Old Oct 25, 2013, 11:21 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JAXBA
Read the wiki before posting a question.
It's a literacy test that's easy to pass.

This is the Serve thread. Post questions or information concerning other topics in the appropriate threads elsewhere in this forum.

For additional information on using prepaid debit cards, see PIN available now for Visa/MC prepaid debit cards.

Mentions of Softcard (formerly ISIS) are purely incidental to setting up and using Serve/Softcard. Softcard does not hold money, and you cannot load to it.


You cannot make an ACH pull from Serve. The direct deposit account and routing numbers are for deposits only.

https://www.serve.com/#/add-cash

If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.


Loads at 7-11 and CVS are cash only. Debit cards are NOT allowed.

Loads at Walmart have been confirmed with debit cards. Self checkout does not work for loading Serve. Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of prepaid debit cards when loading, even though the register and the MCE do not enforce. Do not make your prepaid debit cards visible. Show them a bank debit card if asked, then discreetly use your prepaid card when asked to swipe. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC (Walmart Money Center) again to load.

Debit loading at Family Dollar appears to be limited to $500 per day per store total (not per person or per account). Whoever gets there first gets the load for the day. Troubleshooting loading problems at FD


Normal Serve
  • Serve loading via VR/MP or WM/FD load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
  • Online Debit Card Load - $200/day and $1,000/month (NOT a gift card with a PIN that some people call a "Debit card")
  • Online Credit Card Load - $200/day and $1,000/month
  • Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
  • Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
  • ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month

You can combine the three methods above and load a total of $7k/month to a single Serve account for miles/points earning purposes, but beware that you're also subject to a $10,000/month add money limit which also includes check deposits, ACH transfers, and Serve transfers.

Serve/Softcard Check if your phone/network is compatible
  • Serve loading via VR/MP or WM/FD load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
  • Online Debit Card Load - $500/day and $1,500/month (NOT a gift card with a PIN that some people call a "Debit card")
  • Online Credit Card Load - $500/day and $1,500/month
  • Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
  • Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
  • ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month

You can combine the three methods above and load a total of $8k/month to a single Serve account for miles/points earning purposes, but beware that you're also subject to a $10,000/month add money limit which also includes check deposits, ACH transfers, and Serve transfers.

The SD card in the iPhone case used for Softcard is account specific. Once an account has been registered to a card, it cannot be used for another.

Temp Serve
You can only load a maximum of $500/day, $1000/month on a temporary card. Once you get your permanent card, then you can load more. The initial $500 when you purchase the temp card doesn't count against the $5,000/month load limit.


Online Credit Card Loads
Only one card can be linked at a time.

As of 10/09/14, coding of credit card loads changed. In general, Mastercard and American Express cards post as before; see below for information on point earning. Visa cards transact as a cash advance and, therefore, require available CA limit; although most cards post as a purchase.

The Chase Ink Bold is a charge card and has no cash advance ability.

Treated as purchase, earns cashback/points/miles:
  • Bank of America (FIA) (MasterCard, American Express)
  • Barclaycard (Mastercard, Visa)
  • Capital One (Mastercard, Visa)
  • Chase (MasterCard, Visa)
  • Citi (MasterCard, American Express)
  • Discover

Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
  • American Express (May count toward minimum spend)

Posts as a cash advance:
For online CC/DC loads, the name on the Serve account is supposed to match the name of the primary or joint cardholder. So using someone else's CC/DB card to load a Serve account is not allowed.

Several people have reported no problems with loading with an AU card in the Serve account holder's name. Increase your chances by making sure the AUs social security number is on file with the Credit Card. YMMV.

When adding a new card you will usually need to call Serve Account security (1-800-555-4318) for verification of the new card on the second load try. This verification usually requires uploading of a photo of your ID and the credit card. You may pre-emptively avoid the error by going to the above website, logging in, and uploading a scan of a photo ID and the card you are trying to add. You may call back to expedite approval.


Online Debit Card Loads
For online debit load, only use of bank-issued cards is allowed. The use of pre-paid debit cards (Netspend, Paypower, Univision, Paypal*, etc.) and VGC/MGC/AGCs is not allowed. While initial transactions may work, your account will eventually be flagged.


Switching to Serve or Serve/Softcard
Helpful instruction post, latest. Thanks raeneye.

Also see this thread: Switching from Serve to BlueBird - 31 day wait???

