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Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.

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Old Oct 25, 2013, 7:07 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: ericdabbs
Please read the wiki before posting a question.

UPDATE 01/17/15

BeFrugal: 1.5%
Big Crumbs: 0.9%
TopCashBack: 1.5%


For other cash back or airline portals, check here: http://www.cashbackmonitor.com/Cashb...erican+express

Public Service Announcement: Do NOT use fee-free codes if you want portal cashback / miles. CB/Miles will post and then be clawed back.

FAQ

Will it post as a cash advance (CA)?

Citi - Yes.

Cards from Chase, BoA, FIA, Barclay, AMEX, CapitalOne, US Bank, Discover, HSBC, etc., have posted as purchase. PNC Visa Cashbuilder - posts as purchase but does not earn CC rewards

Note: Some issuers (Discover, US Bank, etc.) will decline the authorization if it exceeds your CA limit. This does NOT mean it will post as CA. It simply means you need to lower the purchase amount below your CA limit for authorization, but it ultimately posts as a purchase.

How do I set PIN on AMEX Gift Cards and use as debit to load Bluebird, buy MOs, etc.
You cannot set PIN or use them as debit to load Bluebird, buy MOs, etc. You can only use them as credit where AMEX is accepted.

How do I cash out AMEX Gift Cards?
Use manufactured spend techniques (load RB, buy Visa/MC GCs, VRs, AP, AFT, etc.) or normal spend where AMEX is accepted.

Why buy AMEX Gift Cards then?
To reduce the cost of manufactured spend, to mask your manufactured spend (i.e unusual high spend at Target or CVS), earn additional cash back on spend, or meet minimum spend targets faster.

Next day shipping that isn't?
The next day shipping is from when they ship the cards to UPS, which can be as long as 10 days from the order submission if you order personalized cards (more recently this has been under a week). For next day shipping, you are notified late night (once your card finishes processing, see above) and the package arrive that same morning before 10:30AM in your area.

What is with the charge disappearing from my credit card?
Once the order is placed you will see a pending charge on your CC account. Quite often once the card ships this pending is removed but does not show as a charge. Don't panic (or celebrate) it will show up as a charge within a day or so.

Personalized GCs?
Either Biz or Personal GCs can be personalized with your name. This helps when shaky cashiers who demand to see your card are prevalent. These take approximately 4 biz days to arrive compared to the non personalized which arrives as quickly as the next day.

UPS Tracking?
If you logged in to your AMEX account when placing the order you can get tracking info by logging in to your AMEX account and clicking on cards > gift cards > order history > order details. Unfortunately tracking information may not appear until well after your order has shipped so it's best to sign up for UPS My Choice to get faster tracking info and reroute your package if needed. Since UPS may drop your package off at the door if you're not home, it will be useful to know when your package will arrive.

The portal terms indicate that coupon codes will invalidate cash back. Is this true?
Yes (as of July 2014)

What are the purchase limits? (Updated Dec 2014)
10K personal every 14 days
100K business every 14 days

Do declined orders count toward the purchase limits?
YMMV

Do fees and shipping count toward the purchase limits?
No

Why was my purchase declined by AMEX?
There are several possibilities:
- Your billing address does not match 100% with what the credit card company has on file. This could be anything from apt/suite/condo # on the wrong line to zip code requiring 9 digits instead of 5. If your first purchase does not go through, call your bank or login to your acct to verify that this matches what you used.
- You have gone over the $10k every 14 day limit on personal gift card purchase.
- Even if you are sure the first two are correct as you have ordered before on that card and it's been more than 14 days, you might still get declined. No one has any idea why.
- You placed a business order and you don't really have a business (at some point AMEX does a background check for a valid business) or you have exceeded the 14 day limit for business orders.

My order was declined but my credit card still shows a pending authorization. How long until this falls off and my credit line is freed up?
I typically takes 1 week for the pending authorization to fall off after a declined order.

Can I order from the business side using a personal card? Or does it need to be a business card?
You can use whatever credit card you want to pay for business or personal orders. About the only restriction is you can't use an AMEX GC to buy another AMEX GC.

How long will it take the portal to track my order and confirm the pending cash back or points?
For non-Cartera portals (TCB, BC, Befrugal, etc) your order will usually track within a day or two.
For Cartera portals (Barclay Reward Boost, Lucky Rewards, USAA, Alaska, Delta) it will take 3-4 weeks to track.

My orders are not tracking. How can I maximize the chances the portal will track my order properly?
Use a browser you do not normally use (Chrome, Firefox, Opera), reset all browser settings to defaults, clear all browser cookies, disable all browser add-ons, and close/re-start your browser before navigating to the portal and placing your order. Do NOT use promotional coupon codes. The vast majority of tracking issues result from use of coupon codes, a bad browser cookie, improperly configured browser settings, or add-ons that interfere with cookie tracking.
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Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.

