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-   -   coding purchases as office supplies (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1434668-coding-purchases-office-supplies.html)

lovenola Feb 3, 2013 1:26 am

coding purchases as office supplies
 
With the imminent demise of purchasing variable load cards at Office Depot, I was wondering about a possible workaround:

I have read in the past the idea of getting your own cc reader to manufacture spend. The main obstacle to this besides the possible suspicions of fraud on the part of the banks is that at 3%+- per transaction, the numbers don't make sense.

However I was thinking, what would stand in the way of coding all of the purchases as office supplies, or from telling your cc processor that your new business that you will be accepting cc's on behalf of is an office supply store. The 5x points with the ink card would seem to make it worth while. Any thoughts? I know this probably far fetched at best, but desperate times call for . . . .

beckkl Feb 3, 2013 6:32 am

Pretty sure that is fraud.

Mrgolfer21 Feb 3, 2013 7:07 am

It's been said many times before that you will eventually get shut down for this (either by the credit card or the card processing company) as doing this viloates their terms and conditions and they catch on quick. On top of that, they will hold your money for a long time.

Not worth it in my opinion.

Jesperss Feb 3, 2013 9:35 am

Sounds like a super duper great idea!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^


















:rolleyes:

toomanybooks Feb 3, 2013 9:44 am

Open an actual office supply store.

A real small one that sells only GCs.

steventravel Feb 3, 2013 9:45 am

Sounds like you and points envy would get along real well. In Jail that is.

dimamo1983 Feb 3, 2013 4:03 pm

I've got myself Square and PayAnywhere accounts and readers (for the actual business) and nowhere did it ask me how to code the purchases... Setting up the actual terminals may be different, but I like toomanybooks suggestion better.

steventravel Feb 3, 2013 4:17 pm


Originally Posted by dimamo1983 (Post 20179404)
I've got myself Square and PayAnywhere accounts and readers (for the actual business) and nowhere did it ask me how to code the purchases... Setting up the actual terminals may be different, but I like toomanybooks suggestion better.

Price the gift cards $1 above your costs, and you could make millions. Anyone want to go into business?

ddallas Feb 3, 2013 4:37 pm


Originally Posted by dimamo1983 (Post 20179404)
...nowhere did it ask me how to code the purchases....

I think you will make tremendous profits if you sell VR cards online.

I think the "office supply" code is something that is assigned to your business by the payment processor.
http://web.archive.org/web/200707102...cc_booklet.pdf

The MCC is assigned by the Acquiring financial institution when a supplier first begins accepting Visa payment cards. The MCC is assigned based on the supplier’s primary line of business. For example, if a supplier primarily sells computers, it may be assigned MCC 5732 “Computer Hardware”. If a supplier primarily repairs computers, it may be assigned MCC 7379 “Computer Maintenance, Repair, and Services”.

MaineFlyer16 Feb 3, 2013 9:14 pm

I've been doing it for 2 plus years to cash out prepaid cards. Only downside is you get a 1099-K for any number of transactions (NOT the 200/20K like paypal or Amazon), which takes some creative accounting (and explaining) to negate. My rate is 1.7% for visa and mc gift cards.

AlohaDaveKennedy Feb 4, 2013 11:15 am

You think? I say try it - Cardinal Fang loves a good BBQ! Hold these ropes while we go find us a stake and some kindling.:D


Originally Posted by beckkl (Post 20176579)
Pretty sure that is fraud.


AlohaDaveKennedy Feb 4, 2013 11:17 am

With the Office Supplies coding?


Originally Posted by MaineFlyer16 (Post 20180580)
I've been doing it for 2 plus years to cash out prepaid cards. Only downside is you get a 1099-K for any number of transactions (NOT the 200/20K like paypal or Amazon), which takes some creative accounting (and explaining) to negate. My rate is 1.7% for visa and mc gift cards.


AlohaDaveKennedy Feb 4, 2013 11:19 am

So do we burn them at the stake first then jail 'em or jail 'em and then burn 'em at the stake? Never can get the order of those darn steps right.:D


Originally Posted by steventravel (Post 20177426)
Sounds like you and points envy would get along real well. In Jail that is.


farwest101 Feb 4, 2013 11:41 am


Originally Posted by toomanybooks (Post 20177421)
Open an actual office supply store.

A real small one that sells only GCs.

^ What you didn't make in profit, you'd surely make up in volume. Particularly if you had an online sales store and put an add on FT...

lazyy Feb 4, 2013 12:14 pm

how do you get incomm to do business with you?


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