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
Jun 10, 2014 | 8:22 pm
#4246
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: WAS
Programs: SPG Plat. Marriott Plat. Hilton Diamond. Hyatt Diamond. IHG Plat.
Posts: 2,580
Read before you attempt things. It's been mentioned in the AMEX thread over and over again what you have to do.
CALL AMEX and set an address on the card.
Jun 10, 2014 | 11:16 pm
#4248
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, AS, AGR, DL, MB
Posts: 956
I've never set an address on AmEx gift cards. Have I been doing this wrong?
Jun 11, 2014 | 4:34 am
#4250
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 635
I have 3 of my 10 family accounts shut down this morning. Had most accounts open for years. For this year, I have been always logging in from different IP address for each.
Possible triggers?
1. Did an AP to one of the closed accounts yesterday. (from one of the accounts which hasn't been shut down yet.)
2. The closed account receiving the payment yesterday pays each month to one of the other ones which have been shut down.
3. Each of the three accounts had a balance in them of between $890 to $995. (Which I have 10 days to withdraw. One just accumulated the balance yesterday when receiving the payment.)
4. Two of the accounts were my own, with the same SSN set up earlier back when we could do that. Neither of these were the one which received the payment yesterday.
5. The other account was registered under different last name than the individuals current name. (Changed name at marriage.)
6. Starting this year I have been doing AGC, prior to that it was always CC. (Though the closed acct receiving payment yesterday was from a CC.)
7. I switched my normal pattern across the 10 accounts last month but I don't think I did any A-B where there was a previous B-A.
So, not sure what did it.
Thinking if they are smart, I will probably get them all closed if they follow the trail A-B, B-C etc.
Deciding whether I should do AP on the live accounts this month (if they stay open), or if I should let them lay for a while. Not sure if the change in pattern would cause a flag or not. Thinking at this point to let them lay, since the closure occurred within a day of receiving payment.
FYI, all closure emails came in at the same time, 3:46AM.
Possible triggers?
1. Did an AP to one of the closed accounts yesterday. (from one of the accounts which hasn't been shut down yet.)
2. The closed account receiving the payment yesterday pays each month to one of the other ones which have been shut down.
3. Each of the three accounts had a balance in them of between $890 to $995. (Which I have 10 days to withdraw. One just accumulated the balance yesterday when receiving the payment.)
4. Two of the accounts were my own, with the same SSN set up earlier back when we could do that. Neither of these were the one which received the payment yesterday.
5. The other account was registered under different last name than the individuals current name. (Changed name at marriage.)
6. Starting this year I have been doing AGC, prior to that it was always CC. (Though the closed acct receiving payment yesterday was from a CC.)
7. I switched my normal pattern across the 10 accounts last month but I don't think I did any A-B where there was a previous B-A.
So, not sure what did it.
Thinking if they are smart, I will probably get them all closed if they follow the trail A-B, B-C etc.
Deciding whether I should do AP on the live accounts this month (if they stay open), or if I should let them lay for a while. Not sure if the change in pattern would cause a flag or not. Thinking at this point to let them lay, since the closure occurred within a day of receiving payment.
FYI, all closure emails came in at the same time, 3:46AM.
The only accounts which received a notice were the ones with a balance in them. I didn't receive notice on the ones without a balance, but could only tell when I logged into them and saw they were suspended.
Jun 11, 2014 | 5:51 am
#4251
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,386
Jun 11, 2014 | 6:47 am
#4252
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: RIC
Programs: Delta - Gold, Hilton - Diamond, SPG - Gold, Hyatt - Diamond
Posts: 35
Just starting my journey into this MS thing and am starting small. Opened AP and Serve accts for my wife and I and am planning on just doing 1k per month for each of those to meet a few spending requirements.
Opened both AP accts and verified both with different CC and Bank accts. Sent payment from a->b using card. Went through fine on a side, but when I try to claim at B, it is giving me the due to federal regulations message.... like the account is not verified again.
