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
Oct 27, 2013, 9:49 pm
#2777
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Oct 28, 2013, 3:21 am
#2780
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Mileage Plus, Aadvantage, Skymiles, Marriott, Priority Club, SPG, Amtrak, Hertz
Posts: 834
One of my accounts got shut down. It was my fault. I accessed two accounts from the same computer and IP address in a hurry. I'm not sure about the status of the two other accounts. What do I do now? Open another account to replace the one that got shut down? Wait until I fall off the radar? Say goodbye to AP?
Oct 28, 2013, 5:49 am
#2781
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 322
One of my accounts got shut down. It was my fault. I accessed two accounts from the same computer and IP address in a hurry. I'm not sure about the status of the two other accounts. What do I do now? Open another account to replace the one that got shut down? Wait until I fall off the radar? Say goodbye to AP?
Oct 28, 2013, 6:40 am
#2782
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Mileage Plus, Aadvantage, Skymiles, Marriott, Priority Club, SPG, Amtrak, Hertz
Posts: 834
I've been doing 1k successfuly with 2 accounts for almost a year (mom->me). I tried to add a third, I got too greedy and impatient, and tried moving 2k in 30 minutes from the same computer. All three accounts have different names and socials (me, mom, and dad). I think I can still keep moving 1k with just two of the accounts (mom and dad). I'd like to start moving 3k with a 3 account loop... so do you all think I have no chance of reviving the party by creating a third account with my name and a different email?
Oct 28, 2013, 6:42 am
#2783
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 291
One of my accounts got shut down. It was my fault. I accessed two accounts from the same computer and IP address in a hurry. I'm not sure about the status of the two other accounts. What do I do now? Open another account to replace the one that got shut down? Wait until I fall off the radar? Say goodbye to AP?
Oct 28, 2013, 6:50 am
#2784
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Mileage Plus, Aadvantage, Skymiles, Marriott, Priority Club, SPG, Amtrak, Hertz
Posts: 834
_________________________________________
Greetings from Amazon Payments.
We are writing because it has come to our attention that you have opened multiple accounts.
Amazon WebPay has a combined sending and receiving limit of $1000 per month per user. Multiple accounts opened to potentially enhance this limit will be closed.
All pending transactions have been canceled and your Amazon Payments accounts closed.
We appreciate your compliance with this matter and thank you for your interest in Amazon Payments.
________________________________________
Mind you, only I received that email. The other two folks in the loop did not.
Oct 28, 2013, 7:19 am
#2786
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Mileage Plus, Aadvantage, Skymiles, Marriott, Priority Club, SPG, Amtrak, Hertz
Posts: 834
Oct 28, 2013, 8:27 am
#2787
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 291
I don't know if sending payments to the same address can be cause of account closure. I would apply for another account with a slightly different name spelling and different email. I would also avoid making payments to the same address if you can. It's also possible that using the same computer/IP was the cause of closure even though it has not been a problem for me yet, so no harm in avoiding that too.
Oct 28, 2013, 8:39 am
#2788
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Mileage Plus, Aadvantage, Skymiles, Marriott, Priority Club, SPG, Amtrak, Hertz
Posts: 834
I don't know if sending payments to the same address can be cause of account closure. I would apply for another account with a slightly different name spelling and different email. I would also avoid making payments to the same address if you can. It's also possible that using the same computer/IP was the cause of closure even though it has not been a problem for me yet, so no harm in avoiding that too.
Well, I'm traveling this weekend, so I'll have several IP addresses at my disposal. I'll swap in my work address... hopefully it works. Min spend will be a huge PITA/impossible without AP, and I'm running low on points.
Oct 28, 2013, 8:44 am
#2789
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 291
Thanks for the suggestion. That's what I was thinking of doing. I'll report back on how it goes.
Well, I'm traveling this weekend, so I'll have several IP addresses at my disposal. I'll swap in my work address... hopefully it works. Min spend will be a huge PITA/impossible without AP, and I'm running low on points.
Well, I'm traveling this weekend, so I'll have several IP addresses at my disposal. I'll swap in my work address... hopefully it works. Min spend will be a huge PITA/impossible without AP, and I'm running low on points.
Oct 28, 2013, 8:50 am
#2790
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: Mileage Plus, Aadvantage, Skymiles, Marriott, Priority Club, SPG, Amtrak, Hertz
Posts: 834
I figure the setup should be
account 1 - home
account 2 - work (already established)
account 3 - other (I travel enough that this won't be an issue)
I figure I can add my middle name to the new account, use my work address, add in my BB instead of my cell.