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 13, 2012 | 8:19 am
#256
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,758
People... use the PM... There is a reason that you aren't seeing tons of posts about people being shut down. It's because it's not that complicated and they aren't that strict. Read what you can on here.. and send a message to someone who is active in the thread if you aren't sure of something. AZ payments has got to be one of the most simple methods out there to raise your spending. Lets keep it alive!
Apr 13, 2012 | 3:05 pm
#258
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 147
Question for those that were asked their SSN
Amazon late last year asked for a SSN and I did not provide it in hopes it would stop them from sending my a 1099 and they then froze my account. If one supplies the SSN will they unfreeze the account and let you send payments or will the cut your limits like venmo did ? Thanks in advance 
Apr 13, 2012 | 4:19 pm
#259
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 388
Amazon late last year asked for a SSN and I did not provide it in hopes it would stop them from sending my a 1099 and they then froze my account. If one supplies the SSN will they unfreeze the account and let you send payments or will the cut your limits like venmo did ? Thanks in advance
Apr 13, 2012 | 4:31 pm
#260
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 756
Amazon late last year asked for a SSN and I did not provide it in hopes it would stop them from sending my a 1099 and they then froze my account. If one supplies the SSN will they unfreeze the account and let you send payments or will the cut your limits like venmo did ? Thanks in advance
I have yet to submitted my SSN and my Amz acct is still active.
Apr 13, 2012 | 4:35 pm
#261
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: AA PLT 2MM
Posts: 2,026
Amazon late last year asked for a SSN and I did not provide it in hopes it would stop them from sending my a 1099 and they then froze my account. If one supplies the SSN will they unfreeze the account and let you send payments or will the cut your limits like venmo did ? Thanks in advance
These are actually two different forms to be filled in, and used for different purposes.
The 'last 4 of SSN' form is required to be filled in when they can't verify your identity via the drivers license number. Ultimately If they fail to verify you (drivers ID or last 4 of SSN), then they will shut down your account (well rather leave you with the only options of withdrawing whatever is currently in your account or refunding previous payments).
As far as full SSN goes, I guess we'll all have to fill it in one of these days, I still haven't though.
I have doubts that they'll unfreeze you for simply providing SSN. What was the exact text of your 'freeze e-mail' ?
Apr 14, 2012 | 7:09 am
#263
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
1) My process won't work to liquidate Visa gift cards as you have to pin debit. That clue will point you in the right direction.
2) You gotta know who "We Deserve to Make a Profit" is as that had to be the executive gaffe of the year in the financial industry!
3) Use VISA gift cards to buy discounted giftcards in the resale market that are marketable and flip them.
4) I have posted enough clues on FT to figure my store. It is regional, but similiar stores are in every major metro area. Just not interested in replaying the Tragedy of the Commons.
2) You gotta know who "We Deserve to Make a Profit" is as that had to be the executive gaffe of the year in the financial industry!
3) Use VISA gift cards to buy discounted giftcards in the resale market that are marketable and flip them.
4) I have posted enough clues on FT to figure my store. It is regional, but similiar stores are in every major metro area. Just not interested in replaying the Tragedy of the Commons.
Thanks for the tip and very interesting find! Can you elaborate on "We Deserve to Make a Profit" debit cards and which grocery chain this is? I'd like to give it a try as I haven't found a decent way to liquidate Visa gift cards, or even find a store clueless enough to sell them to me on a credit card transaction.
Apr 15, 2012 | 12:48 pm
#264
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 147
Is this the full SSN or the last 4 of it?
These are actually two different forms to be filled in, and used for different purposes.
The 'last 4 of SSN' form is required to be filled in when they can't verify your identity via the drivers license number. Ultimately If they fail to verify you (drivers ID or last 4 of SSN), then they will shut down your account (well rather leave you with the only options of withdrawing whatever is currently in your account or refunding previous payments).
As far as full SSN goes, I guess we'll all have to fill it in one of these days, I still haven't though.
I have doubts that they'll unfreeze you for simply providing SSN. What was the exact text of your 'freeze e-mail' ?
These are actually two different forms to be filled in, and used for different purposes.
The 'last 4 of SSN' form is required to be filled in when they can't verify your identity via the drivers license number. Ultimately If they fail to verify you (drivers ID or last 4 of SSN), then they will shut down your account (well rather leave you with the only options of withdrawing whatever is currently in your account or refunding previous payments).
As far as full SSN goes, I guess we'll all have to fill it in one of these days, I still haven't though.
I have doubts that they'll unfreeze you for simply providing SSN. What was the exact text of your 'freeze e-mail' ?
Apr 18, 2012 | 8:43 am
#266
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 8
no more persnonal prepaid debit
Apr 18, 2012 | 10:29 am
#267
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
