This is why we can't have nice things. Seriously, try to be more discreet, otherwise it will get shut down.

I would be suspicious too if four people showed up to a CVS and tried to drop $20,000 on prepaid cards. This is likely the kind thing that shows up on fraud reports that bubble up to a corporate office. Which results in everyone getting shut down.

I once had a cashier refuse to allow purchase with CC. She made up excuse that register said cash only, but it was right after a friend I was with just made a purchase at a different register. Like you, I think she was just worried that something illegal was going on. If there was a shortage of stores in the area I may have complained more than I did.

The first three purchases were $1k, $1k, and $2k. It was nowhere close to $20k, lol.

Interesting theory, I guess I'll have to start making 40 trips to the store instead of one. j/k

Either way. A group of four people walk-in, the first three spend $4k on pre-paid cards, and now a fourth. Yeah, that's suspicious.

There are only a couple places left that sell VR with a CC. We should be careful. Walmart and Bluebird has started to stop prepaid debit card loads too.

I work for a large financial institution that has various analytics around AML and fraud (required by the fed). There are various dollar limits that trigger alarms. Standard deviations outside average. These things pop-up on reports that trigger manual review. If CVS has something similar, we don't want to show up too often. Otherwise we end up on the desk of an executive who has the OCC or CFPB sitting across from him.

Since what you're doing is suspicious, I would try to act like you're actually trying not to get caught. Blend in, courteous, forgettable, and keep the spend low. A grand here and there is fine. $5k at once, or going every-day for a week is likely to arouse suspicion.

I just got back from my most Reliable CVS store today. MOD had a new procedure that they have to follow for all gift card purchases over $200. It's a manual version of the $1000+ a day ID scan procedure. Any gift card purchase over $200 that is made with a credit card must be logged in on a clipboard. The information to be logged it includes name, DL number and amount being purchased. They also had an big highlighted writing No gift cards for gift cards.

This is the only store doing this at the moment.

I hope it doesn't catch on.

Sounds like very unprofessional way of documenting someones information.
From the sound of it, must be something the store manager is implementing.

I thought the same but I think its more from the local loss prevention team than anything corporate or even the district is implementing. It will likely die down after a while. Not sure if I should entertain them and fillup the page or lay low until the dust settles. Letting them know I have nothing to hide and am not doing anything even remotely shadey may have served me well if I wasn't a regular that has swiped 6 figures (easy) on that store's registers.

So back when VR was new, they couldn't be found anywhere around here! There's a CVS a stones throw from me, so we visit every time we're out for a walk or need to do some shopping. After months & months of not finding any, I gave up. A few weeks ago, I just happened to come across some cards at CVS & Walgreens on a pharmacy trip. I was so shocked & excited a little bit of pee came out! (well, no, not really)
I came back with my wife in tow and the proper cards in hand. We each grabbed a few cards, split up (front & rear registers) but we couldn't complete the purchase: The cashiers said they wouldn't accept credit cards as payment, only cash. This happened at every store we went to.

Does this even work anymore in the MD/VA/DC area?

Just did a run last week at a DC location.

forget WGs their registers are hard coded (as are Duane Reeds, owned by WG) no CCs. CVs are hit and miss with a few being ca$h only, most accept CCs but some impose their own max limit. Near me I have 2 ca$h only, 1 max of $200, most max $1k , some allowing only 1 transaction so I can buy 2 for $1k but not 2 @ $500 each even with 2 different CCs. Then what was today may not be tomorrow as each mgr will do as they please. Hopefully like me you have many stores within a 15 min drive,I have apx 12

Bought a couple in trips yesterday and today to CVS in Northern VA. Walgreens is always cash only and has been for awhile. Where were the locations you noted?

Oh wow - thanks for the responses all. Renewed hope. I'll give it a go this weekend at some of the other CVS' in the area. Thanks!

Mine didn't have the manual version of the DL scan, but mine had several new homemade signs saying "No gift cards for gift cards." So I'm guessing there might have been some kind of memo sent to stores about gift cards for gift cards.

They were telling me that people have been cloning people's cards unto GCs and thats some of whats going on. Its possible ... I can see how it wouldnt be difficult at all to print the actual CC number unto a cloned card as you dont have to worry about embossed names and such. But i doubt CVS is a CC fraudster's paradise.

This most likely came about due to the $50 Extra Care Bucks promo that just ran its course. People were buy 1 Paypal debit card, activating it on the spot and using that same card to buy another. Why CVS would care I will never know.