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
May 21, 2013 | 10:58 am
#2086
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
I've been doing even $1K transactions back and forth with the wife each month since April, 2011. Never had an issue. Each AP account is linked to a different bank account.
I've never even made an attempt to hide it...send payment to wife, withdrawl to bank account, resend same payment to myself, withdrawl to bank account. Rinse and repeat.
I've never even made an attempt to hide it...send payment to wife, withdrawl to bank account, resend same payment to myself, withdrawl to bank account. Rinse and repeat.
May 21, 2013 | 12:30 pm
#2088
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Antonio
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,276
Nothing has changed with AP except that they have made it more difficult to set up multiple accounts per person. Amazon is clearly ok with paying the CC fees on our transfers, probably because it drives traffic and ad revenue to their sites. Just Do It - Virtually every question in here is way overthinking.
May 21, 2013 | 1:52 pm
#2089
Join Date: May 2000
Location: I see palm trees....
Posts: 414
Sometimes I have some fun with it though. Once I put "Thanks for the sexual favors."
Now that I think of it, I guess that makes my wife a hooker....
May 21, 2013 | 1:54 pm
#2091
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Is it even necessary to add a comment? I'm just get started with AP, but last time I just left it blank with no problems.
May 21, 2013 | 1:59 pm
#2093
Join Date: May 2000
Location: I see palm trees....
Posts: 414
May 21, 2013 | 2:05 pm
#2094
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Programs: UA 1K, 1.3mm
Posts: 918
I've been doing even $1K transactions back and forth with the wife each month since April, 2011. Never had an issue. Each AP account is linked to a different bank account.
I've never even made an attempt to hide it...send payment to wife, withdrawl to bank account, resend same payment to myself, withdrawl to bank account. Rinse and repeat.
I've never even made an attempt to hide it...send payment to wife, withdrawl to bank account, resend same payment to myself, withdrawl to bank account. Rinse and repeat.
May 21, 2013 | 3:31 pm
#2095
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 16
Differing opinions on this topic probably.
I would say it's better not to try this.
I am thinking someone had reported being shut down for this (but cannot point you to that exact post number in this thread---and could be mistaken)
But, since their verification is soooo sensitive, it seems very risky to do this.
If you chance it, please report your outcome.
I would say it's better not to try this.
I am thinking someone had reported being shut down for this (but cannot point you to that exact post number in this thread---and could be mistaken)
But, since their verification is soooo sensitive, it seems very risky to do this.
If you chance it, please report your outcome.
And for three or more AP accounts, A => B, B => C, C => A. Will this work?
May 21, 2013 | 6:14 pm
#2096
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLT
Posts: 1,467
I am doing only $1k/month one-way(I --> wife).
May 21, 2013 | 6:57 pm
#2097
Join Date: May 2000
Location: I see palm trees....
Posts: 414
Then she sends $1K to me and I send to bank account #2.
Been using the same AMEX account as well. Different card numbers, but same account.
May 22, 2013 | 7:56 am
#2099
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: DL DM Hub Captive, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, PC Plat, and other stuff.
Posts: 905
May 22, 2013 | 1:48 pm
#2100
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA EXP/LT PLT
Posts: 1,467