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 7, 2012, 3:29 pm
#842
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Stagecoach does pressing and folding. Caught them at it about 3 years back on a 75k cash deposit that should have been SAR'd.
BoA teller had never seen me before and got indigestion over my MOs. She must have alerted the cardinals based on my time line trace. The cardinals flagged the MOs as items likely to be returned. They were not bought by BoA card. Naturally, all MOs cleared.
Continue to deposit to Stagecoach, not Solaris.
BoA teller had never seen me before and got indigestion over my MOs. She must have alerted the cardinals based on my time line trace. The cardinals flagged the MOs as items likely to be returned. They were not bought by BoA card. Naturally, all MOs cleared.
Continue to deposit to Stagecoach, not Solaris.
ADK - are you suggesting that bank teller had problem with you depositing MOs into BofA bank account because he/she suspected you were buying them with BofA issued debit cards or for some other reason?
I routinely deposit those purchased with my solar card into my account stagecoach bank and trust and never gave it a second thought. Should I?
xlax
I routinely deposit those purchased with my solar card into my account stagecoach bank and trust and never gave it a second thought. Should I?
xlax
Oct 8, 2012, 12:04 am
#843
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 48
discover has its own payments program...you can send 1000 to anyone fee free and it counts toward cash back...it is a good way to get back up to the 1% tier after your annual reset which takes you down to .25% until you spend 3000. since they have their own payment program I doubt they would do AP. I don't know for sure.
Oct 8, 2012, 4:23 am
#844
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 385
BoA Alaska debit and BoA USAirways debit. Blooody nuisance since happened right before I left the country. Also took out a bank of e-checking accounts set up to receive payments from Jungleland.
BoA even charged me a $40 research fee for the privilege of them finding nothing in my checking accounts but unprofitable business for them.
However, the third part of Kennedy's law held up (ie There are only three things certain in life - death, taxes and that internal controls degrade over time). Their internal controls have a flaw and this financial termite remains able to continue to give the bank the business.
FTR, all frequent flyer miles earned were paid out.^
BoA even charged me a $40 research fee for the privilege of them finding nothing in my checking accounts but unprofitable business for them.
However, the third part of Kennedy's law held up (ie There are only three things certain in life - death, taxes and that internal controls degrade over time). Their internal controls have a flaw and this financial termite remains able to continue to give the bank the business.FTR, all frequent flyer miles earned were paid out.^
Oct 8, 2012, 5:27 am
#845
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
I'll be watching for that. Since all my BoA transactions are 100% legal and do not involve fraud I would consider that type of action libel on BoA's part. I will be pulling a ChexSystem report about month end. Naturally, I will need to replace the closed accounts with others because they are integral to my business model and I would hate to have libel cause me financial damage. There is something to be said for the formal AMEX FR process versus the BoA loose cannon process. Certainly, the FR process fulfills the "know your customer" aspect of federally mandated anti-money laundering efforts. But then if banks paid more attention to developing internal controls we would never read about them illegally gaming rates, like Barclays, or illegally invading and destroying homes, like Wells Fargo, or illegally forclosing, like BoA, or illegally disclosing customer information, like another institution I alerted to seal the exposure. 
BOA closed my new checking account (because a large check I deposited wasn't honored, however I was able to prove it was another bank's fault and so BOA re-opened my account and gave me back my $40 research fee). Anyhow, a month later I tried to open a checking account at another bank and was denied, based on the ChexSystem report. Unbeknownst to me, BOA had reported me for "SUSPICION OF FRAUD." Aloha, you might want to get your free annual ChexSystem report, actually everyone might want to do that. You can get it online just like getting your credit report; they mail it to you within five days. BOA reported the SOF about ten days after they closed the account, actually the same day that they re-opened it. After I contacted BOA about the SOF they took action to have it removed but said it takes 30 days. (Aloha please PM me re reticulitermes flavipes.)
Oct 8, 2012, 12:52 pm
#846
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: East Coast
Programs: AA/DL/UA, SPG/HH
Posts: 154
it may be possible that Send Money qualifies for 5% cash back for online purchases this quarter, too, but i haven't verified either way.
Oct 10, 2012, 11:54 am
#848
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,173
re
I'm just starting to use AP because I have some spend to meet. It seems like the better alternative to WF or Blubird. Is the $1000 limit by the calader month or by a rolling 30 days from transaction?
Oct 10, 2012, 12:07 pm
#849
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 670
sorry , when it started it was $1000. they encouraged me to try it and it worked great, at the time I was on top of the tier and earned $10 for sending $1000 to my wife.....I havent used it since, though I should. I just take advantage of the 5% catagories until I max them out, then cash in rewards for their 10% off giftcards like outback, red lobster, or texas roadhouse.
I'm just starting to use AP because I have some spend to meet. It seems like the better alternative to WF or Blubird. Is the $1000 limit by the calader month or by a rolling 30 days from transaction?
I'm just starting to use AP because I have some spend to meet. It seems like the better alternative to WF or Blubird. Is the $1000 limit by the calader month or by a rolling 30 days from transaction?
calendar
Oct 10, 2012, 12:16 pm
#850
Join Date: May 2008
Programs: AA PLT 2MM
Posts: 2,026
Yes. Every transaction not funded by CC seems to go into pending for a period of time, even if you've actually got funds in the sending account already.
Oct 10, 2012, 1:52 pm
#851
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
Pending comes and goes. Hard to reverse engineer why as the pattern is not clear (on the card side). Might be some manual review or sampling? Did get a peek at the limit protocols and transaction blocking on BUXX. If we have a similiar shadow of the AP controls there are limiters by interval and amount and they are not disclosed in advance to customers. Certainly BoA had such in their debit card system.
Oct 10, 2012, 2:48 pm
#852
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 138
Oct 10, 2012, 7:14 pm
#853
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
To paraphrase my fellow Kennedy - ask not what account your organization disabled, but what other accounts they overlooked.
In that vein, my good friend Brian Moynihan at BoA has given me a brand new cash back credit card and an Alaska CC to make up for the risk closure shut down of the US Airways and Alaska debit card. To quote Bugs Bunny "Eh, he don't know me very well, do he?"
In that vein, my good friend Brian Moynihan at BoA has given me a brand new cash back credit card and an Alaska CC to make up for the risk closure shut down of the US Airways and Alaska debit card. To quote Bugs Bunny "Eh, he don't know me very well, do he?"
Oct 11, 2012, 2:48 am
#855
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, AS, DL, BA, F9, IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, SPG Gold, MR Silver
Posts: 1,786