Feb 8, 2014, 2:22 pm
Last edit by: weezl
please be aware the Target breach cards are currently on the black market, as always be aware of activity on all accounts
Purchase in store. Each store seems to have just one lane that has them on display (unlike the AMEX GC which are at most lanes). Package is larger than other gift cards, silver and red.
Not available in all states. Search here for possible locations
Note: Unlike AMEX's restriction on BB/Serve/Redbird where one person can only hold one of those, you can have an AFT (2, actually) while holding a BB, Serve, or Redbird
Need DL to purchase.
Max 1 purchase per ss# per day--this means one person can actually have 2 AFT cards, which is why there is a $5000 total limit for 2 cards (see below).
Max initial load $500 + $3 load fee.
May reload temp card as soon as verification of identity is complete, may take 48 hours. You can use an ATM with a temp card as soon as you're able to view your temp card PIN online. If you're unable to view your PIN online, you won't be able to use an ATM until you have the permanent card, which takes about two weeks.
Many stores now limit reloading to the service desk, and no longer at cashiers. The card must be swiped at a cash terminal to reload, not scanned! Ask cashiers to try if they don't seem to recognize the card. Ask if loading at service desk is a policy, it might just be a knee-jerk response from cashiers that don't know about the card. I have been told that a few times, "You need to go to the Service Desk," it has never been true. Say please and thank you.
Limits & Fees
Loading
Codes as purchase on all cards.
Load fee $3
Max $1000 per card in 24 hour period.
Max $5000 total for both cards per 28 day rolling period.
May load any card *until* balance is $2500 for 28 day period (not *up to*)
System will allow a $1000 load on a card with a $2000 balance so long as you are under $5000 for all cards over 28 day period. See below for optimal load sequence, $15/$5k a month after 1st month and $15k in 65 days for new cards.
Unload via ATM
Max $400/card/day (resets sometime in the wee hours of the morning)
First ATM w/d per month per card is free, based on 1st of the month (not rolling)+ any ATM owner fee.
Additional ATM w/d fee $3 + ATM fee.
When asked 'from account' choose 'checking.'
Possibly helpful link:
Free and Low-Cost ATMs
Unload by purchases
No fee. No cash back.
Additional information
Optimal load pattern for least number of $3 fees after first $500 load is $3k/$2k.
New accounts can load $15k in 65 days. 4 trips in a week for new cards, 3 in a week once a month after that.
Load always means load $1000. 28 day load total in parenthesis. 'Dropped' means that load is past the 28 day mark.
Day 1: Purchase card #1, load $500
Day 3: Purchase card #2, load $500; Load card #1 ($1500)
Day 5: load card #1 ($2500); load card #2 ($1500)
Day 7: load card #2 ($2500)
*********************************wait************
Day 29: ($2000)($2500) day 1 dropped
Day 31: ($1000)($2000) day 3 dropped
Day 32: load card #1 ($2000) ; load card #2 ($3000)
Day 33: ($1000)($2000) day 5 dropped
Day 34: load card #1 ($2000); load card #2 ($3000)
Day 35: ($2000) ($2000) day 7 dropped
Day 36: load card #1 ($3000), ($2000)
*********************************wait************
Day 61: load both cards, day 32 dropped
Day 63: load both cards
Day 65: load one card.
Repeat Loads waiting 29 days between loads, if you loaded both cards 29 days ago load both now, if you loaded one card, load one now. So next load date is 61+29= Day 90
FAQ
Q: Will this show up as a CA?
A: No, Target is not a financial institution.
Q: Even with xxxx cards?
A: Yes, no cards will be charged a CA.
Q: Can I load with Visa/MC/Amex Gift Cards?
A: Yes. Also the balance can be detected and drained if you ask to load more than the value on a prepaid it will just prompt you to give a second payment form. Great for draining random balances.
Q: How about Target gift cards?
A: The register prompts not to allow Target gift cards. They may not be hard coded, though.
Q: Will I get 5% off if I load with a Target Red card?
A: No. Sorry, I wish.
Q: Can I load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes. Up to 3 cards can be loaded in one transaction, but each card will be charged $3.
Q: Why load multiple accounts in one transaction?
A: to avoid multiple $1003 transactions on same CC in minutes. This may trigger a fraud alert.
Q:Is there a max number of payment swipes?
A: Yes. Maximum swipes for split payments is 7, though other users have reported being able to swipe at least 10 gift cards for payment without problems.
