs weekly and have never encountered any issues. Just spread your action around a bit and don't be pushy on split transactions if that's your thing.
May 26, 2016, 3:01 pm
#650
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Gold (again), US/UA/DL non-elite, ZE Presidents Circle, WN reluctant no fee convert.
Posts: 1,449
Sending my DS over to Rolling Hills (in SAT) to take advantage of the Lowes Card deal and suggested he purchase a Visa GC (for Citi CC min. spend) since he is going on a first time vacation in Calif. in a couple of weeks. I just think he should leave the CCs at home and budget his spend.
Anybody know if hours or kiosk location from the mall center has changed there? (I'm currently in FL). No Simon Mall close enough to my locale to take advantage of the deal myself.
Update: I stand corrected.
Thanks to a few posts here referencing "Premium Outlet", I found out that the one nearest me is a SM participant.
It was not listed on the general website.
Anybody know if hours or kiosk location from the mall center has changed there? (I'm currently in FL). No Simon Mall close enough to my locale to take advantage of the deal myself.
Update: I stand corrected.
Thanks to a few posts here referencing "Premium Outlet", I found out that the one nearest me is a SM participant.
It was not listed on the general website.
Last edited by jan_believes; May 26, 2016 at 3:14 pm
May 26, 2016, 9:10 pm
#651
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 7
I think there are a handful of people going around posting misinformation to keep people from using popular MS tactics in hopes of making them last longer. I use SMGCs weekly and have never encountered any issues. Just spread your action around a bit and don't be pushy on split transactions if that's your thing.
I posted this and I promise it wasn't misinformation. The register at my local USPS rejected my Simon Mall VGC.
I'm happy this is apparently a local phenomenon, but it happened to me.
May 26, 2016, 9:45 pm
#652
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
May 27, 2016, 1:30 pm
#653
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 144
I had 1 simon vgc out of many not go through one time. I went home and reset the pin and it worked the next day.
May 28, 2016, 11:26 am
#654
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 7
No I didn't try any other GCs. However someone in the Post Office thread had exactly the same experience I did, also with a Simon Mall VGC in Washington, DC. The card was swiped, the cashier identified the card as a gift card based off something on the register, and the transaction was denied.
May 31, 2016, 11:27 am
#655
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Washington, D.C.
Posts: 43
Tyson's (NoVa) won't be accepting AmEx as of tomorrow.
May 31, 2016, 12:33 pm
#657
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Washington, D.C.
Posts: 43
At the customer service kiosk, there was a sign stating AmEx won't be accepted starting tomorrow for purchases at the kiosk. The CSR was friendly and when I pointed it out to clarify, she said "Yep - no more AmEx here tomorrow. Visa, etc is okay". I'd have taken a photo of the sign but my phone was dead.
Paid with my AmEx. Not sure on other data points in the DC area. Just got back from vacation and this is the first one I've hit in a while.
May 31, 2016, 6:00 pm
#659
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
No I didn't try any other GCs. However someone in the Post Office thread had exactly the same experience I did, also with a Simon Mall VGC in Washington, DC. The card was swiped, the cashier identified the card as a gift card based off something on the register, and the transaction was denied.
My vgc isnt a Simon and it was identified as a vgc at a grocery store. Someone here said based on the magstripe data.
Jun 1, 2016, 5:48 pm
#660
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 22
I went to a Simon Mall near where I work today during lunch hour to buy 4x $500 gift cards. I was initially denied to buy the GCs. After requesting for written policy and ask cashier to verify with Mall manager, I was allowed to buy as an exception. Later this afternoon, I called the Mall manager myself. I was told that as Federal regulation, over $3000 need to fill out a form. This particular mall set its own policy to $1000 to fill out the form. Their own rule is not a written one. Later I emailed Simon Mall corporate to clarify this.