Mar 3, 2014, 9:28 am
Last edit by: uncommonsensical
“My Vanilla Personal Reloadable Prepaid Debit Visa card”
https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com
FAQs: https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com/myvanilla/faq.html
T&C: https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com/m...Policy_ENG.pdf
Fees: https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com/m...RhFOmbp3hiKogJ
There isn't a bill pay function with MVD.
How do I load funds onto MVD? There are two primary ways to load funds onto your MyVanilla Card: 1) Direct Deposit (direct deposit all or part of your paycheck, social security, even your tax return refund right onto your MyVanilla Card); 2) At any Vanilla Reload Network retailer; just bring your Card and the amount you want to load onto your Card - Note: This can be either purchasing a Vanilla Reload card or possibly using a retailer with loading function on the cash register such as CVS. $3.95 fee applies to both methods.
CVS Credit Card Load Data Points:
Credit Cards used treated as a purchase:
FIA Fidelity Amex
Credit Cards used treated as a cash advance:
??
What is the load limit? You can load a maximum of $500.00 per day onto your Card, and there is a $2,500.00 total maximum deposit limit per day from all deposit sources (loads and ACH direct deposits). The daily ATM withdrawal limit is $400.00. The daily Cash Advance or "Over the Counter" limit at a bank is reported as $2,500.00/day. Some reports that this is actually / month. Maximum loaded amount on MVD card is $9,999.
If you can find Vanilla Reload cards that you can purchase with a credit card, max out by getting up to 3 registered MyVanilla Debit cards and you can load up to $2500 x 3 per day. And if you have a bank near you that will give you cash advances, you can take the full balance off each card for a $1.95 cent fee.
If you do not have Vanilla Reloads available near you, you want to find a bank that will allow you to cash out temporary cards. These are the ones you buy at CVS for $500 plus $3.95 fee and then cash them out en masse for a 50 cash advance fee apiece.
In Essence
Get new cards, spend some random amount and then get put in shutdown mode to spend off what is left, unless you utilize one old weird trick that prevents shutdown mode.
Liquidating a shut down account as of 3.31.2014
Various reports, and I can also confirm- If you receive the "invalid username or password" message when trying to access your account online, that's the indicator that you have been shut down. Check again for a day or so (just to make sure it wasn't an issue with their website). If still unable to access- you've been shut down.
If you don't want to call and talk to them, you can confirm yourself whether your account is still alive to liquidate by calling 855.686.9513. If you are able to hear your balance, you can liquidate- and you can liquidate quickly without any problem. I liquidated $8,200 over the weekend: 5k Saturday, the remainder Sunday (Walmart BillPay and MO).
https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com
FAQs: https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com/myvanilla/faq.html
T&C: https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com/m...Policy_ENG.pdf
Fees: https://www.myvanilladebitcard.com/m...RhFOmbp3hiKogJ
There isn't a bill pay function with MVD.
How do I load funds onto MVD? There are two primary ways to load funds onto your MyVanilla Card: 1) Direct Deposit (direct deposit all or part of your paycheck, social security, even your tax return refund right onto your MyVanilla Card); 2) At any Vanilla Reload Network retailer; just bring your Card and the amount you want to load onto your Card - Note: This can be either purchasing a Vanilla Reload card or possibly using a retailer with loading function on the cash register such as CVS. $3.95 fee applies to both methods.
CVS Credit Card Load Data Points:
Credit Cards used treated as a purchase:
FIA Fidelity Amex
Credit Cards used treated as a cash advance:
??
What is the load limit? You can load a maximum of $500.00 per day onto your Card, and there is a $2,500.00 total maximum deposit limit per day from all deposit sources (loads and ACH direct deposits). The daily ATM withdrawal limit is $400.00. The daily Cash Advance or "Over the Counter" limit at a bank is reported as $2,500.00/day. Some reports that this is actually / month. Maximum loaded amount on MVD card is $9,999.
