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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 Jul 30, 2014, 5:32 pm
  #7711  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: SAN
Posts: 234
Originally Posted by 2B or back in coach
Yes. UPS lost track of a 3x3k package on Friday of mine. I have to wait till UPS completes it's search before AX will send out replacements.

Before that, I only received 1/2 of a 6k order, took AX 6 weeks before they got a replacement out to me.
I hate UPS. Any problems with others receiving the cards and spending on them?
Chris92128 is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 7:10 pm
  #7712  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
Personalized AGC & GCM

I thought I read in this thread that personalized AGCs are pre-registered for the purpose of using it GCM. But my order of last night was promptly cancelled (within 15 minutes of placing) by GCM using personalized AGC. Do I also need to call Amex to register personalized AGCs like the non-personalized ones?
geclub1 is online now  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 7:49 pm
  #7713  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ILG/PHL
Programs: Amex Plat, AA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Gold, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,075
Originally Posted by Chris92128
There is no UPS tracking # listed. Did you just call AMEX?
It's been said in here a million times before but sign up for UPS MyChoice! It's free and you'll get email notifications whenever they get a package that's supposed to be shipped to your address. It even includes the tracking number. 80% of the time I get this email from UPS before I even get an email from Amex saying my order is shipped.
payeco is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 7:55 pm
  #7714  
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 333
Originally Posted by geclub1
I thought I read in this thread that personalized AGCs are pre-registered for the purpose of using it GCM. But my order of last night was promptly cancelled (within 15 minutes of placing) by GCM using personalized AGC. Do I also need to call Amex to register personalized AGCs like the non-personalized ones?
My consumer personalized worked at GCM without calling a couple of days ago, my understanding is that the business ones do require calling, which makes sense in a way
Adirondacker is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 10:36 pm
  #7715  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 174
For what it's worth I bought an AMEX GC online last week using (accidentally) my Citi AA Exec. The transaction did not post as a CA. This may have been discussed previously but seems to contradict the Wiki.
dgilligan02 is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 10:46 pm
  #7716  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: OZ *G; HH Diamond;
Posts: 1,644
Originally Posted by dgilligan02
For what it's worth I bought an AMEX GC online last week using (accidentally) my Citi AA Exec. The transaction did not post as a CA. This may have been discussed previously but seems to contradict the Wiki.
How did you know it is not CA. I believe Citi charges fees when statement generates.
geclub1 is online now  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 11:04 pm
  #7717  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: MSP
Programs: DL, BA, AA
Posts: 270
Originally Posted by dgilligan02
For what it's worth I bought an AMEX GC online last week using (accidentally) my Citi AA Exec. The transaction did not post as a CA. This may have been discussed previously but seems to contradict the Wiki.
Let us know if you do not get a cash advance fee on your statement. I will apply for that card.

I can tell you that the Citi AA card levies a cash advance fee plus interest from the day of charge. It shows up on the first statement.
worldtravels is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 11:05 pm
  #7718  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 174
Yeah think I'm screwed. Even though it posted as a Purchase, being coded as Mortgage Company-Financial Services is going to get me hit come statement time?

Can damage be limited by paying off in full tomorrow?

Last edited by dgilligan02; Aug 16, 2014 at 3:01 pm Reason: Further investigation shows others confirming I'm hosed.
dgilligan02 is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 11:10 pm
  #7719  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: MSP
Programs: DL, BA, AA
Posts: 270
Originally Posted by geclub1
I thought I read in this thread that personalized AGCs are pre-registered for the purpose of using it GCM. But my order of last night was promptly cancelled (within 15 minutes of placing) by GCM using personalized AGC. Do I also need to call Amex to register personalized AGCs like the non-personalized ones?
None of my personalized personal or business cards work at GCM without registering. Of course, YMMV.
worldtravels is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2014, 11:36 pm
  #7720  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 477
Originally Posted by dgilligan02
Yeah I'm screwed. Even though it posted as a Purchase, being coded as Mortgage Company-Financial Services is going to get me hit come statement time.

Can damage be limited by paying off in full tomorrow?
Yes. The CSR can waive the interest charges if it is only a couple of days.
svasandani is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2014, 12:30 am
  #7721  
Suspended
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: ILG/PHL
Programs: Amex Plat, AA Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Gold, HHonors Gold, Carlson Gold
Posts: 1,075
After repeated failed orders of cards of $2k and $3k denominations I finally got around to registering an EIN number tonight thinking that is the problem. Anyone know how long it takes for that to "propagate" out to the type of service Amex would use to verify that?
payeco is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2014, 6:03 am
  #7722  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Midwest U.S.A
Programs: Too many to list. Since the early 90's.
Posts: 1,407
Originally Posted by payeco
After repeated failed orders of cards of $2k and $3k denominations I finally got around to registering an EIN number tonight thinking that is the problem. Anyone know how long it takes for that to "propagate" out to the type of service Amex would use to verify that?
EIN # won't help you. Many with that still get denied 2k + 3k orders. Try lower amounts first for a while. Still no guarantee.
Churnman is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2014, 8:27 am
  #7723  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 253
Originally Posted by Churnman
EIN # won't help you. Many with that still get denied 2k + 3k orders. Try lower amounts first for a while. Still no guarantee.
I'll echo that. I have placed close to a $100K in business GC orders, and was only successful once, near the beginning, at getting $2K and $3K cards. Since then, only orders with $1K cards have been successful (100% success rate); any larger denomination gets cancelled.
ronnyk is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2014, 8:34 am
  #7724  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by payeco
After repeated failed orders of cards of $2k and $3k denominations I finally got around to registering an EIN number tonight thinking that is the problem. Anyone know how long it takes for that to "propagate" out to the type of service Amex would use to verify that?
I've had an EIN since April and have yet to be able to successfully place a business order with AmEx. Some people report success using SSN instead of EIN but that hasn't worked for me either.
dboston1 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2014, 8:47 am
  #7725  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 572
Originally Posted by dboston1
I've had an EIN since April and have yet to be able to successfully place a business order with AmEx. Some people report success using SSN instead of EIN but that hasn't worked for me either.
I use my SSN for business orders of $3K a day and they all get approved. I have a real business, not eBay or Craigslist sales. Looks like my business is in their database.
Zgirl is offline  


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