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 15, 2013, 11:30 pm
#2372
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Aug 16, 2013, 8:31 am
#2374
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 498
Aug 19, 2013, 12:28 am
#2375
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,857
I'm finishing up the last few hundred posts here, and unfortunately haven't seen the answers to quite all my questions. Real quick:
1. I haven't signed up for AP yet. I actually place quite a bit of value on my regular amazon account, and don't want to risk losing it. Would it be smart/allowed for me to make a new account just for AP?
2. My understanding is that all of the following are frowned upon, or risky, or something. But I haven't been able to find any mention of them less than a couple months old, which as we know is an eternity in this game. Any thoughts on these options?
- A > B > A
- A > B > bank, B > A > bank
- Having the same bank account for the sender & receiver
- Having different accounts for sender & receiver, but both names being on both (joint) accounts
In essence, can my wife & I send money both ways, and is it a problem if we use joint bank accounts to do so?
Sorry for the noobish questions. I'm going to go back further in the thread, and if I find answers to my own questions, I'll post them for others.
1. I haven't signed up for AP yet. I actually place quite a bit of value on my regular amazon account, and don't want to risk losing it. Would it be smart/allowed for me to make a new account just for AP?
2. My understanding is that all of the following are frowned upon, or risky, or something. But I haven't been able to find any mention of them less than a couple months old, which as we know is an eternity in this game. Any thoughts on these options?
- A > B > A
- A > B > bank, B > A > bank
- Having the same bank account for the sender & receiver
- Having different accounts for sender & receiver, but both names being on both (joint) accounts
In essence, can my wife & I send money both ways, and is it a problem if we use joint bank accounts to do so?
Sorry for the noobish questions. I'm going to go back further in the thread, and if I find answers to my own questions, I'll post them for others.
Aug 19, 2013, 6:53 am
#2376
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
I'm finishing up the last few hundred posts here, and unfortunately haven't seen the answers to quite all my questions. Real quick:
1. I haven't signed up for AP yet. I actually place quite a bit of value on my regular amazon account, and don't want to risk losing it. Would it be smart/allowed for me to make a new account just for AP? **YES**
2. My understanding is that all of the following are frowned upon, or risky, or something. But I haven't been able to find any mention of them less than a couple months old, which as we know is an eternity in this game. Any thoughts on these options?
- A > B > A **Chancy**
- A > B > bank, B > A > bank **Chancy**
- Having the same bank account for the sender & receiver **Chancy**
- Having different accounts for sender & receiver, but both names being on both (joint) accounts **OK**
In the Jungle there are few hard and fast rules (as the internal controls in there are a bit whacky). Some are ignored by the Bezo tribe of headhunters (some people get away with murder) while some end up with their heads on a pole (as in permanently banned from Amazon).
Take it from an old jungle witch doctor, go for a chain (A>B>C>A) rather than play ping pong (A>B>A) with the wife.
In essence, can my wife & I send money both ways, and is it a problem if we use joint bank accounts to do so?
Sorry for the noobish questions. I'm going to go back further in the thread, and if I find answers to my own questions, I'll post them for others.
1. I haven't signed up for AP yet. I actually place quite a bit of value on my regular amazon account, and don't want to risk losing it. Would it be smart/allowed for me to make a new account just for AP? **YES**
2. My understanding is that all of the following are frowned upon, or risky, or something. But I haven't been able to find any mention of them less than a couple months old, which as we know is an eternity in this game. Any thoughts on these options?
- A > B > A **Chancy**
- A > B > bank, B > A > bank **Chancy**
- Having the same bank account for the sender & receiver **Chancy**
- Having different accounts for sender & receiver, but both names being on both (joint) accounts **OK**
In the Jungle there are few hard and fast rules (as the internal controls in there are a bit whacky). Some are ignored by the Bezo tribe of headhunters (some people get away with murder) while some end up with their heads on a pole (as in permanently banned from Amazon).
Take it from an old jungle witch doctor, go for a chain (A>B>C>A) rather than play ping pong (A>B>A) with the wife.
In essence, can my wife & I send money both ways, and is it a problem if we use joint bank accounts to do so?
Sorry for the noobish questions. I'm going to go back further in the thread, and if I find answers to my own questions, I'll post them for others.
Aug 19, 2013, 9:33 am
#2377
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
got lucky that I broke my transfers (payments) into 2 and did it correctly the 1st time. Called up and blamed it on the poor connection that was doing all sorts of funny things as it was extremely slow. They refunded the fee back to the recipient
Aug 19, 2013, 9:41 am
#2378
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: The Empire State
Programs: CO (RIP), US (RIP), Amtrak. Lots of CC programs.
Posts: 442
Aug 19, 2013, 10:19 am
#2379
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Aug 19, 2013, 10:30 am
#2380
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Aug 19, 2013, 5:04 pm
#2381
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 46
Thanks for this information. My scenario is also similar. I just created the account today. Another question.. Does "B" have to pay any tax or fee to receive the money and send to his/her bank account? Please assume that "A" will be using "Services" option to send money.
Aug 19, 2013, 5:48 pm
#2382
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Thanks for this information. My scenario is also similar. I just created the account today. Another question.. Does "B" have to pay any tax or fee to receive the money and send to his/her bank account? Please assume that "A" will be using "Services" option to send money.
Aug 19, 2013, 8:24 pm
#2383
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 46
Thanks.. so A -> B -> Joint bank account ( B will add the joint account as his own account on AP) and both have the same address should work without any issues, right? A and B have different first and last names. Thanks in advance!
Aug 19, 2013, 8:26 pm
#2384
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,396
Both of the bank accounts are INDIVIDUAL accounts. Both credit cards are mine (A) but on the B>A transaction I use an AU account which is not otherwise listed on my Amazon account.
Edit to add: A and B have the same address but different last names, if that matters at all.
Aug 19, 2013, 8:42 pm
#2385
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
by me A & B have the same last name