If you can find Vanilla Reload cards that you can purchase with a credit card, max out by getting up to 3 registered MyVanilla Debit cards and you can load up to $2500 x 3 per day. And if you have a bank near you that will give you cash advances, you can take the full balance off each card for a $1.95 cent fee.
If you do not have Vanilla Reloads available near you, you want to find a bank that will allow you to cash out temporary cards. These are the ones you buy at CVS for $500 plus $3.95 fee and then cash them out en masse for a 50 cash advance fee apiece.
In Essence
Get new cards, spend some random amount and then get put in shutdown mode to spend off what is left, unless you utilize one old weird trick that prevents shutdown mode.
Liquidating a shut down account as of 3.31.2014
Various reports, and I can also confirm- If you receive the "invalid username or password" message when trying to access your account online, that's the indicator that you have been shut down. Check again for a day or so (just to make sure it wasn't an issue with their website). If still unable to access- you've been shut down.
If you don't want to call and talk to them, you can confirm yourself whether your account is still alive to liquidate by calling 855.686.9513. If you are able to hear your balance, you can liquidate- and you can liquidate quickly without any problem. I liquidated $8,200 over the weekend: 5k Saturday, the remainder Sunday (Walmart BillPay and MO).
My Vanilla debit
Jan 13, 2014, 12:15 pm
#2311
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PHL based
Programs: USAir, UA, AA, BA, Hyatt, HHonors, SPG, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 356
How are they exploiting someone who chooses to use the product and pay the fees? They could charge $5 per transaction and ban anyone who doesn't generate $50/month in fees if they want, as they should be able to. No one is forced to use the product nor pay fees that aren't disclosed.
Not saying it applies in your case, but I wanted to remind everyone that if your login/PW stops working, be sure that you don't have a negative balance before you assume you've been shut down for other reasons. When I first got my cards, I didn't realize that if I loaded $500 and withdrew it that the fee would make my balance negative and I'd be put on hold for that reason. Once I learned, I've been sure to always keep at least a few bucks in the account.
Not saying it applies in your case, but I wanted to remind everyone that if your login/PW stops working, be sure that you don't have a negative balance before you assume you've been shut down for other reasons. When I first got my cards, I didn't realize that if I loaded $500 and withdrew it that the fee would make my balance negative and I'd be put on hold for that reason. Once I learned, I've been sure to always keep at least a few bucks in the account.
- "You were using the card to load and unload, we didn't see any purchases"
- "You were only using the card at WMT, we didn't see any purchases"
- "You were loading and unloading too much, there's a max $2,500 spend in a 24 hour period" (note, I never exceeded this).
- "Your card was switched from a personalized card to a gift card. You can no longer load the card and you need to spend off the balance like a gift card"
- "I don't know why they switched it other than what I said above, I can let you talk to a supervisor". HA, no thanks.
Current remaining balance on card is $54.09. Will wipe that out at the liquor store this evening stocking up on beer
Card was opened May 30, '13
Loaded 1,500 in June; Money ordered ~ $984 (don't ask why the odd amount)
Loaded 2k July; MO ~978
Aug - full steam ahead - loaded $6k; MO $3,988; GB loads of 2050
Sept - Loaded 4k; MO 3,487, GB load 1950
Oct - load 7.5k; MO 8k
Nov - load 11k; MO 9979
Dec - load 5k (was traveling abroad); MO 5k
Last load 12/29; last MO 12/30 then the issues arose.
37k loaded in total since June. Those above numbers may not reconcile 100%, but accurate representation. Never a non-WM MO transaction (other than GB loads - and I was doing those before I was ready to jump full bore into the MO churn). Was a nice run while it lasted.
