Originally Posted by
AlohaDaveKennedy
Lemme see - folks who otherwise pay contractors and day laborers in cash, businesses with rewards or incentive programs and the list goes on. $500 gift cards are far easier to handle than stacks of twenties. But for money launderers, Home Buckets full of cash are far easier to transport and, unlike gift cards, can be used outside the US or for paying off local government officials. These Homer Buckets, commonly found in Miami attics, can also be broken down into empty paint cans full of cash, which is an official unit of tender in San Antonio. All y'all just gotta love a town with the best 144th District Judges money can buy.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/loc...ge-5323573.php
I believe gaming LIBOR rates, illegally foreclosing on property, laundering money in Mexico, stealing identities to open new customer accounts and the like are abuse for all the population, but maybe, since the bankers are committing the real abuse, you suggest we just look the other way?
I believe I've seen a few units of paint can tenders here in San Francisco too.
In any case, my wife and I usually buys debit cards when the local grocery store has a sale on them. Usually comes with $10 of restriction free purchases per $50. Like others, I load up on the gasoline ones, effectively prepaying my purchase for gas for a month.
In fact, I've already met my PRG minimum spend already, and I still use it for my gift card purchases afterwards. If anything, it just shows AMEX, it's just part of my normal spending. How can they tell if it's GCs anyways?