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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 Dec 4, 2014, 3:23 pm
  #9496  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 503
Originally Posted by JudyJFLA
I am still waiting from the last BigCrumbs bonus day, they are giving us the old 45 day to research the transaction song and dance for the $180 owed. Going with Topcashback this time!!

Cheers!

JudyJFLA
I don't even bother with anyone else when they run a promotion now. I just take a screen shot of their bonus rate with a time stamp and buy the AGCs through TCB and submit a claim since they guarantee the best rate. They even honored Ebates 2% one day iPhone/Android app only rate from last week from a screen shot I took on my iPhone.
ILGfly is offline  
Old Dec 4, 2014, 3:52 pm
  #9497  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 85
So I did 2X orders through TCB today. One this morning for 4K through Safari on my iPad. Approved, shipping, no TCB transaction confirmation email. Ordered 5K this afternoon through my computer with IE11, approved and very shortly after got transaction notification. Is there a best browser to use that anyone has found? I suspect that my first order will end up tracking, just curious why the difference in speed. The new 10K limit is for real, which is cool!
slickjolly is offline  
Old Dec 4, 2014, 4:19 pm
  #9498  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,018
Originally Posted by JudyJFLA
I am still waiting from the last BigCrumbs bonus day, they are giving us the old 45 day to research the transaction song and dance for the $180 owed. Going with Topcashback this time!!

Cheers!

JudyJFLA
Good luck! Because you`d need it with TCB-I had to file a complaint with BBB to get money from TCB-never again I`d go with TCB.
Kat007 is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 2:12 am
  #9499  
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 197
just today bigcrumbs has changed it to 1.575% ... FYI to all
unkn0wns0ldier is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 6:34 am
  #9500  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 1,012
Is TCB reliable? I rarely have a problem with fatwallet or befrugal. I've used TCB 4 times now, the first over a week ago. So far none of those clicks show a purchase.
trouble747 is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 6:35 am
  #9501  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CLT
Programs: AA, UA, BA, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,074
Originally Posted by unkn0wns0ldier
just today bigcrumbs has changed it to 1.575% ... FYI to all
+ 0.225% referral, so 1.8%. 2.025% if 2-deep referral earns as well.
dukerau is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 6:43 am
  #9502  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Well, this is a lot better than before. I made 3 $3K GC orders yesterday and all were approved with no suspicion-laden calls from India.
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 6:53 am
  #9503  
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 349
Originally Posted by PaulMSN
Well, this is a lot better than before. I made 3 $3K GC orders yesterday and all were approved with no suspicion-laden calls from India.
Keeping the transactions small for better chance of approval?
aGeist is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 7:08 am
  #9504  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Originally Posted by trouble747
Is TCB reliable? I rarely have a problem with fatwallet or befrugal. I've used TCB 4 times now, the first over a week ago. So far none of those clicks show a purchase.
Sometimes it hasn't tracked for me, but putting in a claim ticket has always worked. But others have had less luck, but that's true for all portals.
silver6054 is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 7:56 am
  #9505  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 85
My second transaction from yesterday tracked this morning. I have not had a problem with TCB, but then again, I always go out of my way to make sure I am using a modern browser and incognito mode to make sure the session is clean.
slickjolly is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 8:21 am
  #9506  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Originally Posted by aGeist
Keeping the transactions small for better chance of approval?
No, just wanted to use three CCs. Previously, though, anything above $2K would seldom be approved and I was running less than 50% on $2K and below.
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 9:10 am
  #9507  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 119
I had trouble with TCB with the first few times I ordered through them. Now I have my system down where orders are reliably tracking.

Dedicated Firefox profile with no addons other than Lastpass for login details. Clear all history/cookies before doing anything. Then just browse to TCB, click through to Amex, and order.

If anything delays my order for more than a few minutes, I abort, close all windows and try again in an hour. Been working without fail.
Brewer20 is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 9:35 am
  #9508  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 31
I was on a roll with approved orders but recently had problems ordering business gift cards because they could not verify the business. The representative told me that the small weekly limit for consumer gift cards has been removed, I can order unlimited consumer gift cards. Ordering 10k today, will find out if he is right.
tokkifierce is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 9:45 am
  #9509  
Used to be garyjr316
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: LAX or SBA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, Gold Passport, Hilton HHonors, Marriott
Posts: 800
Ugh... was hoping that bigcrumbs would match TCB. I am set to receive my new Amex biz gold today and was hoping to utilize the 2%. Guess I'll have to live with the smaller percentage.
Dad to GO is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2014, 10:28 am
  #9510  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,944
Originally Posted by silver6054
Anyone here bought AGC with the NASA FCU card? Want to reduce the load on my Fidelity Amex, but don't want a cash advance fee!

If not, I will try and see.
Just tried, NASA FCU approved the charge, lets see what happens next.
silver6054 is offline  


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