Oct 25, 2013, 7:07 pm
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.
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.
Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.
Aug 8, 2014, 12:10 pm
#7936
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 226
I'll try not to be TOO optimistic then. I had ordered a $2k card last Friday and the $3k card today, so I'll keep alternating each week and stay within the $5k per 14 days.
Aug 8, 2014, 2:26 pm
#7937
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 377
TCB sucks .... Poor tracking and worse customer service. Befrugal's tracking is excellent. I can't speak to their customer service. That's because all of my purchases have been tracked and paid, so I've never had to contact it. Why people mess around with TCB is beyond me. And, no, I don't have any affiliation with either. Just a customer who appreciates when a company does what it promises -- and loathes when a company doesn't, and then plays games instead of making things right.
Aug 8, 2014, 2:35 pm
#7938
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 908
TCB sucks .... Poor tracking and worse customer service. Befrugal's tracking is excellent. I can't speak to their customer service. That's because all of my purchases have been tracked and paid, so I've never had to contact it. Why people mess around with TCB is beyond me. And, no, I don't have any affiliation with either. Just a customer who appreciates when a company does what it promises -- and loathes when a company doesn't, and then plays games instead of making things right.
Sometimes I don't want to put all my egg in one basket. A little in befrugal. a little in TCB. And if Bigcrumbs goes back up to 3%+, a little there also.
Aug 8, 2014, 6:17 pm
#7940
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, AS, DL, BA, F9, IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, SPG Gold, MR Silver
Posts: 1,786
Aug 8, 2014, 6:48 pm
#7941
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 572
TCB sucks .... Poor tracking and worse customer service. Befrugal's tracking is excellent. I can't speak to their customer service. That's because all of my purchases have been tracked and paid, so I've never had to contact it. Why people mess around with TCB is beyond me. And, no, I don't have any affiliation with either. Just a customer who appreciates when a company does what it promises -- and loathes when a company doesn't, and then plays games instead of making things right.
TCB pays within 2 months.
That's why I'm giving more business to TCB.
Aug 8, 2014, 6:55 pm
#7942
Join Date: May 2014
Location: PHL
Programs: SW CP, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 571
If you consistently use them you will eventually be getting paid on the 15th of every month, this is why I stick with them. They usually have the best payout rate as well.
Aug 8, 2014, 7:44 pm
#7943
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: MP 1K, AA EXP, SPG Plat, Marriott G, IHG Plat
Posts: 30
Got $5K worth in one day through bigcrumbs; card arrived 4 days later; CB posted at the same time.
Aug 8, 2014, 9:56 pm
#7944
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 101
I have been ordering for months and always received instant approval. now for the first time on a 3k personal order I get:
been submitted to our system and is being processed. You will receive a status e-mail within 2 business days
This is getting annoying.
been submitted to our system and is being processed. You will receive a status e-mail within 2 business days
This is getting annoying.
Aug 8, 2014, 10:18 pm
#7945
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, AS, DL, BA, F9, IHG Plat, HH Gold, CC Gold, SPG Gold, MR Silver
Posts: 1,786
...you have not even been denied yet
. Better get use to it
Aug 8, 2014, 10:39 pm
#7946
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 13
It's a total circus over there. Wednesday I placed 3 orders. All three got "received" emails. Two got "denied" emails and one didn't get anything else. Received a phone call Thursday from India to verify some info and Friday I get three approved emails in a row. So apparently denied doesn't actually mean denied. Thankfully it was before my CB had been clawed back.
Aug 9, 2014, 5:25 pm
#7947
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 319
folks who used USAA portal to order AGC a while back, did you guys ever get the payout?
my cb has been showing in my shopping member account for months now. But it never got deposited into my USAA checking account. Nor did I received any check. It's also hard to tell from their website whether a check has been mailed or not. I asked CSR once and was told the checks for the second quarter will go out in July. Well now it's 8/9 and no check....
What's going on?
my cb has been showing in my shopping member account for months now. But it never got deposited into my USAA checking account. Nor did I received any check. It's also hard to tell from their website whether a check has been mailed or not. I asked CSR once and was told the checks for the second quarter will go out in July. Well now it's 8/9 and no check....
What's going on?
Aug 9, 2014, 7:15 pm
#7948
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Raiegh, NC
Posts: 300
TopCashBack: 2.25% on Amex Gift Cards, but changes in fees, BigCrumbs 2%.
I received my USAA cb. Only made 1 order ($200cb). I had to redeem it. They transfered it as a credit to my USAA credit card.
Aug 9, 2014, 7:24 pm
#7949
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 74
folks who used USAA portal to order AGC a while back, did you guys ever get the payout?
my cb has been showing in my shopping member account for months now. But it never got deposited into my USAA checking account. Nor did I received any check. It's also hard to tell from their website whether a check has been mailed or not. I asked CSR once and was told the checks for the second quarter will go out in July. Well now it's 8/9 and no check....
What's going on?
my cb has been showing in my shopping member account for months now. But it never got deposited into my USAA checking account. Nor did I received any check. It's also hard to tell from their website whether a check has been mailed or not. I asked CSR once and was told the checks for the second quarter will go out in July. Well now it's 8/9 and no check....
What's going on?
Aug 9, 2014, 7:29 pm
#7950
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 319
how do you "redeem"? I don't seem to be able to find a "redeem" option... I do have a USAA checking account, but I used non usaa card to buy AGC