Oct 25, 2013, 11:21 am
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
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
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:
Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
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
Switching from BB to Serve
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:
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
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
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Launch Softcard Mobile app again click add new
- 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
- Login to BB account, bring account balance to Zero, (By Bill Pay, Send money, etc..)
- 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."
- 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!!)
- 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
- after the register and login, second error: "We're still processing your application. Please check your email for an update"
- 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.
- CSR, told me that my account went to "account security protection department" transfer me to them.
- at account security protection department, they told me need to call back on my phone number which I registered to verify.
- 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.
- 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
Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon Payments.
Sep 16, 2014, 10:30 am
#6676
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 10
That is correct.
But if you're really slick, you will buy a VGC at your local drug store, use those with evolve to pay $500 per month (the new max). Then use Serve to load and then bill pay $1000. Then transfer $1000 per month, in a triangle pattern, with amazon pay (only for the next 2 months, party ends on 10/13/14). Might as well utilize all the easy tools while you can as they will likely disappear like all the tools that have come before them.
But if you're really slick, you will buy a VGC at your local drug store, use those with evolve to pay $500 per month (the new max). Then use Serve to load and then bill pay $1000. Then transfer $1000 per month, in a triangle pattern, with amazon pay (only for the next 2 months, party ends on 10/13/14). Might as well utilize all the easy tools while you can as they will likely disappear like all the tools that have come before them.
Sep 16, 2014, 10:36 am
#6677
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
Question on this: I know it's possible to load Serve via Amazon Payments, but what limit does that count towards? I'll be honest, I'm having a hard time finding the direct method for sending from AP to Serve, but would it count towards the debit limit or perhaps the checking account or checks?
Sep 16, 2014, 10:42 am
#6678
Suspended
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ILG/PHL
Programs: Amex Plat, AA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Gold, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,075
Sep 16, 2014, 10:57 am
#6680
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
Google was satisfied with Software based security with NFC. The Phone and the CC companies were not. They wanted the security to be HW based in the Secure SIM.
Google Wallet can still be a factor, but Google has more of an attitude that they KNOW how to do it right, while Apple knows they need to get the existing industry players involved.
Sep 16, 2014, 11:26 am
#6681
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 149
Depends on what cards you are using/where you bought them. GCs purchased online typically have that requirement, while GC bought in person typically do not, however ones purchased in store may have a delay in becoming active, so that may also play into it working vs not working if you tried to load immediately after buying.
Sep 16, 2014, 11:56 am
#6682
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Central VA/LYH/ROA
Programs: BA, AA, SPG, HLTN, ETC
Posts: 365
Ok - so i just signed up with ISIS/softcard and an NFC case. 2 quick questions.
1) I know it says 5-7 days but in others experience how long does it usually take the card to come?
2) In the wiki it says
""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""
...well for my setup as soon as I finished signing up my ISIS/softcard app shows my new Serve card already in the app..I obviously have not activated any card as i just applied today and have not received it in the mail. So should i just have to go to the Serve site and activate the physical card when it comes in and everything will be upgraded?
the main reason i am asking this i am hoping to upgrade to the new iphone this coming weekend so I was trying to get this all setup before then while i still had my 5s. lol
Im just wondering if now that I got the ISIS aspect setup will i need to use it for any part of activating the card and getting limits increased or am i good just activating the card online and no longer need the app (since i hope to have a new phone by then).
1) I know it says 5-7 days but in others experience how long does it usually take the card to come?
2) In the wiki it says
""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""
...well for my setup as soon as I finished signing up my ISIS/softcard app shows my new Serve card already in the app..I obviously have not activated any card as i just applied today and have not received it in the mail. So should i just have to go to the Serve site and activate the physical card when it comes in and everything will be upgraded?
the main reason i am asking this i am hoping to upgrade to the new iphone this coming weekend so I was trying to get this all setup before then while i still had my 5s. lol
Im just wondering if now that I got the ISIS aspect setup will i need to use it for any part of activating the card and getting limits increased or am i good just activating the card online and no longer need the app (since i hope to have a new phone by then).
Sep 16, 2014, 12:05 pm
#6683
Join Date: May 2014
Location: New York
Posts: 391
Question on this: I know it's possible to load Serve via Amazon Payments, but what limit does that count towards? I'll be honest, I'm having a hard time finding the direct method for sending from AP to Serve, but would it count towards the debit limit or perhaps the checking account or checks?
