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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
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Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon Payments.

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Old Sep 11, 2014, 12:18 pm
  #6571  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 313
Originally Posted by estancergist
I ordered one from the ISIS website 2 months ago and have yet to receive it. The only contact info they have is for T-mobile (and they were unable to help after 2 sessions of 30-45min on the phone). Since I'm unable to get them in stores either, I tried placing another order online 2 days ago... we'll see.
so I guess that option is out of window. Well, I will keep trying the tmo stores and hoping that they will get new shipment of soft cards pretty soon.
nadir576 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:27 pm
  #6572  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Originally Posted by DaveInLA
I'm still undecided if I should change my BB to Serve. The main reason I'm hesitating is because I've been using my PP Debit MC to fund $1000 to my BB online every month for a while, and I've read several reports of people with BB or Serve that reject PP Debit MC. I created a BB account for my family member and tried to use her PPDMC (same name) to load online debit, and it wouldn't take. I don't know if mine got grandfathered in, but I'm afraid that if I create a new account, I'll lose this method of liquidating my PP account. What are your thoughts on this? Any data points on NEW Serve accounts accepting or rejecting PP Debit MC for online debit loads?
Yes there is the chance that you would lose your PP Debit MC per month but you would definitely gain $1000-$1500 of CC online load. So you have to decide which is worth more to you.
cdancer20 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:28 pm
  #6573  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Nevermind
cdancer20 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:32 pm
  #6574  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 149
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
Do you guys think Amex will issue new "Serve Isis" cards that say "Serve Softcard" on it after the transition is complete?
I hope they call it "Soft serve"
workaccounttoday is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:32 pm
  #6575  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Originally Posted by Stettin
4) Has anyone seen any effects on their credit score by increasing their credit utilization? -- As is, my free FICO report says I have a high utilization ratio already, but across all my cards, I don't think it is more than 10-15%
This is the wrong thread to be inquiring about credit utilization. Try the myFico forums.
cdancer20 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:34 pm
  #6576  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,207
Originally Posted by cdancer20
Yes there is the chance that you would lose your PP Debit MC per month but you would definitely gain $1000-$1500 of CC online load. So you have to decide which is worth more to you.
yea, id rather have the free $1000 in CC with a chance at the $1000 debit than just sticking with the debit.... That said, I added my PPDMC to my account and never had to verify it. If you are super worried, start with a small load like $25 or $50 and do three varying loads with several days between. IME if you get through 3 loads without having to call, you have a really high probability of never having to call.
hamokmonky is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 1:47 pm
  #6577  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: FLL / BKK
Posts: 703
Originally Posted by workaccounttoday
I hope they call it "Soft serve"
Ha!
EVA777 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:20 pm
  #6578  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Hyatt Glb, MR Plat
Posts: 2,577
Originally Posted by DaveInLA
I'm still undecided if I should change my BB to Serve. The main reason I'm hesitating is because I've been using my PP Debit MC to fund $1000 to my BB online every month for a while, and I've read several reports of people with BB or Serve that reject PP Debit MC. I created a BB account for my family member and tried to use her PPDMC (same name) to load online debit, and it wouldn't take. I don't know if mine got grandfathered in, but I'm afraid that if I create a new account, I'll lose this method of liquidating my PP account. What are your thoughts on this? Any data points on NEW Serve accounts accepting or rejecting PP Debit MC for online debit loads?
I finally got around to activating my PP Debit MC last night, added it to Serve, error out on first load, uploaded picture of it, called Serve to verify, loaded first $200, done.
frudd38 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 2:47 pm
  #6579  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 394
Originally Posted by frudd38
I finally got around to activating my PP Debit MC last night, added it to Serve, error out on first load, uploaded picture of it, called Serve to verify, loaded first $200, done.
I have made two loads from my PPBDC so far without having to call in. Will try the third tomorrow.
givingitatry is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 3:31 pm
  #6580  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, SW, UA
Posts: 36
I recently got a new UA Chase card and added it on Serve. On my first attempt to load it I tried to add $200, and got an error message that said “We’re sorry, something went wrong! Please try again.” I then tried to load $20 and that worked. I then tried to add an additional $180 and got the exact same error message. I waited a day and tried again, same error message. I am not sure if the issue is with Chase or with Serve, any ideas? This is my first time using a Chase card on Serve, but I successfully used a Citi card previously. Thanks!
fireflyt is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 4:25 pm
  #6581  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 76
I admit I haven't read all 430+ pages of posts, but I have a simple question.

With Amazon Payments shutting down (which was so incredibly simple), I was hoping to use Serve very simply, and I want to see if this will work, given my understanding of how Serve works:

1) sign up, get the Serve card
2) load my Serve with credit card "A" 5 times per month, $200 per load, to get close to or at $1,000 monthly limit
3) pay off credit card "A" with the same $1,000 of loaded money.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks
GunneRy is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 4:41 pm
  #6582  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SFO
Programs: AA, SW, UA
Posts: 36
Yes this is possible.

Originally Posted by GunneRy
I admit I haven't read all 430+ pages of posts, but I have a simple question.

With Amazon Payments shutting down (which was so incredibly simple), I was hoping to use Serve very simply, and I want to see if this will work, given my understanding of how Serve works:

1) sign up, get the Serve card
2) load my Serve with credit card "A" 5 times per month, $200 per load, to get close to or at $1,000 monthly limit
3) pay off credit card "A" with the same $1,000 of loaded money.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks
fireflyt is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 6:50 pm
  #6583  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 81
Originally Posted by stark4
So OV as a credit .. instead of Debit when loading to Serve is Hard Coded at ALL WM POS registers NationWide or only in few states? I was gonna try it at my NYC local WM but if it is Hard Coded then i'm not even gonna bother.
To answer my own question.. I tried it today at WM POS. It didn't go through because the cashier said my OV card is trying as credit instead of debit. She was nice enough to try to swipe my OV card at her side of the register but still failed. We tried like 5 times and gave up. I thanked her and left.

So yeah we can't load OV cards at WM POS
stark4 is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 7:44 pm
  #6584  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 207
Anyone knows if loading serve with discover will count towards the discover fourth quarter category bonus?
cyclotron is offline  
Old Sep 11, 2014, 7:52 pm
  #6585  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,506
Originally Posted by cyclotron
Anyone knows if loading serve with discover will count towards the discover fourth quarter category bonus?
Why would it be part of the 4th quarter category bonus? Are you sure you are in the right thread and not talking about AP?
ericdabbs is offline  


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