Hope that helps to add data. This was my second card (actually lost the first, only $3 on it, cost to get a replacement didn't make it worth it at the time, probably doesn't now since they have gotten so aggressive
Jan 13, 2014, 12:51 pm
#2312
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PHL based
Programs: USAir, UA, AA, BA, Hyatt, HHonors, SPG, Marriott, IHG
Posts: 356
And I knew I've been getting shut down, it was quite fun to lob questions at the CS rep who CLEARLY had no idea of any answer other than "you're not using the card as intended" - i.e., you're not getting r*ped on fees, and we don't like that....
Onto the next MS instrument!
Jan 13, 2014, 1:02 pm
#2313
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BZN
Programs: AA:LT Platinum DL:LT Gold UA:1P MAR:LT Titanium
Posts: 8,291
Further data point - I'm shut down. Just got off the phone with MVD (have been traveling and couldn't be bothered to talk to them). Quotes from the call:
- "You were using the card to load and unload, we didn't see any purchases"
- "You were only using the card at WMT, we didn't see any purchases"
- "You were loading and unloading too much, there's a max $2,500 spend in a 24 hour period" (note, I never exceeded this).
- "Your card was switched from a personalized card to a gift card. You can no longer load the card and you need to spend off the balance like a gift card"
- "I don't know why they switched it other than what I said above, I can let you talk to a supervisor". HA, no thanks.
Current remaining balance on card is $54.09. Will wipe that out at the liquor store this evening stocking up on beer
- "You were using the card to load and unload, we didn't see any purchases"
- "You were only using the card at WMT, we didn't see any purchases"
- "You were loading and unloading too much, there's a max $2,500 spend in a 24 hour period" (note, I never exceeded this).
- "Your card was switched from a personalized card to a gift card. You can no longer load the card and you need to spend off the balance like a gift card"
- "I don't know why they switched it other than what I said above, I can let you talk to a supervisor". HA, no thanks.
Current remaining balance on card is $54.09. Will wipe that out at the liquor store this evening stocking up on beer
Thanks so much for sharing that info. Those quotes provide a lot of support for my (and others') theory that they're looking for not only "regular" fees, but also that going much over $2K in a day for CA/MO is a bad idea. Avoiding Walmart might be a good idea too. It's odd that you say you didn't actually exceed the $2,500 threshold, but maybe your lack of fees was enough to do it.
I'm going to keep plowing ahead with our cards by not exceeding $2K/CA/day, loading slowly, keeping the funds in there for a few days before unloading (the let them benefit from the float), and being sure to throw in various "regular" charges here and there (maybe just one per month). It adds fees and limits the benefit of the card, but better than being shut down and not having it at all.
Jan 13, 2014, 1:12 pm
#2314
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
folks who said CAing is no problem were shut down , those who said anything but CAing and they too were closed down. I think they look for large amounts loaded and unloaded and what their total fee amount is, so lots of small purchases with alot of fees you will be OK by them but not by you. Wouldnt be surprised if they found a way to look for Wally charges or supermarkets, banks etc etc places where CAing or MOing is ripe
Hey it was nice while it lasted and still have 2 but no CAing as its not in my name, so $2500 each per month will work as I need to meet my Spend with UA.Hopefully I can talk my bro into letting me get 1 in his name until I meet the Chase UA Spend for status before the outlets stop accepting CCs
Jan 13, 2014, 1:18 pm
#2315
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: BZN
Programs: AA:LT Platinum DL:LT Gold UA:1P MAR:LT Titanium
Posts: 8,291
dont count your chickens before they hatch,I too once thought as you do.Im now 100% convinced there is no set pattern and 1 day I checked I was active and the next not able to login = Spend Down.
folks who said CAing is no problem were shut down , those who said anything but CAing and they too were closed down. I think they look for large amounts loaded and unloaded and what their total fee amount is, so lots of small purchases with alot of fees you will be OK by them but not by you. Wouldnt be surprised if they found a way to look for Wally charges or supermarkets, banks etc etc places where CAing or MOing is ripe...
folks who said CAing is no problem were shut down , those who said anything but CAing and they too were closed down. I think they look for large amounts loaded and unloaded and what their total fee amount is, so lots of small purchases with alot of fees you will be OK by them but not by you. Wouldnt be surprised if they found a way to look for Wally charges or supermarkets, banks etc etc places where CAing or MOing is ripe...
