Jan 7, 2016, 8:18 am
Last edit by: RedSun
This is the 2016 and onwards Bluebird thread.
The original discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread. The previous 2015 megathread.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read the wiki before posting a question.
The most recent huge wave of shutdowns occurred in May 2019.
Most accounts used for MS were shut down on Jan 8, 2016. Another wave of shutdowns occurred on March 4, 2016. Using Bluebird for MS is very likely to lead to account closure. There is no clear pattern as to how to avoid the account shut-downs. Some of the dormant accounts were not shut down.
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.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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.
The original discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread. The previous 2015 megathread.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read the wiki before posting a question.
The most recent huge wave of shutdowns occurred in May 2019.
Most accounts used for MS were shut down on Jan 8, 2016. Another wave of shutdowns occurred on March 4, 2016. Using Bluebird for MS is very likely to lead to account closure. There is no clear pattern as to how to avoid the account shut-downs. Some of the dormant accounts were not shut down.
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.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
- Cash loading: $2,500 ($1,999.99 at Walmart) per card per day; $9,000 per day all BB cards combined; $5,000 total per calendar month each card; $10,000 calendar month and $100,000 per year all BB cards combined for each SSN.
- Direct Deposit: $100,000 per year
- Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
- Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
- Mobile Check Capture by Ingo® Money - $5,000/day and $10,000/month
- ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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.
Bluebird master thread (2016 onwards)
Jan 9, 2016, 10:34 am
#61
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
Some people have reported BB/Serve they THOUGHT were alive because no emails, wouldn't load.
I have a BB that didn't get the email. When I need my next card signup, I'll buy 2.5K VGC. Then I'll attempt to load 2.5K on BB in a single day. If that works, great but if not I won't come in here blubbering about being stuck with inventory and begging for tips to unload.
If that BB survives the night, I'll see if I can cheat with Kates one more day and hit 5K. ONE LAST KISS GOODNIGHT!
Last edited by ElPresidente; Jan 9, 2016 at 11:11 am
Jan 9, 2016, 10:44 am
#62
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 322
Anyone thinking about class action lawsuit on Amex? The reason: we can't MS and they owe us the revenue loss, cost of blood pressure and sleeping pills.
Jan 9, 2016, 11:02 am
#63
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
This is what I was planning on doing too. If they plan on shutting me down, Im hoping to get a 10k load in 4 days.
Jan 9, 2016, 11:29 am
#64
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: Delta, Hilton Honors, SPG, Marriott, Hyatt
Posts: 672
Tread lightly.. Load for regular spend and nothing else. Some might not know, Serve and Bluebird can be used for other purposes and not just full fledged MS.
Jan 9, 2016, 1:22 pm
#66
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,662
Original BlueBird setup for manufactured spend but soon learned to love BlueBird for the bill pay feature and the domestic/international ATM feature. The bigger issue for BlueBird is not the manufactured spend but the plight of American Express. As an example, Costco and Fidelity both dumped American Express recently.
The option to link BlueBird to a bank account was eliminated a few months ago and the option to use BlueBird via international ATMs was eliminated a few weeks ago. The ATMs in Walmart are non functional more often than not. The product as a whole is not a success despite the backing of Walmart and American Express. The loyalty programs learned long ago the individuals using the products to an extreme are opportunities to improve the products. As noted elsewhere, little effort would be required to eliminate the loading of gift cards without cancelling the customers.
Fun while it lasted. Life is a moving target.
The option to link BlueBird to a bank account was eliminated a few months ago and the option to use BlueBird via international ATMs was eliminated a few weeks ago. The ATMs in Walmart are non functional more often than not. The product as a whole is not a success despite the backing of Walmart and American Express. The loyalty programs learned long ago the individuals using the products to an extreme are opportunities to improve the products. As noted elsewhere, little effort would be required to eliminate the loading of gift cards without cancelling the customers.
Fun while it lasted. Life is a moving target.
Last edited by view-with-a-room; Jan 9, 2016 at 1:31 pm
Jan 9, 2016, 1:24 pm
#67
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
I have one BB that survived the massacre yesterday, I'm going to make a small load today and see if it goes through before I do two $1Ks. not knowing what the giant is up to, I've decided to max out whatever is still working rather than be paralyzed by fear and do nothing. if it's up for slaughter anytime, they will turn off loading feature. if it's still on, I'll just put the max load and come what may.
