FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Ongoing MS Gebit BHN breakdown
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Old Feb 26, 2023 | 11:31 am
  #6  
Seat2D
 
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by andyandy
I'm proposing this new thread to aggregate information regarding the cascade of "not authorized" failures for the use of BHN gebit cards for MO purchases. While other threads specific to stores or Simon Malls contain discussions of the issue, it appears much broader-sourced than just Simon cards. My local experience with cards purchased at WD in the SE is that for the last week no purchases at all have gone through. Each attempt for varying amounts from 498.71 to 485 have gotten the dreaded "not authorized" message. The broad speculation has been that this is a deliberate action by BHN to limit liquidation of cards by this method. The fact that I and others have been able to use the cards to make straight credit purchases supports that theory.

However, the contemporaneous collapses of the mygiftcardmall system suggests that it might be the result of some broader problem at BHN - or perhaps that whatever kludge they've imposed to "fix" the liquidation problem has screwed up something else. All in all, a mystery. But I, for one, will weep bitter tears if this long lived method of MS is finally dead.

Please feel free to add your experiences and data points below.

Andyandy
I've been seeing a slow roll of "not authorized" rejections at supermarkets in the past year. It seems to be get worse, fast now. Mastercards purchased at Staples stopped working for me at WD last week. Up north, a family member told me that Staples Visas stopped working a couple months at Acme (an Albertsons brand) and Staples Mastercards stopped working this week. I assume the rejections are still local chain implemented, but they seem to be getting more widespread.

By the way, which retailers sell Visa or Mastercard gift cards that are not BHN cards? Are they also impacted by this problem?
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