Nov 10, 2013, 11:26 am
Last edit by: mcdullhk88
Dead as of 10/13/14
FAQ's
Is Amazon Payments treated as a cash advance? No CC issuer has been reported as treating an AP transaction as a cash advance unless the sender selected "Payment is for Cash Advance" on the Send Money screen.
What does it mean when your payment is "pending"? Your payment will be reviewed. We are unsure whether this review is done by a human or computer. It should take less than 24 hours but is usually within minutes.
How should you describe your payment? "Goods or services" will allow you to charge with a CC and it will not be treated as a cash advance. Note: If you choose cash advance, it may be treated as such by your CC issuer; always choose Goods/Services. There is no reason to put anything in the optional description field - leave it blank.
What is the monthly limit for sending CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What is the monthly limit for receiving CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What if it is not allowing me to send/receive more than $500 or any at all? You probably have not verified your bank and/or added a CC. In order to get the full $1,000 allowance for sending and receiving you must have a bank verified AND a CC added to your account as a payment method.
Does AP qualify for special spending categories? Specifically it qualifies for Discover's (usually 4th quarter) category of online purchases but so far, not Chase's "5% CB on Amazon.com purchases." Refer to thread for other options.
Can you get shutdown? Yes.
How do you get shutdown? No one knows. Anecdotes are found throughout the thread. Some suspicious behavior that MIGHT get your AP account(s) shut down is listed below.
Which transaction is most advisable? A -> B -> C -> A (see here)
Are any fees charged during this process? No, not by Amazon Payments. If your transaction is treated as a cash advance by your card issuer--fees are possible. Beware and always double check that goods/services is selected!
Can you liquidate Amazon GC via AP? NO!
Can you liquidate other gift cards via AP? Yes. Note that you cannot liquidate the full value of a GC because amazon places a $1 hold while it verifies the validity of the GC. You can sometimes (not always) avoid the hold by entering an incorrect expiration date for the GC when adding it to your AP account, and after you have added it, go to "Edit my account settings," then to "Add edit or delete my credit cards" and edit the expiration date there.
When does the month end? It appears as if Amazon is on pacific time, so midnight PDT/PST is when the month resets.
It bears repeating that no one knows the methodology amazon uses to police AP transactions, determines which transactions violate its T&Cs, or identifies violators. However, various people in this thread and elsewhere have confirmed that their AP account(s) were shut down for the following reasons:
Additionally, we have updated the terms and conditions of our User Agreement (https://payments.amazon.com/help/Personal-Accounts/User-Agreement-Policies/User-Agreement) that apply to your use of the products and services provided by Amazon Payments. Our updated User Agreement revises certain terms (including, among other things, the elimination of person-to-person payments). Our new User Agreement will become effective on October 13, 2014, which is more than 30 days from when we first posted our updated User Agreement. By continuing to use our services after October 13, 2014, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of our new User Agreement.
Is Amazon Payments treated as a cash advance? No CC issuer has been reported as treating an AP transaction as a cash advance unless the sender selected "Payment is for Cash Advance" on the Send Money screen.
What does it mean when your payment is "pending"? Your payment will be reviewed. We are unsure whether this review is done by a human or computer. It should take less than 24 hours but is usually within minutes.
How should you describe your payment? "Goods or services" will allow you to charge with a CC and it will not be treated as a cash advance. Note: If you choose cash advance, it may be treated as such by your CC issuer; always choose Goods/Services. There is no reason to put anything in the optional description field - leave it blank.
What is the monthly limit for sending CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What is the monthly limit for receiving CC payments? $1,000 per calendar month per AP account
What if it is not allowing me to send/receive more than $500 or any at all? You probably have not verified your bank and/or added a CC. In order to get the full $1,000 allowance for sending and receiving you must have a bank verified AND a CC added to your account as a payment method.
Does AP qualify for special spending categories? Specifically it qualifies for Discover's (usually 4th quarter) category of online purchases but so far, not Chase's "5% CB on Amazon.com purchases." Refer to thread for other options.
Can you get shutdown? Yes.
How do you get shutdown? No one knows. Anecdotes are found throughout the thread. Some suspicious behavior that MIGHT get your AP account(s) shut down is listed below.
Which transaction is most advisable? A -> B -> C -> A (see here)
Are any fees charged during this process? No, not by Amazon Payments. If your transaction is treated as a cash advance by your card issuer--fees are possible. Beware and always double check that goods/services is selected!
Can you liquidate Amazon GC via AP? NO!
Can you liquidate other gift cards via AP? Yes. Note that you cannot liquidate the full value of a GC because amazon places a $1 hold while it verifies the validity of the GC. You can sometimes (not always) avoid the hold by entering an incorrect expiration date for the GC when adding it to your AP account, and after you have added it, go to "Edit my account settings," then to "Add edit or delete my credit cards" and edit the expiration date there.
When does the month end? It appears as if Amazon is on pacific time, so midnight PDT/PST is when the month resets.