Sep 16, 2014, 2:43 pm
#6684
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ATL
Programs: AA, AGR, DL, MR, WoH, UA
Posts: 951
Thanks to a particular blog, I suspect that we'll be getting a lot of new folks soon. So, please put your spoons away and make sure that everyone is reading the wiki.
Sep 16, 2014, 2:57 pm
#6685
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
It's interesting to read some of the questions on those blogs and try to remember how it must have felt to be a newb back then. Now those questions are like "seriously?!? just shoot me now. LOL" (But heck I see some of those same questions on this website when the answers are plentiful if you read.)
Sep 16, 2014, 3:00 pm
#6686
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 10
I hope I got that all correctly..
Sep 16, 2014, 3:04 pm
#6687
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
I used the wrong term. my bad!
Ah seems simple enough, I believe the bank I've seen referenced is Centurion? I say it seems simple, but of course I assume it is anything but. I'm just trying to pay off some student loans using Serve, and If I can add another $1K (the limit it seems) to my Serve account from AP this month, and then again in October, that would be great! (This is in addition to the $200 per day limit on loading Serve directly with a credit card under a non-isis Serve account).
I hope I got that all correctly..
Ah seems simple enough, I believe the bank I've seen referenced is Centurion? I say it seems simple, but of course I assume it is anything but. I'm just trying to pay off some student loans using Serve, and If I can add another $1K (the limit it seems) to my Serve account from AP this month, and then again in October, that would be great! (This is in addition to the $200 per day limit on loading Serve directly with a credit card under a non-isis Serve account).
I hope I got that all correctly..
Sep 16, 2014, 3:06 pm
#6688
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: DL PLT, AS 75k, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 391
I used the wrong term. my bad!
Ah seems simple enough, I believe the bank I've seen referenced is Centurion? I say it seems simple, but of course I assume it is anything but. I'm just trying to pay off some student loans using Serve, and If I can add another $1K (the limit it seems) to my Serve account from AP this month, and then again in October, that would be great! (This is in addition to the $200 per day limit on loading Serve directly with a credit card under a non-isis Serve account).
I hope I got that all correctly..
Ah seems simple enough, I believe the bank I've seen referenced is Centurion? I say it seems simple, but of course I assume it is anything but. I'm just trying to pay off some student loans using Serve, and If I can add another $1K (the limit it seems) to my Serve account from AP this month, and then again in October, that would be great! (This is in addition to the $200 per day limit on loading Serve directly with a credit card under a non-isis Serve account).
I hope I got that all correctly..
Sep 16, 2014, 3:16 pm
#6689
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 10
Yes, if you look or the info on setting up direct deposit to your Serve account, it will give a bank routing number and account number. Then add that info to your amazon payments account like you would for any other bank account, and withdraw to it like any other bank account. Amazon will see the routing number and determine it's an Amex Centurion Bank. It's very, very easy. And it will trigger then $50 bonus if you do two withdrawals of at least $250 each before September ends.
This was actually going to be another question, but I figured that there would be an option to just add a credit card (which would then need to be verified) and then just send the funds over. Correct?
Edit: Nevermind, it looks like I can't add funds that way according to https://payments.amazon.com/help/81802
I guess I have no clue
Last edited by heeeresJohnny; Sep 16, 2014 at 3:18 pm Reason: update
Sep 16, 2014, 3:29 pm
#6690
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 829
I believe it's a bit more complicated than that.
Google was satisfied with Software based security with NFC. The Phone and the CC companies were not. They wanted the security to be HW based in the Secure SIM.
Google Wallet can still be a factor, but Google has more of an attitude that they KNOW how to do it right, while Apple knows they need to get the existing industry players involved.
Google was satisfied with Software based security with NFC. The Phone and the CC companies were not. They wanted the security to be HW based in the Secure SIM.
Google Wallet can still be a factor, but Google has more of an attitude that they KNOW how to do it right, while Apple knows they need to get the existing industry players involved.
you can put in the Nexus phone secure softcard sim, you cannot install the app.
the phones are made by LG. All LG top phones are compatible, even mid to low phones such as F6 are compatible.
And Nexuses are not, surprise!
