stores near me have been dry since 6 weeks now, anyone has locations to share in phoenix please pm

I got a text from Citi asking if I made a $997 purchase or something. I replied to the text saying it was me, but the system already auto declined so I had to pay with my CSP instead.

Based on my reply, should I be good to go to try again on my Citi card or should I call them ahead of time to let them know?

Do you guys just call them and say that you're going to be making big purchases at CVS?

Do not call them. Reply to the text and your card will be unblocked. It usually comes within 10 seconds of the denial. I usually wait for it then swipe again. Cashiers are often impressed by it when I tell them its a fraud decline and they will text me.

I went into CVS yesterday to get some VRs and they were dry. Manager said they pulled them the last few days as VR are changing their fees. He said he expected some of the “new” ones in stock this week. Anyone else experience this?

Glad I live in a minor-sized city. There is 5 or 6 CVS's within a 30 minute drive. I checked out some and they each had 20+ VR's in the gift card shelf.

I went in today, no vrs. Said there would be more in stock tomorrow.

Based on your reply they're less likely to bug you next time. It took a few months of alerts on my TYP before they stopped.

It happens to me when I use citi typ 2nd/3rd time in a day. 8 months and it still happens

Is it worth using CSP? I always walk away.....

I've been buying fairly regularly from 2 CVS stores. Today I go in and the cashier says that she thinks its cash only for the VR. I asked if that was new because I had bought them before. She let me try my credit card and after she entered the 4 digits, the reader said "another form of payment required". She let me try one other card and it was the same thing. Looks like its onto something else.

Just purchased 2 VR without any problems

That error message reads like a fraud alert on your card

Thx. If I had only tried one card, I would've thought the same thing. However, I used 2 different cards and it was the same message.I got the fraud alert text in the second one but not the first. It was also the first time that a cashier had ever mentioned cash only. I may try the other store in the next few days to see what happens.

That sounds like the fraud alert on both of them.

Picked up another $1k today and $500 paypal card yesterday.

2nd CVS I went into, out of VR cards, but did have a few paypal. Loaded it no problem, withdrew to bank.

3rd CVS, went in yesterday but Amex Biz Plat had fraud alert , did not go back in. Returned today, they had about 7 VR cards left. Bought 2. Tried to put one on each, personal Delta plat and one on biz plat. Biz plat gave me the same, alternative payment required. Put both on the personal delta amex, no problem. Two transactions, one card on each.

Time to call Amex. Good news is... Just satisfied the minimum spend ($1k) for 35k miles, and 5k medallion. Woot Woot. I love this game. Thank you to this forum.

Now just got to figure out how to be able to buy on the business for the $10k min spend for the 100k MR.

Thx. I will definitely see what happens. I never got a fraud alert on the other one. It was an Amex. It also doesn't even show up as a pending charge.

I will try one of the cards I haven't had any problems with. Fingers crossed as this is far more convenient than the next alternative.