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
Apr 2, 2014, 2:43 pm
#1426
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 276
Exactly. I wrote it out at first, 28 day load on card #1 is... That was way too hard to follow. Pulled it out without notes on 28 day and the logic is too hard to follow and or too hard to figure out how a change in load date effects future loads.
It is complex until it clicks, then it is simple.
It is complex until it clicks, then it is simple.
Apr 2, 2014, 3:01 pm
#1427
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Austin TX
Posts: 276
I'm rethinking the CPM. It wasn't my math, just my format.
5k load, $15
5k unload, no fee ATM at $400 each w/d (odd number because in reality you do 12 w/d in one month 13 the next, to take out $400 every time)
12.5 ATM w/d, 2 free, $3x10.5= $31.50
$5,000/$46.50 or $4.65 per $1000
Costco ATM add 12.5 x1.25 or $6.15 per $1000
1 mile = .0047 or .0062
Check my math, it isn't my strong suit.
5k load, $15
5k unload, no fee ATM at $400 each w/d (odd number because in reality you do 12 w/d in one month 13 the next, to take out $400 every time)
12.5 ATM w/d, 2 free, $3x10.5= $31.50
$5,000/$46.50 or $4.65 per $1000
Costco ATM add 12.5 x1.25 or $6.15 per $1000
1 mile = .0047 or .0062
Check my math, it isn't my strong suit.
Costs are less than 1%, time to sign my cat* up for this one!
Apr 2, 2014, 4:55 pm
#1430
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 16
Am I missing something obvious or isn't it just easier to buy both cards, load them to the max ($2500), then wait 30 days from that date and then do 3x1000 on three subsequent days on one card and 2x1000 on two subsequent days for card 2? Repeat in 30 days.
Apr 2, 2014, 5:57 pm
#1431
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
Also, I have 1k agc. So I should load 997.00 since there is the $3 load fee?
Lastly. There is an Allpoint ATM machine in my Target. From their website, it is supposed to be fee free. Anybody has any inputs on this?
Thanks.
Apr 2, 2014, 6:10 pm
#1432
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 190
I was thinking the same thing. But I'll follow the Wiki for now. (oh i don't even have the cards yet). Went to a local Target that was on the list of stores that sells them...and none to be found
Also, I have 1k agc. So I should load 997.00 since there is the $3 load fee?
Lastly. There is an Allpoint ATM machine in my Target. From their website, it is supposed to be fee free. Anybody has any inputs on this?
Thanks.
Also, I have 1k agc. So I should load 997.00 since there is the $3 load fee?
Lastly. There is an Allpoint ATM machine in my Target. From their website, it is supposed to be fee free. Anybody has any inputs on this?
Thanks.
As for allpoint ATM, they will tell you how much they charge if there is a fee before confirm the cash withdraw. There are plenty of "allpoint" ATM around me, but none of them is fee free with Target AMEX...
Apr 2, 2014, 6:16 pm
#1433
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
It's up to you on how much you load. You can use another card to pay for the $3 fee. In my experience, you don't have to tell the cashier on paying $1000, it will automatically take its max, and then ask for another tender.
As for allpoint ATM, they will tell you how much they charge if there is a fee before confirm the cash withdraw. There are plenty of "allpoint" ATM around me, but none of them is fee free with Target AMEX...
As for allpoint ATM, they will tell you how much they charge if there is a fee before confirm the cash withdraw. There are plenty of "allpoint" ATM around me, but none of them is fee free with Target AMEX...
Apr 2, 2014, 11:05 pm
#1434
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: DL-Silver; BA-Bronze
Posts: 1,162
I redid the wiki with more info on the 3k/2k load pattern. That was really good info that should not be left behind.
I used dates based on being able to load after two days. I was able to load after about 48 hours, but if there are lots of people finding they can't it is easy to move the reloads back 10-14 days and follow the pattern.
I used dates based on being able to load after two days. I was able to load after about 48 hours, but if there are lots of people finding they can't it is easy to move the reloads back 10-14 days and follow the pattern.
May load any card *until* balance is $2500 for 28 day period (not *up to*)
There is no ongoing minimum balance requirement, but the maximum balance you can have on your Card at any given time is $2,500. You can have up to two Cards issued to you. The maximum balance you can carry per Card, at any given time, is $2,500, and you cannot load more than $5,000 across both Cards over a 28 day period.
Apr 2, 2014, 11:43 pm
#1435
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 51
Thanks, that's helpful.
Costs me roughly $5 and an hour to go to a Target that's on the list of ones that carry these things. On the other hand, there's one that doesn't carry them that I walk by on my way home from work. Sounds like, if I'm lucky, these will work for me. But I'll wait until I'm out near the other Target anyway to pick one up to check.
Costs me roughly $5 and an hour to go to a Target that's on the list of ones that carry these things. On the other hand, there's one that doesn't carry them that I walk by on my way home from work. Sounds like, if I'm lucky, these will work for me. But I'll wait until I'm out near the other Target anyway to pick one up to check.
Apr 3, 2014, 11:15 am
#1436
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
I went to 3 Target that supposed to have them. None of the employees know what I am asking for. They kept pointing me to the AMEX gc. Even a lady that have been there for 3 decades didn't know what I was asking for. One employee kinda knew, and said,"I have seen for a long time". I think AMEX stopped shipping cards to Target.
Apr 3, 2014, 11:20 am
#1437
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: DC/NOVA
Programs: AA Gold, SPG Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 192
This is great info, thank you. I have experienced on two occasions the CSR screw up a manual split payment and cancel out the transaction only to leave a $1K hold on my AGC.
Apr 3, 2014, 2:19 pm
#1438
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
I went to 3 Target that supposed to have them. None of the employees know what I am asking for. They kept pointing me to the AMEX gc. Even a lady that have been there for 3 decades didn't know what I was asking for. One employee kinda knew, and said,"I have seen for a long time". I think AMEX stopped shipping cards to Target.
Apr 3, 2014, 2:35 pm
#1439
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 161
I went to 3 Target that supposed to have them. None of the employees know what I am asking for. They kept pointing me to the AMEX gc. Even a lady that have been there for 3 decades didn't know what I was asking for. One employee kinda knew, and said,"I have seen for a long time". I think AMEX stopped shipping cards to Target.
Good luck.
Apr 3, 2014, 5:24 pm
#1440
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
Found a some cards at the 4th Target I went to.
Last edited by sosamo; Apr 3, 2014 at 5:52 pm