Jun 28, 2013, 3:20 pm
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
Moderator note: A new thread for 2016 is here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1738030-gobank-greendot-online-banking-debit-card-2016-a.html
Do NOT let Rite-Aid scan the GoBank barcode. You will be charged, but your funds won't load. It is a PIA to get your funds back.
Want to stay active? Be sure to only load when your balance is at or close to 0. Continuing to load when you have funds in there seems to be a no no. Swipes are recommended, but there are folks active that don't swipe.
Lots of $200 loads can get you shutdown. GoBank does not like paying load fees on low denomination loads. Two $500 loads is better than five $200 loads.
Shut down reports:
Please list your load/spend/billpay details (in a single statement/lifetime?) e.g.,
type of load, number of loads, denomination of your gc or mp, amount of your billpay, any actual swipe/dd?
lad2 (closed) - May: $2.7K 9 loads 5DDs - June: $5.5K 5 loads 6DDs - July: $4.6K 6 loads 1DD - August $9.9K 19 loads 1DD - no swipes
TheDapperDon (open) June $4.5k 5 loads. All GCs. 1 swipe. Everything else BP to CC. 1500 most loaded in one day .July - $3489 5 loads. All GCs. Several swipes. No load until below $20 or so remaining.
raghu455 (closed) May $2k 4 loads, june $7k all GCs. All BP to CC.
drdrew450 (closed) 17K in loads, unloaded all through bill pay, less than a month
cuebert (closed) $4.5k in 9 MP loads, BP out. That was fast.
sgideons (closed) May $7k 17 loads, june $17k 27 loads, july $5k 6 loads, september $3.5k 4 loads. Unloaded 90% ACH pull, 5% PP to self, 5% bill pay tool. Closed on September statement date.
MDWCommuter (closed): June only, $8k in 60 loads, all GC. $2k is most loaded in one day. Wrote 2 BP to CC checks, no ATM, no MP loads, no ACH pull, no DD, always carried at least a $1k balance
ArtemK (closed): 1st month - 5/21 - 6/21 - loaded $6,700, 6/21 - 6/30 - $4K loaded, all via GCs. Unloaded all via BP to Citi and Chase. No ATM, no MP loads, no ACH pull, no DD, no swipes.
rdover1 (Closed): 1st month - $23.6k loaded (WM GC), ~$1k spend, rest bill pay (mostly to CC)
rdover1 2nd card (closed): Closed mid cycle, survived 1st month. No bill pay, only MO. Never loaded over ~$4k. Total activity ~$12k.
T3pleShot (closed): 7k in loads at WMT, 10 loads, mostly $500, some $200, $4k billpay to CC, 5 swipes totaling about $25.
ctbarron (open): Month1 - $3.8k loaded, all bill pay out, 1 swipe; Month2 - $3.7k loaded, all bill pay out, few swipes and an ATM WD; Month3 - $4.2k loaded, all bill pay out, few swipes and an ATM WD. Zero membership fee, usually a balance of under $150.
americanindian (closed)- closed after 3 months today. had about 7.5k deposit each month, with lots of small value(<$20) purchases each month. liquidated mostly using bill pay.
rodsren (closed)- the dapperdon warned me. I was closed today after less than 5,500 or loaaing in less than 3 weeks (was going to try to keep it to 7,500 - 10,000 but didn't luck out.)
binnycode (closed, re-opened) - 7x $200 loads + 1x $700 load + 3x $500 over 2 days got me shut down. Called CSR and they re-opened my account, letting me know that "direct deposit would reduce my number of trips to walmart" lol!
Do NOT let Rite-Aid scan the GoBank barcode. You will be charged, but your funds won't load. It is a PIA to get your funds back.
Want to stay active? Be sure to only load when your balance is at or close to 0. Continuing to load when you have funds in there seems to be a no no. Swipes are recommended, but there are folks active that don't swipe.
Lots of $200 loads can get you shutdown. GoBank does not like paying load fees on low denomination loads. Two $500 loads is better than five $200 loads.