Q: Any reason not to load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes, when you have multiple small value gift cards to unload because of 7 swipe limit.
Q: The title says withdrawals are 1.3%, is that true?
A: No. Do the math. I'm not very good at math. Under 1.3% includes Costco ATM fees. It is not possible to edit a thread title, the fees are lower due to the ATM limit now being $400.
Q: What are the lowest possible fees with a fee-free ATM available?
A: For 2 cards, each loaded with $2.5K each over 2 months ($10K in total), you would pay $30 in loading fees (10 load fees of $3 each) and $63 in ATM fees (25 total withdrawals, with 1 free withdrawal per card each month, resulting in 21 ATM fees of $3 each).
Official fund loading from T&C
You may load funds to your Cards using your Funding Source until the Available Funds on any Card purchased by you equals $2,500 and on all card purchased by you equals $5,000... Not more than $1,000 may be loaded to any Card purchased by you in a 24 hour period using your Funding Source, not more than $5,000 may be loaded to all Cards purchased by you in any 28-day period using your Funding Source.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE IF YOU LOADED YOUR PREPAID CARD AT TARGET DURING THE CHRISTMAS SECURITY BREACH: It is important to have AMEX reissue your cards (just phone the number on the card and ask for a new card). Thieves have the numbers and pins and can drain your account at any time. AMEX does not appear to be using software to block suspicious activity, so they can drain it all. If you loaded your prepaid card at Target between November 27 and December 15, 2013, you are at significant risk of having your money stolen (several reported cases in April and May).
Purchase in store. Each store seems to have just one lane that has them on display (unlike the AMEX GC which are at most lanes). Package is larger than other gift cards, silver and red.
Not available in all states. Search here for possible locations
Note: Unlike AMEX's restriction on BB/Serve/Redbird where one person can only hold one of those, you can have an AFT (2, actually) while holding a BB, Serve, or Redbird
Need DL to purchase.
Max 1 purchase per ss# per day--this means one person can actually have 2 AFT cards, which is why there is a $5000 total limit for 2 cards (see below).
Max initial load $500 + $3 load fee.
May reload temp card as soon as verification of identity is complete, may take 48 hours. You can use an ATM with a temp card as soon as you're able to view your temp card PIN online. If you're unable to view your PIN online, you won't be able to use an ATM until you have the permanent card, which takes about two weeks.
Many stores now limit reloading to the service desk, and no longer at cashiers. The card must be swiped at a cash terminal to reload, not scanned! Ask cashiers to try if they don't seem to recognize the card. Ask if loading at service desk is a policy, it might just be a knee-jerk response from cashiers that don't know about the card. I have been told that a few times, "You need to go to the Service Desk," it has never been true. Say please and thank you.
Limits & Fees
Loading
Codes as purchase on all cards.
Load fee $3
Max $1000 per card in 24 hour period.
Max $5000 total for both cards per 28 day rolling period.
May load any card *until* balance is $2500 for 28 day period (not *up to*)
System will allow a $1000 load on a card with a $2000 balance so long as you are under $5000 for all cards over 28 day period. See below for optimal load sequence, $15/$5k a month after 1st month and $15k in 65 days for new cards.
Unload via ATM
Max $400/card/day (resets sometime in the wee hours of the morning)
First ATM w/d per month per card is free, based on 1st of the month (not rolling)+ any ATM owner fee.
Additional ATM w/d fee $3 + ATM fee.
When asked 'from account' choose 'checking.'
Possibly helpful link:
Free and Low-Cost ATMs
Unload by purchases
No fee. No cash back.
Additional information
Optimal load pattern for least number of $3 fees after first $500 load is $3k/$2k.
New accounts can load $15k in 65 days. 4 trips in a week for new cards, 3 in a week once a month after that.
Load always means load $1000. 28 day load total in parenthesis. 'Dropped' means that load is past the 28 day mark.
Day 1: Purchase card #1, load $500
Day 3: Purchase card #2, load $500; Load card #1 ($1500)
Day 5: load card #1 ($2500); load card #2 ($1500)
Day 7: load card #2 ($2500)
*********************************wait************
Day 29: ($2000)($2500) day 1 dropped
Day 31: ($1000)($2000) day 3 dropped
Day 32: load card #1 ($2000) ; load card #2 ($3000)
Day 33: ($1000)($2000) day 5 dropped
Day 34: load card #1 ($2000); load card #2 ($3000)
Day 35: ($2000) ($2000) day 7 dropped
Day 36: load card #1 ($3000), ($2000)
*********************************wait************
Day 61: load both cards, day 32 dropped
Day 63: load both cards
Day 65: load one card.
