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
Aug 1, 2013, 9:29 pm
#2342
Join Date: May 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 1,389
Aug 7, 2013, 1:15 am
#2346
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, IHG Spire, Marriott Silver, Hyatt Platinum, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 308
I have seen discussion of using Virtual numbers. Is there no concern due to the name on the CC not being the same as on the AP account? And no concern with the name on the CC being the same as some other AP account?
I have been reluctant to use CC in someone else's name on an AP account. So I am not sure how a Virtual number would help. Or are you able to create a different name with a Virtual # as well? Citi's virtual system appears to be down right now so I can't give it a try.
I have been reluctant to use CC in someone else's name on an AP account. So I am not sure how a Virtual number would help. Or are you able to create a different name with a Virtual # as well? Citi's virtual system appears to be down right now so I can't give it a try.
Aug 7, 2013, 7:59 am
#2347
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Ditto.
At age 18 and 3 months my kiddo's credit score is higher than most on the board and his first cc was a points/miles cc neither secured nor cosigned. Get the kiddos on your cards as AUs early, especially with AMEX. Then be sure that they learn that with great miles earning power come the responsibility to use credit wisely.
At age 18 and 3 months my kiddo's credit score is higher than most on the board and his first cc was a points/miles cc neither secured nor cosigned. Get the kiddos on your cards as AUs early, especially with AMEX. Then be sure that they learn that with great miles earning power come the responsibility to use credit wisely.
^ my kid has been AU for last 3 years or so on multiple cards of mine with high CLs. He is now 19, college student and has successfully been approved for 6 CCs from major banks including Chase Freedon, AMEX BCE...all auto approved. Being an AU made all the difference IMO
Last edited by AlohaDaveKennedy; Aug 9, 2013 at 10:46 am
Aug 7, 2013, 8:05 am
#2348
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Qualify that with "if the AU's social security number was requested by the card issuer." If not, there is no effect other than that the AU can do transactions that credit to your account
Last edited by AlohaDaveKennedy; Aug 8, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Aug 7, 2013, 8:08 am
#2349
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Indeed, but the numbers self destruct in a short time. Caution: there may be limits (in the coding of the AP software) as to the number of times the trick will work so be prepared to shift into AMEX AUs with permanently different numbers.
Last edited by AlohaDaveKennedy; Aug 8, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Aug 8, 2013, 4:08 pm
#2353
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 209
thoughts guys?
GF sent a payment on 7/8 @ 9:26pm PST and i w/d next day and sent her one on 7/11. all is good
today she tried to send a payment @ about 9am PST and it failed and there was no reason given. just says Failed on her side as well as on my side.
question is do we have to wait until after 9:26PM PST to send today's payment? is the timing that strict?
thanks
GF sent a payment on 7/8 @ 9:26pm PST and i w/d next day and sent her one on 7/11. all is good
today she tried to send a payment @ about 9am PST and it failed and there was no reason given. just says Failed on her side as well as on my side.
question is do we have to wait until after 9:26PM PST to send today's payment? is the timing that strict?
thanks
Aug 8, 2013, 11:06 pm
#2354
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 204
thoughts guys?
GF sent a payment on 7/8 @ 9:26pm PST and i w/d next day and sent her one on 7/11. all is good
today she tried to send a payment @ about 9am PST and it failed and there was no reason given. just says Failed on her side as well as on my side.
question is do we have to wait until after 9:26PM PST to send today's payment? is the timing that strict?
thanks
GF sent a payment on 7/8 @ 9:26pm PST and i w/d next day and sent her one on 7/11. all is good
today she tried to send a payment @ about 9am PST and it failed and there was no reason given. just says Failed on her side as well as on my side.
question is do we have to wait until after 9:26PM PST to send today's payment? is the timing that strict?
thanks
Aug 8, 2013, 11:29 pm
#2355
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 375
thoughts guys?
GF sent a payment on 7/8 @ 9:26pm PST and i w/d next day and sent her one on 7/11. all is good
today she tried to send a payment @ about 9am PST and it failed and there was no reason given. just says Failed on her side as well as on my side.
question is do we have to wait until after 9:26PM PST to send today's payment? is the timing that strict?
thanks
GF sent a payment on 7/8 @ 9:26pm PST and i w/d next day and sent her one on 7/11. all is good
today she tried to send a payment @ about 9am PST and it failed and there was no reason given. just says Failed on her side as well as on my side.
question is do we have to wait until after 9:26PM PST to send today's payment? is the timing that strict?
thanks