Jan 9, 2016, 1:27 pm
#68
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,072
Original BlueBird setup for manufactured spend but soon learned to love BlueBird for the bill pay feature and the domestic/international ATM feature. The bigger issue for BlueBird is not the manufactured spend but the plight of American Express. As an example, Costco and Fidelity both dumped American Express recently.
The option to link BlueBird to a bank account was eliminated a few months ago and the option to use BlueBird via international ATMs was eliminated a few weeks ago. The ATMs in Walmart are non functional more often than not. The product as a whole is not a success despite the backing of Walmart and American Express.
The option to link BlueBird to a bank account was eliminated a few months ago and the option to use BlueBird via international ATMs was eliminated a few weeks ago. The ATMs in Walmart are non functional more often than not. The product as a whole is not a success despite the backing of Walmart and American Express.
Bluebird was targeted at the so-called "unbanked." Things like linking a bank account, "loading" $5,000 per month, and international ATM use were never really relevant to the average poor person at whom BB was targeted. Likewise, the Amex split with Costco and Fidelity is all but irrelevant to the BB target demo.
Jan 9, 2016, 1:33 pm
#69
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,662
Everything in the latter paragraph can be blamed on abuses by the MS crowd and not failures of the BB product.
Bluebird was targeted at the so-called "unbanked." Things like linking a bank account, "loading" $5,000 per month, and international ATM use — none of these really apply to the average poor person at whom BB was targeted. Likewise, the Amex split with Costco and Fidelity is all but irrelevant to the BB target demo.)
Bluebird was targeted at the so-called "unbanked." Things like linking a bank account, "loading" $5,000 per month, and international ATM use — none of these really apply to the average poor person at whom BB was targeted. Likewise, the Amex split with Costco and Fidelity is all but irrelevant to the BB target demo.)
Jan 9, 2016, 1:34 pm
#70
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,072
Yes, I do. For you guys, BB was great while it lasted, but the shutdown was actually a smart move by Amex rather than a sign of failure or weakness.
Amex first went to once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonuses and yesterday made it much harder for people to churn non-Amex cards.
Amex first went to once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonuses and yesterday made it much harder for people to churn non-Amex cards.
Jan 9, 2016, 2:08 pm
#71
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: Northwest, United
Posts: 3,256
Yes, I do. For you guys, BB was great while it lasted, but the shutdown was actually a smart move by Amex rather than a sign of failure or weakness.
Amex first went to once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonuses and yesterday made it much harder for people to churn non-Amex cards.
Amex first went to once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonuses and yesterday made it much harder for people to churn non-Amex cards.
Nah, that couldn't possibly be true. I'm sure they know absolutely nothing at all about this game - it's our Million Mile secret!
Party on, boys - and by all means, please post all the details about your next plan!
Jan 9, 2016, 2:28 pm
#72
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Colorado
Programs: Alaska, Shell VC, Wyndham VC, Starwood, RCI, II--I bought it on eBay!
Posts: 159
We were both shocked to see our Bluebird shutdown email in our junk-mail folders. Shocked because all other BB emails were in regular email. I deleted DH's junk mail and had to go into deleted emails to find it.....
And of course we would be shut down because we exploited it a lot over the last year. Glad to have the opportunity for as long as we did.
And of course we would be shut down because we exploited it a lot over the last year. Glad to have the opportunity for as long as we did.
Jan 9, 2016, 2:39 pm
#73
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,440
I did use BB to pay bills such as insurance or taxes. Would the insurance company go ballistic if i paid a $5000 bill with 5 $1000 MO's?
Jan 9, 2016, 2:44 pm
#74
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Yes, I do. For you guys, BB was great while it lasted, but the shutdown was actually a smart move by Amex rather than a sign of failure or weakness.
Amex first went to once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonuses and yesterday made it much harder for people to churn non-Amex cards.
Amex first went to once-in-a-lifetime sign-up bonuses and yesterday made it much harder for people to churn non-Amex cards.
Jan 9, 2016, 2:45 pm
#75
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
for me, I pay with VGCs all the time to AAA for my home and auto premiums so I don't pay extra for MOs.