Repeat Loads waiting 29 days between loads, if you loaded both cards 29 days ago load both now, if you loaded one card, load one now. So next load date is 61+29= Day 90
FAQ
Q: Will this show up as a CA?
A: No, Target is not a financial institution.
Q: Even with xxxx cards?
A: Yes, no cards will be charged a CA.
Q: Can I load with Visa/MC/Amex Gift Cards?
A: Yes. Also the balance can be detected and drained if you ask to load more than the value on a prepaid it will just prompt you to give a second payment form. Great for draining random balances.
Q: How about Target gift cards?
A: The register prompts not to allow Target gift cards. They may not be hard coded, though.
Q: Will I get 5% off if I load with a Target Red card?
A: No. Sorry, I wish.
Q: Can I load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes. Up to 3 cards can be loaded in one transaction, but each card will be charged $3.
Q: Why load multiple accounts in one transaction?
A: to avoid multiple $1003 transactions on same CC in minutes. This may trigger a fraud alert.
Q:Is there a max number of payment swipes?
A: Yes. Maximum swipes for split payments is 7, though other users have reported being able to swipe at least 10 gift cards for payment without problems.
Q: Any reason not to load multiple cards in one transaction?
A: Yes, when you have multiple small value gift cards to unload because of 7 swipe limit.
Q: The title says withdrawals are 1.3%, is that true?
A: No. Do the math. I'm not very good at math. Under 1.3% includes Costco ATM fees. It is not possible to edit a thread title, the fees are lower due to the ATM limit now being $400.
Q: What are the lowest possible fees with a fee-free ATM available?
A: For 2 cards, each loaded with $2.5K each over 2 months ($10K in total), you would pay $30 in loading fees (10 load fees of $3 each) and $63 in ATM fees (25 total withdrawals, with 1 free withdrawal per card each month, resulting in 21 ATM fees of $3 each).
Official fund loading from T&C
You may load funds to your Cards using your Funding Source until the Available Funds on any Card purchased by you equals $2,500 and on all card purchased by you equals $5,000... Not more than $1,000 may be loaded to any Card purchased by you in a 24 hour period using your Funding Source, not more than $5,000 may be loaded to all Cards purchased by you in any 28-day period using your Funding Source.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE IF YOU LOADED YOUR PREPAID CARD AT TARGET DURING THE CHRISTMAS SECURITY BREACH: It is important to have AMEX reissue your cards (just phone the number on the card and ask for a new card). Thieves have the numbers and pins and can drain your account at any time. AMEX does not appear to be using software to block suspicious activity, so they can drain it all. If you loaded your prepaid card at Target between November 27 and December 15, 2013, you are at significant risk of having your money stolen (several reported cases in April and May).
AmEx for Target: $400/week credit card ATM withdrawals for 1.3%+ in certain cities
May 2, 2014, 2:46 pm
#1576
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
But if you have AFT, you can skip the middle man. Just load the Hilton CC to the AFT at target.
May 3, 2014, 1:13 pm
#1578
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Fresno, CA
Posts: 93
If someone needs a card, PM me and for a few bucks I'll grab you one or two and mail them. Our stores have loads of them.
May 3, 2014, 3:53 pm
#1579
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: DL-Silver; BA-Bronze
Posts: 1,162
May 3, 2014, 4:02 pm
#1580
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SNA/LAX
Posts: 1,407
I think he's talking about taking them out of the store and shipping them. Not registering them. Then the recipient can take them to their target and do that by scanning them as all registers are prepared for the process.
May 3, 2014, 4:19 pm
#1581
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 195
I read somewhere on this thread that nobody has been able to find some in the Miami area. Any update on that?
May 3, 2014, 5:35 pm
#1582
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: PHL suburbs
Posts: 216
...which is theft.
I wonder what Amex/Target would do if an activation pops up from a store that doesn't sell AFT not long after AFTs are stolen from another store. It would be really easy to prosecute since they have your name, DOB, address, and SSN all in one place.
May 4, 2014, 6:59 pm
#1583
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 53
How many AFT do you use to make "an extra 10k of MS?" How does that work?
May 4, 2014, 7:17 pm
#1584
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 53
The lowest I can get MS cost is 1.05%. Assumes one $1,000 load for each of two months, taking out as free $400 ATM withdraws over five months at $3.00 per withdraw to my local ATM operator.
