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 16, 2012 | 11:27 am
#316
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,589
From reading this thread, I think some fall under the:
5) Don't have enough SS #s for all my accounts
camp
5) Don't have enough SS #s for all my accounts
camp
May 16, 2012 | 11:42 am
#317
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
I think we've got two groups of people in this thread.
One group has two accounts, likely one for each spouse, and plays the $1000 back-and-forth each month, so a cycle of $2k/month.
The other group has a mini-network of accounts and gets a lot more out of this situation, but, of course, runs a higher risk.
The first group has no problem with SSNs or tax reporting, since they can't hit it if they want to (max of $12K per SSN per year).
One group has two accounts, likely one for each spouse, and plays the $1000 back-and-forth each month, so a cycle of $2k/month.
The other group has a mini-network of accounts and gets a lot more out of this situation, but, of course, runs a higher risk.
The first group has no problem with SSNs or tax reporting, since they can't hit it if they want to (max of $12K per SSN per year).
May 16, 2012 | 12:48 pm
#319
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Las Vegas since 11/2023
Programs: No status anywhere anymore, it was fun while it lasted
Posts: 4,648
Well, AP could be a direct competitor for Paypal. With a large footprint of the Amazon customer base, they may be intending to leverage that.
I have a friend across the country to whom I sold something yesterday, and he owes me $128. We both have Paypal, but we had some confusion over fees, so he decided to send me a check instead. If we both had Amazon, I'd have been quite keen to have him pay me that way. It would have had nothing to do with credit cards or points.
But I'm sure fees will creep in, it's just a question of how high, and pervasive, and transparent they will be.
Paypal would be simpler if they just said "If the funds don't come from a credit card, no fees." But it's vastly more complex than that. If you want to take even one CC transaction you have to have a Premier (or Business) account and then pay fees on ALL receipts.
Paypal's foreign exchange fees are also exorbinant.
I have a friend across the country to whom I sold something yesterday, and he owes me $128. We both have Paypal, but we had some confusion over fees, so he decided to send me a check instead. If we both had Amazon, I'd have been quite keen to have him pay me that way. It would have had nothing to do with credit cards or points.
But I'm sure fees will creep in, it's just a question of how high, and pervasive, and transparent they will be.
Paypal would be simpler if they just said "If the funds don't come from a credit card, no fees." But it's vastly more complex than that. If you want to take even one CC transaction you have to have a Premier (or Business) account and then pay fees on ALL receipts.
Paypal's foreign exchange fees are also exorbinant.
May 16, 2012 | 1:01 pm
#320
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,686
Interesting - hadn't thought of that angle. Are you sure AP qualified as Amazon.com for that purpose? I'm pretty sure the charges look different.
May 16, 2012 | 1:03 pm
#321
Join Date: May 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,767
May 16, 2012 | 1:08 pm
#322
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,686
Here's a purchase:
Here's a payment:
They're definitely different. The big question is, did the second qualify with Chase for the 5x. Did anyone try it? Hopefully it'll come around again.
AMAZON.COM AMZN.COM/BILL WA
JOSEPH STERN 599.00
XXXXX MERCHANDISE
MERCHANDISE
Doing Business As: AMAZON.COM LLC
Merchant Address: 1516 2ND AVE
SEATTLE
WA
98101-1543
UNITED STATES
Reference Number: YYYYYY
JOSEPH STERN 599.00
XXXXX MERCHANDISE
MERCHANDISE
Doing Business As: AMAZON.COM LLC
Merchant Address: 1516 2ND AVE
SEATTLE
WA
98101-1543
UNITED STATES
Reference Number: YYYYYY
AMAZON PAYMENTS 866-749-7545 WA
JOSEPH STERN 420.20
XXXXXXX SERVICE
SERVICE
Doing Business As: AMAZON PAYMENTS
Merchant Address: 705 5TH AVE S STE 220
SEATTLE
WA
98104-4425
UNITED STATES
Reference Number: YYYYYYY
JOSEPH STERN 420.20
XXXXXXX SERVICE
SERVICE
Doing Business As: AMAZON PAYMENTS
Merchant Address: 705 5TH AVE S STE 220
SEATTLE
WA
98104-4425
UNITED STATES
Reference Number: YYYYYYY
May 16, 2012 | 1:18 pm
#323
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX
Programs: AA PLT / 2MM
Posts: 2,145
I think we've got two groups of people in this thread.
One group has two accounts, likely one for each spouse, and plays the $1000 back-and-forth each month, so a cycle of $2k/month.
The other group has a mini-network of accounts and gets a lot more out of this situation, but, of course, runs a higher risk.
The first group has no problem with SSNs or tax reporting, since they can't hit it if they want to (max of $12K per SSN per year).
One group has two accounts, likely one for each spouse, and plays the $1000 back-and-forth each month, so a cycle of $2k/month.
The other group has a mini-network of accounts and gets a lot more out of this situation, but, of course, runs a higher risk.
The first group has no problem with SSNs or tax reporting, since they can't hit it if they want to (max of $12K per SSN per year).
May 16, 2012 | 1:34 pm
#324
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,686
May 16, 2012 | 1:39 pm
#325
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orlando area, FL
Posts: 42
Can the same credit card be used on different AP accounts under different names?
Meaning.. can I link my credit card to my girlfriends account to send me money?
I already have it linked to my account to send her money..
Meaning.. can I link my credit card to my girlfriends account to send me money?
I already have it linked to my account to send her money..
May 16, 2012 | 1:41 pm
#326
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: NYC
Posts: 302
that will most likely raise a red flag- use different cards on different accounts.
May 16, 2012 | 1:44 pm
#327
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
The best card is 1) the card that you need to get to a minimum spend with, or 2) any card with an "every purchase" bonus, such as United Club, or some cards with activity/retention offers in effect.
May 16, 2012 | 1:51 pm
#329
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Orlando area, FL
Posts: 42
Unfortunately, I only have one mileage bearing card.. a Citi AA.. and the girl has none and can't qualify for any.
I don't count the SunTrust Skypesos card. That's for quick signup bonuses only..
Virtual account number created for linking to her account. Fingers crossed..
Also, not to be redundant.. but the limits are $1000 either direction, right? Meaning.. I can sent $1000 and I can receive $1000 per month, right?
May 16, 2012 | 2:10 pm
#330
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, TY, UR, UA, US, WN, MR, SPG
Posts: 1,453
Unfortunately, I only have one mileage bearing card.. a Citi AA.. and the girl has none and can't qualify for any.
I don't count the SunTrust Skypesos card. That's for quick signup bonuses only..
Virtual account number created for linking to her account. Fingers crossed..
Also, not to be redundant.. but the limits are $1000 either direction, right? Meaning.. I can sent $1000 and I can receive $1000 per month, right?
I don't count the SunTrust Skypesos card. That's for quick signup bonuses only..
Virtual account number created for linking to her account. Fingers crossed..
Also, not to be redundant.. but the limits are $1000 either direction, right? Meaning.. I can sent $1000 and I can receive $1000 per month, right?
edit: and as far as I know, VANs with Citi Cards are one-time use. That could be quite a pain, plus look fishy if you're using a different CC every time.