Switching to Serve/Softcard
  1. Call up Bluebird or Serve and close account. Make sure your account is at $0.00 before calling. Just close it, don't ask for a temp Serve or anything. CSR will say account is now closed and you have 30 days to change your mind should you decide to re-open it.
  2. Download the Softcard mobile app from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. If you're an iPhone user you have to buy the NFC CashWrap case from your carrier store.
  3. Launch Softcard Mobile App and create Softcard account. You'll be asked if you want to open a Serve account; Yes you do. Start the registration through Softcard mobile app for a Serve account, once you are finished you will be told you will receive an Email from Amex with your account approval. I waited a few hours and called Serve customer service like the wiki says and completed the registration.
  4. Once I got off the phone with Serve I received an email from Serve where I verified my account and email; at this point Amex Serve is open.
  5. Launch Softcard Mobile app again click add new
  6. Activate card with Softcard and select Amex Serve. Follow the instructions & you're good to add. Once this is complete a Serve Card will populate in Softcard. Must activate physical card to get full load limits. Check account status and it automatically credits to your serve account based on who you signed up with. (Verizon - $25, T-Mobile - $50, AT&T - $30 (For AT&T: Get $15 w/activation. Earn additional $15 w/account replenishment))

Switching from BB to Serve
  1. Login to BB account, bring account balance to Zero, (By Bill Pay, Send money, etc..)
  2. Call BB, tell them that you want to open a serve account and close your current BB account. after they check everything they will say something like: "Your account will be permanently closed after 31 days, you can reopen it within 31 day if you change your mind, and you can apply for your new Serve account now, just make sure use the exact same register info from BB."
  3. at this point BB is closed. next morning, goto CVS and get a temporary Serve card (only with cash), load $500, ($2.95 waived, Yeah!!)
  4. get back home, register temporary Serve online, First error: "phone number already registered, please try a different number" could be the my BB's ghost account still showing up on their system, could be my info is not match my BB's registration? i'm not really sure at this point. What I did is keep the same number but change from Cell phone to home phone. and registration went through
  5. after the register and login, second error: "We're still processing your application. Please check your email for an update"
  6. I have see people on the thread reported waiting for weeks for the same message, So, I pickup the phone and called them, ask them to speed up the process.
  7. CSR, told me that my account went to "account security protection department" transfer me to them.
  8. at account security protection department, they told me need to call back on my phone number which I registered to verify.
  9. after the call back of verification, CSR told me that my new Serve account is active now, email address verification will be send with in 5 minutes, permanent card will be received within 7-10 days.
  10. CSR also told me the I can load and spend on the temporary card, but not bill pay.

The number to call to approve your registration after closing Bluebird: Serve Account security 1-800-555-4318



Loading with debit card at Walmart register
Loads at register over $500 will sometimes trigger ID requirement. There is a limit of four swipes per transaction; this means your card plus three payments.

Training a WM cashier:
  • If the WM cashier doesn't know how to load the card, advise them to enter "70" then press "action code".
  • If you are using a temp card that doesn't have your name on it, you can swipe the card from your side of the terminal. The WM rep never has to touch any of your cards. The screen will say "enter account." That is your prompt to slide the card.
  • The terminal will ask the WM employee if you are loading in multiples of $2000. Advise them to enter "no."
  • Avoid saying gift card. Always refer to your card as a debit card.

Error Messages:
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Received when I used a card I thought I had activated but hadn't.

DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.

TENDER NOT ALLOWED
Card was incorrectly read, or wrong PIN entered.

HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again. Try again later.


Using Serve
For online bill pay
  • You can pay the credit card that you used to buy VRs/GCs
  • Error 1302 means that you have 1 pending payment the same amount as the one you just submitted. For example, 1000 bill pay to sapphire preferred from Friday and then on Saturday you submit another bill pay for 1000 to sapphire preferred, you will get this error.
  • Tip: if using online bill pay to the same place multiple times, vary your amounts by $0.01 to make it easier to track since your confirmation number does not match the tracking number on your credit card statement



For bank transfers
Under Settings --> Funding & Transfers --> Bank & Cards --> U.S. Bank Account, you can add your bank info and transfer funds from your Serve card directly to your bank. The bank account must be verified, either by the standard "deposit 2 small sums into your account, such as $0.23 & $0.42" method, or doing an "instant verification" by actually logging into your bank account while still logged into Serve.
===

People with an apartment address can find helpful information quoted in post #8530
Print Wikipost

Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon Payments.

Old Apr 24, 2014, 8:41 am
  #3391  
rb2
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 12
Serve

I loaded 2x500 vgc to serve this morning. One in the money center and one at a register later.

I also tested the kate. I chose the bluebird option and it worked flawlessly.

rb
rb2 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 9:54 am
  #3392  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Northeast USA
Posts: 300
Originally Posted by ranjanrocks
i am running into the same issue....called the serve csr, they have no idea...they asked me to wait for 30 days
same here, very frustrating.

anyone experienced this and then gotten through without waiting 30 days?
dublin487 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 9:59 am
  #3393  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,493
Originally Posted by dublin487
same here, very frustrating.

anyone experienced this and then gotten through without waiting 30 days?
Have you tried calling another CSR?
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 11:53 am
  #3394  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 632
Originally Posted by bribro
BB still allows physical check writing and it has no monthly fee. For FTers, neither of those "advantages" really matter though since most will use electronic BP (not check writing) and most will load at least $500 to their Serve card, which waives the $1 monthly fee. Serve is the clear winner now IMO.
Why is it so clear? The extra $1000 load via CC?
flyertalker9867674 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 11:56 am
  #3395  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: OC/LAX
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by dublin487
same here, very frustrating.