I'm certainly not saying I've found the magic formula nor that I won't see shut downs very soon, but *so far* it seems that all of these factors combined work to escape the hatchet. All of it boils down to a profile that gives them some modest profits, which of course is a logical objective on their part.
Jan 13, 2014, 2:09 pm
#2316
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 50
Anyone having issue logging into their account after a CA?
I did a CA of $9500 on Saturday leaving a $46 + change balance on the account and I have not been able log into my account ever since, I can still access my balance by phone and I can reset my password.
When I try to log in with my username/password. It tells me "Invalid username/ password."
I did a CA of $9500 on Saturday leaving a $46 + change balance on the account and I have not been able log into my account ever since, I can still access my balance by phone and I can reset my password.
When I try to log in with my username/password. It tells me "Invalid username/ password."
Jan 13, 2014, 2:24 pm
#2317
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 249
Anyone having issue logging into their account after a CA?
I did a CA of $9500 on Saturday leaving a $46 + change balance on the account and I have not been able log into my account ever since, I can still access my balance by phone and I can reset my password.
When I try to log in with my username/password. It tells me "Invalid username/ password."
I did a CA of $9500 on Saturday leaving a $46 + change balance on the account and I have not been able log into my account ever since, I can still access my balance by phone and I can reset my password.
When I try to log in with my username/password. It tells me "Invalid username/ password."
Jan 13, 2014, 2:32 pm
#2318
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 486
Anyone having issue logging into their account after a CA?
I did a CA of $9500 on Saturday leaving a $46 + change balance on the account and I have not been able log into my account ever since, I can still access my balance by phone and I can reset my password.
When I try to log in with my username/password. It tells me "Invalid username/ password."
I did a CA of $9500 on Saturday leaving a $46 + change balance on the account and I have not been able log into my account ever since, I can still access my balance by phone and I can reset my password.
When I try to log in with my username/password. It tells me "Invalid username/ password."
Jan 13, 2014, 2:47 pm
#2319
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: FB Gold Privilege
Posts: 413
I'm done with MVD. My new card was cancelled. I'm happy to say that the balance on the card is -$.0.50 
The rep that I talked to said I owe them 50 cents. I said I don't think so.
This card was new and loaded $3-4k and emptied in WalMart. Online access locked and this weekend I could not load anything.
My other card, after successful churning from July and $80k later followed similar fate. Could not load anything and converted to gift card per the rep over the phone. $80 beer money remain on the card that is to be spent by the end of the week.^
The rep that I talked to said I owe them 50 cents. I said I don't think so.This card was new and loaded $3-4k and emptied in WalMart. Online access locked and this weekend I could not load anything.
My other card, after successful churning from July and $80k later followed similar fate. Could not load anything and converted to gift card per the rep over the phone. $80 beer money remain on the card that is to be spent by the end of the week.^
Jan 13, 2014, 3:16 pm
#2321
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: FB Gold Privilege
Posts: 413
Jan 13, 2014, 3:20 pm
#2322
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 50
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Please fix the errors shown below and try again.
Server Declined the Transaction / No Action Taken
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It looks like the locked my other 2 card account as well. This might be the end of MVD as we know it.
Last edited by daride; Jan 13, 2014 at 3:26 pm
Jan 13, 2014, 3:40 pm
#2323
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,708
This is the error message I get when I try to hit forget password.
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Please fix the errors shown below and try again.
Server Declined the Transaction / No Action Taken
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Please fix the errors shown below and try again.
Server Declined the Transaction / No Action Taken
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Jan 13, 2014, 3:45 pm
#2325
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 486