Shut down reports:
Please list your load/spend/billpay details (in a single statement/lifetime?) e.g.,
type of load, number of loads, denomination of your gc or mp, amount of your billpay, any actual swipe/dd?
lad2 (closed) - May: $2.7K 9 loads 5DDs - June: $5.5K 5 loads 6DDs - July: $4.6K 6 loads 1DD - August $9.9K 19 loads 1DD - no swipes
TheDapperDon (open) June $4.5k 5 loads. All GCs. 1 swipe. Everything else BP to CC. 1500 most loaded in one day .July - $3489 5 loads. All GCs. Several swipes. No load until below $20 or so remaining.
raghu455 (closed) May $2k 4 loads, june $7k all GCs. All BP to CC.
drdrew450 (closed) 17K in loads, unloaded all through bill pay, less than a month
cuebert (closed) $4.5k in 9 MP loads, BP out. That was fast.
sgideons (closed) May $7k 17 loads, june $17k 27 loads, july $5k 6 loads, september $3.5k 4 loads. Unloaded 90% ACH pull, 5% PP to self, 5% bill pay tool. Closed on September statement date.
MDWCommuter (closed): June only, $8k in 60 loads, all GC. $2k is most loaded in one day. Wrote 2 BP to CC checks, no ATM, no MP loads, no ACH pull, no DD, always carried at least a $1k balance
ArtemK (closed): 1st month - 5/21 - 6/21 - loaded $6,700, 6/21 - 6/30 - $4K loaded, all via GCs. Unloaded all via BP to Citi and Chase. No ATM, no MP loads, no ACH pull, no DD, no swipes.
rdover1 (Closed): 1st month - $23.6k loaded (WM GC), ~$1k spend, rest bill pay (mostly to CC)
rdover1 2nd card (closed): Closed mid cycle, survived 1st month. No bill pay, only MO. Never loaded over ~$4k. Total activity ~$12k.
T3pleShot (closed): 7k in loads at WMT, 10 loads, mostly $500, some $200, $4k billpay to CC, 5 swipes totaling about $25.
ctbarron (open): Month1 - $3.8k loaded, all bill pay out, 1 swipe; Month2 - $3.7k loaded, all bill pay out, few swipes and an ATM WD; Month3 - $4.2k loaded, all bill pay out, few swipes and an ATM WD. Zero membership fee, usually a balance of under $150.
americanindian (closed)- closed after 3 months today. had about 7.5k deposit each month, with lots of small value(<$20) purchases each month. liquidated mostly using bill pay.
rodsren (closed)- the dapperdon warned me. I was closed today after less than 5,500 or loaaing in less than 3 weeks (was going to try to keep it to 7,500 - 10,000 but didn't luck out.)
binnycode (closed, re-opened) - 7x $200 loads + 1x $700 load + 3x $500 over 2 days got me shut down. Called CSR and they re-opened my account, letting me know that "direct deposit would reduce my number of trips to walmart" lol!
Gobank by Greendot - online banking with debit card
Aug 6, 2013, 6:21 pm
#1321
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ORD, LAS
Programs: AA-EXP, BAEC Silver, Hyatt-Globalist, Hilton-gold, SPG-gold
Posts: 855
Aug 6, 2013, 6:27 pm
#1322
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 39
I got a GreenDot card a couple of years ago, and it expired during that time, with some money still on it (not much, perhaps as little as $100). However, the card has been deactivated and their system doesn't recognize it, or my SSN, so I can't talk to a human on their phone system.
Emailed them, they said I should use their phone system (which I obviously can't).
After reading posts in this thread for awhile, it seems like even people who put vast amounts of cash into GreenDot cards get screwed by them.
Isn't it, like, illegal for them to KEEP my money? Has anyone found a fast-track way to get them to give me back my money if a card has been deactivated? I saw there was a class action suit against them some time ago, but it got dismissed.
- Tim
Emailed them, they said I should use their phone system (which I obviously can't).
After reading posts in this thread for awhile, it seems like even people who put vast amounts of cash into GreenDot cards get screwed by them.
Isn't it, like, illegal for them to KEEP my money? Has anyone found a fast-track way to get them to give me back my money if a card has been deactivated? I saw there was a class action suit against them some time ago, but it got dismissed.
- Tim
Aug 6, 2013, 6:42 pm
#1323
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 809
I got a GreenDot card a couple of years ago, and it expired during that time, with some money still on it (not much, perhaps as little as $100). However, the card has been deactivated and their system doesn't recognize it, or my SSN, so I can't talk to a human on their phone system.
Emailed them, they said I should use their phone system (which I obviously can't).
After reading posts in this thread for awhile, it seems like even people who put vast amounts of cash into GreenDot cards get screwed by them.
Isn't it, like, illegal for them to KEEP my money? Has anyone found a fast-track way to get them to give me back my money if a card has been deactivated? I saw there was a class action suit against them some time ago, but it got dismissed.
- Tim
Emailed them, they said I should use their phone system (which I obviously can't).
After reading posts in this thread for awhile, it seems like even people who put vast amounts of cash into GreenDot cards get screwed by them.