anyone experienced this and then gotten through without waiting 30 days?
Yeah I think they might have changed how easy it was to switch between BB and Serve recently. I was able to switch back and forth once or twice within a couple of hours but now they send you a different email than before. Before they would send out an email saying that your account was going to be reviewed but now they immediately send out an email saying that they cannot approve you for an account because you have an existing BB/Serve account. The Serve APS can't even see the application you submit for some reason.
aceofcards is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 12:02 pm
  #3396  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 120
Originally Posted by aceofcards
Originally Posted by dublin487
same here, very frustrating.

anyone experienced this and then gotten through without waiting 30 days?
Yeah I think they might have changed how easy it was to switch between BB and Serve recently. I was able to switch back and forth once or twice within a couple of hours but now they send you a different email than before. Before they would send out an email saying that your account was going to be reviewed but now they immediately send out an email saying that they cannot approve you for an account because you have an existing BB/Serve account. The Serve APS can't even see the application you submit for some reason.
My guess is too many people abused it. My 2 previous experiences(BB to Serve & Serve to Isis Serve) were both done within an hour. It must happened recently since my change to Isis Serve was done on Apr 10.
babehwa is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 12:08 pm
  #3397  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: OC/LAX
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by babehwa
My guess is too many people abused it. My 2 previous experiences(BB to Serve & Serve to Isis Serve) were both done within an hour. It must happened recently since my change to Isis Serve was done on Apr 10.
Yeah, I switched one of my accounts the day before yesterday and I got the "account is under review" message upon applying. Called in and application approved. Then yesterday I tried to switch my other account but it gives me a "technical difficulties" message. I ended up just reopening the account I closed.
aceofcards is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 1:02 pm
  #3398  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 14
Originally Posted by bar19900
So I switched my wife from BB to Serve ISIS a few weeks ago following the wiki's procedure and everything went flawless.

Last night I did the same for myself and when I went to sign up for Serve through ISIS I got a phone number error. I corrected the phone issue by entering a home phone number instead of cell and then got an email with the following:

"Thank you for signing up for American Express Serve. We're sorry but because you have an existing Bluebird Account, we cannot approve you for another American Express Serve Account"

Has something changed? Should I try to sign up for Serve again today? Also, how do you get ISIS to let you sign up for Serve a second time through the app? When add a card now it doesn't have that nice step through process to sign up for Serve. TIA
Definitely has changed - a handful of people, myself included, have posted within the last week about having trouble switching from BB to serve in less than 30 days now. Calling the serve account protection line doesn't work unless you actually get your registration through, which doesn't seem to be permitted for people who closed their BB in less than 30 days now (I get the same technical error and the same email you got).
adelman is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 2:12 pm
  #3399  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
Originally Posted by RamboAroundTheWorld
Why is it so clear? The extra $1000 load via CC?
The extra $1,000 (or $1,500 with ISIS) online CC loading and access to AmEx Sync offers make it a slam dunk. Serve also accepts MP, although I don't bother with those.

One other positive of BB though is that it has no FTF, which again is of probably little importance to the vast majority of FTers.
bribro is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 2:46 pm
  #3400  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: ORD
Programs: status free since 2017
Posts: 2,188
What's a FTF?
carsnoceans is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 3:11 pm
  #3401  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
FTF=Foreign Transaction Fee.
bribro is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 3:12 pm
  #3402  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, HH Diamond
Posts: 174
Originally Posted by carsnoceans
What's a FTF?
For the Fail. It's the antonym of FTW, For the Win.

Actually, foreign transaction fee.
fletch512 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 4:14 pm
  #3403  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 632
Originally Posted by bribro
The extra $1,000 (or $1,500 with ISIS) online CC loading and access to AmEx Sync offers make it a slam dunk. Serve also accepts MP, although I don't bother with those.

One other positive of BB though is that it has no FTF, which again is of probably little importance to the vast majority of FTers.
I'm still on the fence.
flyertalker9867674 is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 4:15 pm
  #3404  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 68
Amex EDP and PINless transaction dependent Debit Card

Two specific questions...
(1) It is indicated that American Express credit cards will not earn miles/points but will count as purchases if using it as credit load with Amex Serve. Can I set up daily automatic credit load with Amex EDP to satisfy its 30+ transaction requirement in order to get the 50% more points for that month? It probably will not work according to the benefit terms "Purchases do not include .... purchases or reloading of prepaid cards, or purchases of other cash equivalents.." Did anyone actually try it?

(2) Sometimes a debit card requires a certain amount of PINless transactions in a month to get better reward or higher interest for the checking account. Will I be able to get PINless transactions if I set up Amex Serve to automatically do debit load on such debit card?
greatname is offline  
Old Apr 24, 2014, 4:26 pm
  #3405  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, AA EP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Platinum, M life Noir
Posts: 1,279
Originally Posted by RamboAroundTheWorld
I'm still on the fence.
$6,000-$8,000 in loading per month with Serve vs. $5,000-$6,000 in loading per month with BB. What are you on the fence about? For FTers, this is a no brainer unless you really want physical checks.
bribro is offline  

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