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
Jan 19, 2013, 6:01 pm
#346
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1P, AA Gold
Posts: 102
I just received my permanent Amex for Target card today, and tried to log in to my previously set up americanexpress.com/target account.
The website takes all my info for the new card, and then throws me into an
"Error 404: Invalid path {0} was requested"
page.
Anyone else seen that?
The website takes all my info for the new card, and then throws me into an
"Error 404: Invalid path {0} was requested"
page.
Anyone else seen that?
Jan 19, 2013, 6:05 pm
#347
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,516
Did anybody try to use MC gift card (issued by US Bank) to load Target AMEX? I bought it in grocery store ($500 GC) and tried to use it in Target 15 minutes later. The register immediately has asked me for a PIN number (which didn't happen with Visa GCs I used in the same batch load). Quite strange....
Jan 19, 2013, 6:09 pm
#348
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 210
The register immediately has asked me for a PIN number
Jan 19, 2013, 6:56 pm
#350
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 301
Load limit $2500 per card?
From the FAQ at americanexpress.com/target:
"you cannot load more than $5,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period"
Last week, I was told by an AFT CSR that the 5K limit is on the person, not on individual card, this is consistent with the FAQ above. She also gave an example that one card can load 4K and another can load 1K. But today I was only able to load $500 on the card that had already loaded 2K in the last 28-day, and another CSR told me the rload limit on each card is $2500, being $5000 divided by 2.
Is anyone able to load more than 2.5K in 28-day if you have two card?
"you cannot load more than $5,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period"
Last week, I was told by an AFT CSR that the 5K limit is on the person, not on individual card, this is consistent with the FAQ above. She also gave an example that one card can load 4K and another can load 1K. But today I was only able to load $500 on the card that had already loaded 2K in the last 28-day, and another CSR told me the rload limit on each card is $2500, being $5000 divided by 2.
Is anyone able to load more than 2.5K in 28-day if you have two card?
Jan 19, 2013, 6:59 pm
#351
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 102
I just received my permanent Amex for Target card today, and tried to log in to my previously set up americanexpress.com/target account.
The website takes all my info for the new card, and then throws me into an
"Error 404: Invalid path {0} was requested"
page.
Anyone else seen that?
The website takes all my info for the new card, and then throws me into an
"Error 404: Invalid path {0} was requested"
page.
Anyone else seen that?
Jan 19, 2013, 8:13 pm
#352
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Just off the Main Line
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT 2MM, DL Lifetime GM 2MM, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium Elite, HH Diamond, IHG Amb Diamond
Posts: 881
The cardmember agreement seems pretty clear https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...agreement.html
"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,"
"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,"
From the FAQ at americanexpress.com/target:
"you cannot load more than $5,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period"
Last week, I was told by an AFT CSR that the 5K limit is on the person, not on individual card, this is consistent with the FAQ above. She also gave an example that one card can load 4K and another can load 1K. But today I was only able to load $500 on the card that had already loaded 2K in the last 28-day, and another CSR told me the rload limit on each card is $2500, being $5000 divided by 2.
Is anyone able to load more than 2.5K in 28-day if you have two card?
"you cannot load more than $5,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period"
Last week, I was told by an AFT CSR that the 5K limit is on the person, not on individual card, this is consistent with the FAQ above. She also gave an example that one card can load 4K and another can load 1K. But today I was only able to load $500 on the card that had already loaded 2K in the last 28-day, and another CSR told me the rload limit on each card is $2500, being $5000 divided by 2.
Is anyone able to load more than 2.5K in 28-day if you have two card?
Jan 19, 2013, 8:17 pm
#353
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 301
To me, this indicates the max balance is $2500 per card and $5000 for both card, not load limit.
The cardmember agreement seems pretty clear https://www.americanexpress.com/us/c...agreement.html
"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,"
"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,"
Jan 19, 2013, 8:59 pm
#354
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1P, AA Gold
Posts: 102
Go back to the login using the name/password I created originally for the temporary card. After logging in, it takes me to the same "Enter your card details" page again (except with a broken image in place of the "Security Code is located here"). Type in all the details of the permanent card again, and that's when I get the whole white page, with a single line text error message about Error 404.
Tried calling customer support. No help, other than "there may be something wrong with the website. Wait 30 minutes and try again".
Jan 19, 2013, 10:58 pm
#355
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
They are starting to mind as the recent posts show. I experienced it first hand too yesterday as my fav target's new cashier made a big scene with the manager when she saw "Gift" on the VGC. I did not even have time to say "Oh you don't do GCs? That's ok. Thanks" and walk out. It was straight outside her counter with both my cards and the ensuing scene. The line started growing and I felt there would be black helicopters flying and men with automatic weapons waiting for me. Manager approved it later but the chaos left a bad taste in my mouth for sure.
"no gift cards can be used at Target" - big difference, but when English is second language, such differences aren't obvious.
Jan 20, 2013, 11:51 am
#356
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1P, AA Gold
Posts: 102
AmEx for Target: $400/week credit card ATM withdrawals for 1.3%+ in certain cities
Yes, the wording that pops up on the cashier's screen is along the lines of "Cannot be reloaded with Target gift cards", which is very different than "cannot be reloaded with gift cards". English matters.
Jan 20, 2013, 12:47 pm
#357
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX/SNA
Programs: AA, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,887
Jan 20, 2013, 2:01 pm
#358
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: IAH ↔ PAR
Posts: 777
Just to follow up, I was able to load the same Target Prepaid with the same Visa GC at a different store. So it would appear that specific store either has it hardcoded not to work with GCs or there was a glitch in the matrix right when I attempted to load.
Jan 20, 2013, 2:36 pm
#359
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Ann Arbor
Programs: Delta GM, Hilton
Posts: 192
Maybe try a different different register and see if it will work.