Isn't it, like, illegal for them to KEEP my money? Has anyone found a fast-track way to get them to give me back my money if a card has been deactivated? I saw there was a class action suit against them some time ago, but it got dismissed.
- Tim
Aug 7, 2013, 9:27 am
#1324
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
I check into my GB every day just to make sure it's active. I'm going to load slower once I get my second BB. I think I'll be able to ride out with this card for a while.
Aug 7, 2013, 9:39 am
#1325
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Anaheim Hills, CA
Programs: UA 1K, 1.3mm
Posts: 918
Aug 7, 2013, 9:45 am
#1326
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,060
Yes, you must involve a manager or it will stay locked. And don't assume that just bc manager unlocks it, that you can do another $1999. I had manager unlock it once and I did my 500 load while she was standing there. I told her that I had one more to load and she was ok with it, but she walked away. I tried my next load and it relocked it. Stick to the 12 min/under 2K rule and avoid the headache.
Aug 7, 2013, 10:12 am
#1327
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: whatever comes with CCs
Posts: 1,082
deleted
Last edited by mintcilantro; Aug 8, 2013 at 10:38 am Reason: TMI
Aug 7, 2013, 10:32 am
#1328
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Gobank is like that porsche that you are afraid to take out because you will lose value by putting miles on it.
I almost feel tempted to go bonkers on my loads but I restrict myself to teh $800 loads to minimize # of loads. I'm still alive. I do about 4 loads every month and BP out.. not sure how long I'll be alive.
I almost feel tempted to go bonkers on my loads but I restrict myself to teh $800 loads to minimize # of loads. I'm still alive. I do about 4 loads every month and BP out.. not sure how long I'll be alive.
Aug 7, 2013, 10:42 am
#1329
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 78
Can someone explain to me the "easy does it' logic? Why not go bonkers and do like $1500 a day in like 2-3 Walmarts and load up as much as you can...lets say 40,000 grand and if you get locked out....Ok Bill pay and it out and say thank you.
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
Aug 7, 2013, 11:01 am
#1330
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
Can someone explain to me the "easy does it' logic? Why not go bonkers and do like $1500 a day in like 2-3 Walmarts and load up as much as you can...lets say 40,000 grand and if you get locked out....Ok Bill pay and it out and say thank you.
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
Aug 7, 2013, 11:18 am
#1331
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
Can someone explain to me the "easy does it' logic? Why not go bonkers and do like $1500 a day in like 2-3 Walmarts and load up as much as you can...lets say 40,000 grand and if you get locked out....Ok Bill pay and it out and say thank you.
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
Aug 7, 2013, 11:32 am
#1332
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 690
The whole going bonkers thing is what usually ends up killing deals for everyone. Not saying you shouldn't do it, cause there are definitely people on Flyertalk who will if you don't, but (in my opinion at least) it is detrimental to the greater good of the board.
I'm messing with buying a house right now, so I can't really participate in any of this stuff anyway for the time being. I'm just grateful I don't have coins to tempt me anymore - the lenders would have loved me back then.
I'm messing with buying a house right now, so I can't really participate in any of this stuff anyway for the time being. I'm just grateful I don't have coins to tempt me anymore - the lenders would have loved me back then.
Aug 7, 2013, 2:22 pm
#1333
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: whatever comes with CCs
Posts: 1,082
deleted
Last edited by mintcilantro; Aug 8, 2013 at 10:37 am Reason: TMI
Aug 7, 2013, 4:44 pm
#1334
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 39
Well, it ended up that my card was unavailable because I had not used it in 2 years, and with the monthly non-use fee Green Dot applies, the card had dropped down to -$11.00 in value (I don't know what it had been originally). I didn't realize I was charged for not using it. Fun times. :-/
They'll send me a statement so at least I'll know how much I had in it before they closed it.
- Tim
They'll send me a statement so at least I'll know how much I had in it before they closed it.
- Tim
Aug 7, 2013, 4:46 pm
#1335
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX, SNA
Posts: 359
Can someone explain to me the "easy does it' logic? Why not go bonkers and do like $1500 a day in like 2-3 Walmarts and load up as much as you can...lets say 40,000 grand and if you get locked out....Ok Bill pay and it out and say thank you.
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
I don't get the $800/a week or a month....Am I missing something?
Secondly, the daily load limit is 2.5k. To push through 40k, it would take more than 2 weeks of loading the max every day. Gobank does shutdowns periodically and it wouldn't surprise me if you get shutdown before you reach your 40k or even a much lesser amount. So yes, you are missing something.