I feel like I have read most of the 280 pages of this post, and haven't noticed this in there.
anyone have this issue?
Opened both AP accts and verified both with different CC and Bank accts. Sent payment from a->b using card. Went through fine on a side, but when I try to claim at B, it is giving me the due to federal regulations message.... like the account is not verified again.
I feel like I have read most of the 280 pages of this post, and haven't noticed this in there.
anyone have this issue?
Jun 11, 2014 | 7:37 am
#4253
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,386
Just starting my journey into this MS thing and am starting small. Opened AP and Serve accts for my wife and I and am planning on just doing 1k per month for each of those to meet a few spending requirements.
Opened both AP accts and verified both with different CC and Bank accts. Sent payment from a->b using card. Went through fine on a side, but when I try to claim at B, it is giving me the due to federal regulations message.... like the account is not verified again.
I feel like I have read most of the 280 pages of this post, and haven't noticed this in there.
anyone have this issue?
Opened both AP accts and verified both with different CC and Bank accts. Sent payment from a->b using card. Went through fine on a side, but when I try to claim at B, it is giving me the due to federal regulations message.... like the account is not verified again.
I feel like I have read most of the 280 pages of this post, and haven't noticed this in there.
anyone have this issue?
Jun 11, 2014 | 7:42 am
#4254
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: MDT
Programs: DL, AA
Posts: 390
So you had a balance in your AP and tried to withdraw it to your Serve account, which was verified (through test deposits?), and that's when they locked you out and said that Serve needs to fax them something? I'm planning on doing this in a couple days, hopefully it won't get hung up like this. It seems like a lot of people have done this successfully so I'm not sure what the hold up would be.
Jun 11, 2014 | 8:45 am
#4255
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,065
When you mean no address required, you mean you did not call up AGC and ask them to set the address for your gift card - correct? Cool, I have always been doing it never thought to try without it. I KNOW it is required for GCM to buy VGC
Jun 11, 2014 | 8:51 am
#4256
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,386
Exactly. No calls for AP. Just opened the card envelope and input the CC info into AP while adding the AP acct owner's name as the CC owner.
Jun 11, 2014 | 10:58 am
#4257
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: NYC
Posts: 111
So you had a balance in your AP and tried to withdraw it to your Serve account, which was verified (through test deposits?), and that's when they locked you out and said that Serve needs to fax them something? I'm planning on doing this in a couple days, hopefully it won't get hung up like this. It seems like a lot of people have done this successfully so I'm not sure what the hold up would be.
Jun 11, 2014 | 11:27 am
#4258
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: RIC
Programs: Delta - Gold, Hilton - Diamond, SPG - Gold, Hyatt - Diamond
Posts: 35
Thanks for the response. It does have a discover card attached to the account though.
Jun 11, 2014 | 12:27 pm
#4259
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 175
Just FYI, did our monthly triangle today and noticed that if you have a balance it will automatically take from there instead of asking you where you would like it from. This is a change from the last time we did it.
So to save people from my headache.
If you have a balance from someone else, withdraw it before sending it to the next person, otherwise it'll automatically pull from there and not give you the option of your credit card.
So to save people from my headache.
If you have a balance from someone else, withdraw it before sending it to the next person, otherwise it'll automatically pull from there and not give you the option of your credit card.
Jun 11, 2014 | 12:33 pm
#4260
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,386
Just FYI, did our monthly triangle today and noticed that if you have a balance it will automatically take from there instead of asking you where you would like it from. This is a change from the last time we did it.
So to save people from my headache.
If you have a balance from someone else, withdraw it before sending it to the next person, otherwise it'll automatically pull from there and not give you the option of your credit card.
So to save people from my headache.
If you have a balance from someone else, withdraw it before sending it to the next person, otherwise it'll automatically pull from there and not give you the option of your credit card.