Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Feb 28, 2013, 6:44 pm
#7592
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
My wife never added a funding source.
After I hit the 5K VR load for this month, I continued to buy some VR, then I loaded my wife's account with them.
I had my wife send the funds from her BB account directly to my BB account afterwards, and I think this is what triggered the "unusual / irregular activity" on our accounts. Both our accounts were locked the next day. I'm glad BB was able to get both our accounts unlocked without too much hassle.
Next time I'm just going to leave her BB account alone and use her BB account to pay for our mutual bills, etc. Lesson learned.
You make a great point about bank account funding source matching BB account name.
After I hit the 5K VR load for this month, I continued to buy some VR, then I loaded my wife's account with them.
I had my wife send the funds from her BB account directly to my BB account afterwards, and I think this is what triggered the "unusual / irregular activity" on our accounts. Both our accounts were locked the next day. I'm glad BB was able to get both our accounts unlocked without too much hassle.
Next time I'm just going to leave her BB account alone and use her BB account to pay for our mutual bills, etc. Lesson learned.
You make a great point about bank account funding source matching BB account name.
I load BB and transfer to my daughter, who is on campus weekly (for her expenses) and never had an issue.
I really think it's your funding source 'since that's what they had to verify as well'.
It appears they locked both account because the bank account in her name was on your BB account. She could have linked her account to her BB account and withdrew to her own account. (just my opinion, but since they did not ask you why the transfer occurred from her account to yours, I would guess the non matching names is what threw the flag).
Transfers are offered, so a transfer should not be an issue.
Feb 28, 2013, 7:01 pm
#7593
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Antonio
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,276
Question - I set up BB online, have my account numbers and all, picked up a couple of VRs but haven't gotten my actual BB card yet. Is there any reason I can't go ahead and add the funds to my account?
Feb 28, 2013, 7:06 pm
#7594
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 672
I think you need the BB card itself so you can get the card number. When you go to add funds from the VR you need the card number. Not sure if you can get that number anywhere other than the card.
Feb 28, 2013, 7:08 pm
#7595
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold, Will never by anything with airlines
Posts: 287
My loans got transferred to a new 3rd party mgt company, they are in BB, but it doesnt recognize my acct $
Feb 28, 2013, 7:34 pm
#7596
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,727
I had kind of a funny experience today.
I went to buy a VR at CVS, and it was pretty busy in the middle of the day. There was a decent line stacking up so sure enough just before I get to the front of the line the supervisor opens a register and takes me as her first transaction. I hand her the VRs, and she turns to the other (non supervisory) employee to ask 1) if it can be loaded as high as $500 and 2) if it can be purchased with CC. The employee answered in the affirmative for both, the supervisor thoroughly checked my ID, completed the transaction, and I was on my way.
Clearly, if there was any instruction to limit purchases to cash, debit, etc, the management at this location was not paying attention.
I went to buy a VR at CVS, and it was pretty busy in the middle of the day. There was a decent line stacking up so sure enough just before I get to the front of the line the supervisor opens a register and takes me as her first transaction. I hand her the VRs, and she turns to the other (non supervisory) employee to ask 1) if it can be loaded as high as $500 and 2) if it can be purchased with CC. The employee answered in the affirmative for both, the supervisor thoroughly checked my ID, completed the transaction, and I was on my way.
Clearly, if there was any instruction to limit purchases to cash, debit, etc, the management at this location was not paying attention.
Feb 28, 2013, 7:37 pm
#7597
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Posts: 1,727
US Bank does not work. It has been reported multiple times in January already.
If you feel you can risk a paper check, then set it up manually as a check payment and pay a small amount paper check WAY AHEAD of your due date to see how it goes.
But I would suggest you to forget about using BB to pay US Bank as nobody has success setting it up as a Payee for electronic payment (much quicker and safer, no hassle no headache ACH versus a manual check which seems to have a hit or miss result.)
If you feel you can risk a paper check, then set it up manually as a check payment and pay a small amount paper check WAY AHEAD of your due date to see how it goes.
But I would suggest you to forget about using BB to pay US Bank as nobody has success setting it up as a Payee for electronic payment (much quicker and safer, no hassle no headache ACH versus a manual check which seems to have a hit or miss result.)
Feb 28, 2013, 7:59 pm
#7598
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 301
CVS cashier: "Sir, are you trying to laundry money with these gift cards?"
Me: "Not if I'm paying them with credit card"
Cashier: "Credit card, please!"
Me: "Not if I'm paying them with credit card"
Cashier: "Credit card, please!"
Feb 28, 2013, 8:29 pm
#7599
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 217
Successfully bought 2 vanilla beans at that pharmacy (
) today (in one transaction) and immediately loaded to my BB card (in the store itself). No more mistakes on this one ))
) today (in one transaction) and immediately loaded to my BB card (in the store itself). No more mistakes on this one ))
Feb 28, 2013, 10:13 pm
#7601
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,365
Yes, many times. BB charges a $2 ATM fee overseas. The foreign bank sometimes charges an ATM fee and sometimes does not. It is up to the laws of the foreign country and the policy of the foreign bank (St. George's Bank charges $2 and SunCorp Bank charges NO ATM fee in Australia). The foreign exchange rate is determined by BB, UNLESS the ATM gives you the option to have your withdrawal charged in US dollars (like ANZ Bank does in Australia). If you are asked to be charged in US dollars, DO NOT select YES - the foreign bank will charge you at a less advantageous rate than BB will.
It was always $2 and 0%, never a local bank charge, and the conversion rate was "proper" (I checked several times within hours).
I never saw an option for the local bank to convert, but yeah, I would certainly decline.
Mar 1, 2013, 8:31 am
#7603
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: BOS / BWI
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, HHonors, Avis et al.
Posts: 237
I have not been having any luck finding VRs at CVS. When I was looking, I saw that Green Dot has a "Express Bill Pay" card that offers online bill pay. It looks like this:
Has anyone tried this? Pros/Cons? Couldn't find much info online about card fees & limits, but the bill pay service itself is free and looks like limits $1000 per payment and $2500 per day. Link to bill pay FAQ.
Has anyone tried this? Pros/Cons? Couldn't find much info online about card fees & limits, but the bill pay service itself is free and looks like limits $1000 per payment and $2500 per day. Link to bill pay FAQ.
Last edited by c2d; Mar 1, 2013 at 8:32 am Reason: typo
Mar 1, 2013, 8:45 am
#7604
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 327
I have not been having any luck finding VRs at CVS. When I was looking, I saw that Green Dot has a "Express Bill Pay" card that offers online bill pay. It looks like this:
Has anyone tried this? Pros/Cons? Couldn't find much info online about card fees & limits, but the bill pay service itself is free and looks like limits $1000 per payment and $2500 per day. Link to bill pay FAQ.
Has anyone tried this? Pros/Cons? Couldn't find much info online about card fees & limits, but the bill pay service itself is free and looks like limits $1000 per payment and $2500 per day. Link to bill pay FAQ.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...ebit-card.html
Mar 1, 2013, 9:12 am
#7605
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: BOS / BWI
Programs: AA, UA, Marriott, HHonors, Avis et al.
Posts: 237