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Old May 1, 2014, 6:49 pm
  #4936  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 331
I got my First order with United Approved. Later all my orders were declined.
newuser0 is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 6:56 pm
  #4937  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 65
Does anyone have any stories lately about purchases with Chase cards posting as cash advances?
LikeVines is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 7:02 pm
  #4938  
Hyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SNA/LAX
Posts: 1,407
Originally Posted by LikeVines
Does anyone have any stories lately about purchases with Chase cards posting as cash advances?
Did Freedom successfully early this week and it posted as a purchase today in my May statement. Quicker turnaround, as I'm used to it taking at least a week to drop off and come back!
healthnut is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 9:09 pm
  #4939  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PVD/BOS
Posts: 879
Originally Posted by babehwa
Anybody having luck purchasing with Chase United MileagePlus card? I had success with SWA card, but always fail with the United one. So annoying!
My united is one of the only ones that is usually approved!
ashap is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 9:10 pm
  #4940  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: PVD/BOS
Posts: 879
Originally Posted by LikeVines
Does anyone have any stories lately about purchases with Chase cards posting as cash advances?
I've purchased with Ink, BA, CSP, united, and Hyatt in the last week, all posted as purchases.
ashap is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 9:42 pm
  #4941  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 85
Originally Posted by thepaul500
I am going to urge everyone ordering business gift cards to have a verifiable business (aka tax documentation available, sec of state registered,etc) Per my conversations with US based support, they updated their system this April and flagged a whole bunch of people, myself included. As I do actually run a business and had a legitimate use for a bunch of these, I submitted their risk team's requested info and now get to wait and hear back if I will ever get approved for another order again.

Proceed with caution...

Did you initiate the conversation about verifying your business? I have a business but it seems as if if I have some sort of limit. I can get a few orders in...then I shoot blank for a few days...then a few go through. If I can send them my info and "get verified" I would rather go that route...

TIA....
jayfi1976 is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 10:28 pm
  #4942  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 240
Originally Posted by hitman1420
Yea, I still haven't had a non Arrival order track through Boost from March 25th. Going to use BC for non-Arrival orders as my Arrival purchase have posted from Boost, really want to go all in with Boost purchases though...
where is the page where the tracked orders would show?
Silverthunder is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 10:38 pm
  #4943  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 120
Originally Posted by ashap
My united is one of the only ones that is usually approved!
Thanks a lot for the data point. I've been having success with SWA card, but always failing with my United one. I thought it had to do with the card. Guess now it's just the stupid Amex review team being picky.
babehwa is offline  
Old May 1, 2014, 11:05 pm
  #4944  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CHICAGO, IL
Programs: Arrival Points, M-Life, Hyatt, ULTIMATE REWARDS, AA, UAL, SOUTHWEST
Posts: 121
How much?

Originally Posted by spgbus
For experienced MS'ers: How much are you comfortable with to purchase AMX GC per month?
As much as they allow me to buy...

What's the worst that has happened?
Gotta hustle to every WM within 100 mile radius
CRUISINGFLYING4LIFE is offline  
Old May 2, 2014, 3:37 am
  #4945  
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: East Coast
Posts: 12
Anyone know if USB Flex Pks Bus and/or Personal post as CA or purchase?
bigealta is offline  
Old May 2, 2014, 5:35 am
  #4946  
jk2
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,516
Did anybody use BigCrumbs lately (with their 3.5%)? Previously, all my orders were tracked next day, but I put 2 orders this week and so far, no sign of tracking these orders.
jk2 is offline  
Old May 2, 2014, 5:46 am
  #4947  
Hyatt Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SNA/LAX
Posts: 1,407
Originally Posted by jk2
Did anybody use BigCrumbs lately (with their 3.5%)? Previously, all my orders were tracked next day, but I put 2 orders this week and so far, no sign of tracking these orders.
All of my orders have been tracked within 12 hours of ordering this week. Three orders so far.
healthnut is offline  
Old May 2, 2014, 7:11 am
  #4948  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2,998
Originally Posted by jk2
Did anybody use BigCrumbs lately (with their 3.5%)? Previously, all my orders were tracked next day, but I put 2 orders this week and so far, no sign of tracking these orders.
Always take a screen shot and retain the tracking #. If an order fails to post, and you can provide them with that #, you'll get your $.
Stoughton is offline  
Old May 2, 2014, 7:59 am
  #4949  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Programs: AA,UA,BA,SPG,IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, UR, MR
Posts: 195
Originally Posted by hitman1420
Yea, I still haven't had a non Arrival order track through Boost from March 25th. Going to use BC for non-Arrival orders as my Arrival purchase have posted from Boost, really want to go all in with Boost purchases though...
Interesting.. So it appears only non-arrival boost orders might be the ones not posting?? What are most recent Arrival orders to post?
jhuck is offline  
Old May 2, 2014, 8:18 am
  #4950  
jk2
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,516
Originally Posted by Stoughton
Always take a screen shot and retain the tracking #. If an order fails to post, and you can provide them with that #, you'll get your $.
Thanks. I do see a "click-through id" on BC. I used a fee-free code, though, but in the past the same code worked. I hope they didn't change rules. I'll have to wait 2 weeks to submit a claim.
jk2 is offline  


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