May 4, 2014, 11:00 pm
#1585
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
Account compromised... anyone every get to a US CSR?!
Does anyone have a back door # to get to US customer service or fraud dept?
I googled to no avail- would rather not use an Office of the President 'bullet' on this, but unless I can escape Indian CS, i'll have to (complaints/interventions from that office are very useful once in a blue moon. more than that, and you're flagged and the office is no longer your friend).
"Customer Service" in India for this card is proving really horrible in this situation. I've gone 3 levels up and been told there is no higher. No option to talk to a US based rep even in a fraud situation (btw, AMEX- that's pathetic). There are issues and, frankly, every mgr i've spoken with has been, to be kind, dumb as a stick.
btw, my card was not stolen. i have it. not sure whether this is part of the Target breach or not. Target's directing me back to Amex/India- which is a black hole of incompetence.
I hadn't messed with this card for a while, as there have been better options. signed in to find $1,200 in fraudulent charges done 1,000 miles away from me. they kept hitting $100 8x at a service station (note: this card has horrible fraud detection!). but then they backed off and then smaller transactions (including $1.50 at coke machines!) spread over 10 days- was still $50 on the card when i noticed. very odd.
I googled to no avail- would rather not use an Office of the President 'bullet' on this, but unless I can escape Indian CS, i'll have to (complaints/interventions from that office are very useful once in a blue moon. more than that, and you're flagged and the office is no longer your friend).
"Customer Service" in India for this card is proving really horrible in this situation. I've gone 3 levels up and been told there is no higher. No option to talk to a US based rep even in a fraud situation (btw, AMEX- that's pathetic). There are issues and, frankly, every mgr i've spoken with has been, to be kind, dumb as a stick.
btw, my card was not stolen. i have it. not sure whether this is part of the Target breach or not. Target's directing me back to Amex/India- which is a black hole of incompetence.
I hadn't messed with this card for a while, as there have been better options. signed in to find $1,200 in fraudulent charges done 1,000 miles away from me. they kept hitting $100 8x at a service station (note: this card has horrible fraud detection!). but then they backed off and then smaller transactions (including $1.50 at coke machines!) spread over 10 days- was still $50 on the card when i noticed. very odd.
May 5, 2014, 6:25 am
#1586
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: New York
Programs: AA, WN, BA, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 313
AmEx for Target: $400/week credit card ATM withdrawals for 1.3%+ in certain cities
Target breach. The transactions were labeled "oil completion" or chevron Madison. They took $1600 off my two cards.
India can dispute the transactions and they send you a form that you fill out and fax/mail to the main Salt Lake City center. You can PM me if you need more details. There is a post on fatwallet on this as well.
India can dispute the transactions and they send you a form that you fill out and fax/mail to the main Salt Lake City center. You can PM me if you need more details. There is a post on fatwallet on this as well.
May 5, 2014, 6:48 am
#1587
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: a hotel room, somewhere...
Posts: 962
Target breach. The transactions were labeled "oil completion" or chevron Madison. They took $1600 off my two cards.
India can dispute the transactions and they send you a form that you fill out and fax/mail to the main Salt Lake City center. You can PM me if you need more details. There is a post on fatwallet on this as well.
India can dispute the transactions and they send you a form that you fill out and fax/mail to the main Salt Lake City center. You can PM me if you need more details. There is a post on fatwallet on this as well.
yeah, India is incompetent getting me the form.
did you have coke vending purchases thrown in too?! odd.
May 5, 2014, 6:57 am
#1588
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 84
I also have a Amex for TGT fraud on 1 of the 4 cards in house. Had them reissue all 4 of them. And was asked to fax in the "dispute" form for each of fraud transactions. Card was never lost or used at any store except ATM.
They have absolutely no fraud detection! And no fraud team!!
They have absolutely no fraud detection! And no fraud team!!
May 5, 2014, 8:22 am
#1589
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Brooklyn/NYC.
Posts: 69
Amex 4 Target Cards
Anyone who is in NYC The Target at the Atlantic Terminal/Barclay Center had about 2 dozen as of yesterday....near cash registers 14-15 and 20 I believe but plenty in stock. Feel free to pm me with any questions....
Just sharing the wealth......
Just sharing the wealth......
May 5, 2014, 8:26 am
#1590
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 33
I was there last week and their didn't have, I had to go to the target on 116th st