It's Chicago -- maybe they want to minimize cash on hand. ;)

yes thanks...updated post

Read the last 10 or so pages of the thread. Since I last tried in June to purchase beans, I got shut down with cash only. Have things become more relaxed with ID scans at 1K? Is it just beans or can I buy the other GC's load $500 on them and use a CC?

Has anyone had luck doing multiple ~$995s on the same card? I don't mind providing my DL, but for whatever reason, it doesn't scan and it takes the cashier a long time to enter it.

Why not order a duplicate license? $10 bucks or so shipped to your address...

don't push
 

I just bought a 500 VR at CVS this AM. NO license scan ever. Why push it? One or 2 per day or 3-4/week is just fine. Don't ruin it for the whole country by asking questions and testing the system. BTW, this particular CVS has a new clerk that gives the 3rd degree on these VR. So I avoid her line and if she is the only one there, i come back another day. I am not going to stand there arguing with someone who is in charge of her domain. I don't need a manager to come over and them remember me on my next visit. Remember Glen Beck--"you can't argue with idiots". I work with plenty of them!!!

Strange, I brought a lot of VRs from CVS in the city every month. Just this morning I started again this routine activity without any problem using credit card for purchase. Waiting for input my ID info is annoying tho. :rolleyes:

I hope people know the reason for the drivers license scans. Check the BSA and prepaid access. I would suggest caution for those who only believe the scanning of DLs is just to keep track of not exceeding $5K per day.

And what might that be?

Hello!
Flytertalk newbie here, and I've read about the last 10-15 pages, but its all very overwhelming for somebody getting into the game. Could someone please help clear things up for me with a quick summary on my questions? Are the steps to do this manufactured spending....

1) Open bluebird account
2) Go to walmart/CVS and buy VR bundles (up to $500/card?) to the tune of max 1k/transaction, 5k/day? - is there also a small fee of about 3-4 bucks/card?
3) Load the VR onto bluebird account
4) Withdraw money from bluebird to bank account? or use blue bird to directly pay off the credit card
5) What are the best ways to avoid deteciton and getting accounts closed

- I have 2 SPG Amex cards I need to hit spending on, and I currently have chase and ally checking accounts for informatoin


The rewards from this are:
1% cashback
MS on hitting CC bonuses?

Buy the VR at whichever place:

a) has them
b) will allow credit card use
c) ideally with a credit card that gives more than 1% at that place. So you can get 5% if you have the right cards (5x TYP at CVS for example)

$500 max per card, limits depend on where you are buying them, Bluebird limits LOADING to $1000 per day, $5,000 per month. VR costs $3.95 per card, flat rate.

c) is not necessary if the goal is hitting minimum spend of course (as you have to use that card). The point is that you can quickly hit the target and then get most of your cash back.

From bluebird you can transfer to your bank account, pay the credit card, or pay any other bill. Some people think transferring or paying the card that bought the VRs is slightly more risky, but many of us do both.

You cant buy anything at WM at least using a CC, you better go back and reread the WiKi for the BB, its been suggested not to use the BB to pay off the CCs you are buying the VRs with. Best to keep under the radar is to take it very slow and not only have VRs and GCs as the sole purchases on your CC, also if on avg you charged till now $300 a month on the CC, all of a sudden charging 1000s of $$$ will surely send the red flag up the pole

sorry I don't understand your last 2 items about the rewards: if you are using a 1% cashback CC then Im sure theres not much of a welcome bonus for meeting a min spend. 2 VRs will cost you $7.90 at a min 1% of $1000 is $10 - 7.90 = a net profit of $2.10 You plan to play this game where you may ruin your bank accts or have CCs and your credit messed up in order to make $2.10 per $1k??? btw from that $2.10 deduct the cost of gas and wear & tear on your car to go to CVS & WM.

Id never be in the game if that was all I saw myself walking away with. My suggestion is to either to redo all of your thinking or simply delete the idea of MS from your mind

I'm not, just really new to this. I just got the 30k points offer on two SPG cards, and I'd like to hit the bonuses ASAP.

In terms of this, I should go to CVS, buy with my spg card, and transfer from bb to a bank account. (I can even transfer to another bank for an additional step) Then use the bank account to pay off my CC bill.

In terms of longterm benefits,

I should be using a card like citi for TYP, so then profit margins become larger. 50-7.90 = 42.10/1k, approximately 200/month.

Just summarizing to make sure I dont miss something! Thanks for your help.

recently moved to irvine,ca,so far no luck in finding VRs.any ideas.

My apologies if my wife has awakened Cardinal Fang.

She's been brought aboard for our weekly Charlie Victor run, and she has been getting quite frustrated because our Fidelity AMEX is ALWAYS declined at Charlie's. Usually they call long after we've used a 1.25% safety card and left the store without making a scene. No matter how many times we tell them that we will be making large purchases at Charlie's on a regular basis (no reason given or asked for), the transactions are still declined.

We were told once that their algorithms will learn our spending. To contradict this, yesterday we were told by the Fidelity AMEX people that they've experienced a large amount of fraud from Charlie's, so it's unlikely that we would be able to make large purchases there in the future. Wife was furious because she felt she was lied to, so she escalated the situation and someone (can't remember the title, sounded mid-manager-ish) will be reporting back to her after an undisclosed length of time about the possibility of having these fraud holds removed.

I'm preparing for the wake and funeral of my current everyday cash cow card.

Has anyone else run into trouble when trying to use this green beauty at Charlie's for VRs and other delectables?