It bears repeating that no one knows the methodology amazon uses to police AP transactions, determines which transactions violate its T&Cs, or identifies violators. However, various people in this thread and elsewhere have confirmed that their AP account(s) were shut down for the following reasons:
- Associating one credit card number with more than one AP account (Be Careful if authorized user card has the same number as the primary card holder - in some instances the CC numbers are completely different)
- Associating one bank account with more than one AP account
Amazon Payments
Apr 17, 2013 | 1:28 am
#1981
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,818
Apr 17, 2013 | 8:58 am
#1982
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
I had some AP transactions on an Amex Gold Biz card that coded as "shipping" for extra points - I forget if it was 2x or 3x. But that was just a few, then it stopped.
Apr 17, 2013 | 9:30 am
#1983
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
Apr 17, 2013 | 11:30 am
#1984
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,818
03/27/2013 Earned Amex Online Travel MR Pts 1,004
03/26/2013 Earned Platinum Card-XXXX9 2,774
But how did the poster (beachfan) know EXACTLY why his amazon payments points weren't eligible? It only tells the total points earned, not individual purchases.
Apr 17, 2013 | 11:36 am
#1985
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
Thanks. Yes I understand this part:
03/27/2013 Earned Amex Online Travel MR Pts 1,004
03/26/2013 Earned Platinum Card-XXXX9 2,774
But how did the poster (beachfan) know EXACTLY why his amazon payments points weren't eligible? It only tells the total points earned, not individual purchases.
03/27/2013 Earned Amex Online Travel MR Pts 1,004
03/26/2013 Earned Platinum Card-XXXX9 2,774
But how did the poster (beachfan) know EXACTLY why his amazon payments points weren't eligible? It only tells the total points earned, not individual purchases.
Apr 17, 2013 | 12:00 pm
#1986
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Finally back in Boston after escaping from New York
Posts: 13,684
For years I have been going my CC -> My AP -> friends AP -> Cash.
Would it be "safe" for that friend to also start sending me the same in reverse, from the same pair of accounts? Or is this a no-no.
(I want to double my spoils, and I added him as an AU on my account).
Would it be "safe" for that friend to also start sending me the same in reverse, from the same pair of accounts? Or is this a no-no.
(I want to double my spoils, and I added him as an AU on my account).
OP, it's a bit riskier than I like to do, but there are plenty of people who have done it with no problem.
Mike
Apr 17, 2013 | 4:41 pm
#1988
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: In The Cockpit, Left Seat
Programs: AA, UA, HH, SPG
Posts: 78
Apr 18, 2013 | 6:28 am
#1989
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
It's great that everyone tries to be careful with AP, but has there ever been an actual report of AP closing down an account for doing the stuff we do? I don't think so.
Or an Amex FR that seemed directly related to an AP transaction?
Or a documented case of points not posting for an AP transaction not coded as "Cash Advance?"
I think it's been going pretty swimmingly so far, the pirannas have stayed pretty far away.
Or an Amex FR that seemed directly related to an AP transaction?
Or a documented case of points not posting for an AP transaction not coded as "Cash Advance?"
I think it's been going pretty swimmingly so far, the pirannas have stayed pretty far away.
Apr 18, 2013 | 6:50 am
#1990
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Indeed AP has closed/suspended accounts.
AMEX FRs are more about account usage analytics. But adverse publicity and retailer requests can get the cardinals motivated to find heretics to use as a renewable energy source.
No reports here on Cash Advances...
AMEX FRs are more about account usage analytics. But adverse publicity and retailer requests can get the cardinals motivated to find heretics to use as a renewable energy source.
No reports here on Cash Advances...
It's great that everyone tries to be careful with AP, but has there ever been an actual report of AP closing down an account for doing the stuff we do? I don't think so.
Or an Amex FR that seemed directly related to an AP transaction?
Or a documented case of points not posting for an AP transaction not coded as "Cash Advance?"
I think it's been going pretty swimmingly so far, the pirannas have stayed pretty far away.
Or an Amex FR that seemed directly related to an AP transaction?
Or a documented case of points not posting for an AP transaction not coded as "Cash Advance?"
I think it's been going pretty swimmingly so far, the pirannas have stayed pretty far away.
Apr 25, 2013 | 7:03 pm
#1991
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
It's the 25th of the month.
Does anyone else feel like Christmas is only 6 days away?
Does anyone stay up past midnight on the last day of the month?
Does anyone else feel like Christmas is only 6 days away?
Does anyone stay up past midnight on the last day of the month?
Apr 25, 2013 | 7:27 pm
#1992
Join Date: May 2003
Location: CA
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,879
Apr 25, 2013 | 8:41 pm
#1994
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,818
Anyways, if you're an East Coaster, try it at 9pm and report back.
Apr 26, 2013 | 5:02 am
#1995
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA, BA, CX, DL, EK, F9, GA, HA, IB, JL, KE, LH, MH, NH, OS, PG, QR, RJ, SA, TG, UA, VN, WN, ZH
Posts: 927