Originally Posted by cashcyclone

The fine print on every Amex bonus offer clearly states that the purchase of cash equivalents does not count towards the minimum spend for a bonus. Specifically they say:

THE FOLLOWING CHARGES DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THE THRESHOLD AMOUNT: FEES OR INTEREST CHARGES; BALANCE TRANSFERS; CASH ADVANCES; PURCHASES OF TRAVELERS CHECKS; PURCHASES OR RELOADING OF PREPAID CARDS; OR PURCHASES OF OTHER CASH EQUIVALENTS.

The worst part is they disqualify your spend after the period is over so you have no way to get the bonus via normal spend. In other words, you lose.