Apr 3, 2013, 11:44 am
Last edit by: markr33
Read the wiki before posting a question.
Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.
Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.
The original FlyerTalk discussion thread is here: Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Bluebird Load Limits:
*For online debit load, only use of bank-issued cards is allowed. The use of pre-paid debit cards (Netspend, Paypower, Univision, Paypal, etc.) and VGC/MGC/AGCs is not allowed. Your account will be flagged upon first/second attempt. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).
The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.
For online bill pay
Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.
Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift cards when loading, even though the register and the MCE do not enforce. Do not make your prepaid debit cards visible. Show them a bank debit card if asked. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.
Loads at register over $500 will sometimes trigger ID requirement. There is a limit of four swipes per transaction; this means your card plus three payments.
If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.
Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.
Training a WM cashier:
Error Messages:
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Received when I used a card I thought I had activated but hadn't.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
TENDER NOT ALLOWED
Card was incorrectly read, or wrong PIN entered .
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again. Try again later.
UPdate Notice on Sept 15, 2014.
Some minor changes on the ATM limits and fees:
• Out-of-Network ATM Fees:
Beginning October 30, 2014, the fee for withdrawing funds using out-of-network ATMs will increase from $2.00 to $2.50. ATM operator fees may also apply.
• Free In-Network MoneyPass® ATMs:
Effective immediately, all Bluebird Customers can withdraw funds for free when using in-network MoneyPass ATMs. You can find one of the more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs below.
• ATM Withdrawal Limits Increase:
We have increased your daily ATM limit, so you can withdraw up to $750 per day. Your monthly ATM withdrawal limit will remain at $2,000.
-----
•If you use Wal-Mart Savings Catcher, you can earn double rewards by redeeming to your BlueBird account <== Doubling of savings catcher amounts ended sometime in the summer of 2015.
Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.
Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.
The original FlyerTalk discussion thread is here: Wal-Mart, Amex take on banks with Bluebird debit card
Bluebird Load Limits:
- BB loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
- Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
- Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
- Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
- ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month
*For online debit load, only use of bank-issued cards is allowed. The use of pre-paid debit cards (Netspend, Paypower, Univision, Paypal, etc.) and VGC/MGC/AGCs is not allowed. Your account will be flagged upon first/second attempt. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).
The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.
For online bill pay
- You can pay the credit card that you used to buy reloads
- Error 1302 means that you have 1 pending payment the same amount as the one you just submitted. For example, 1000 bill pay to sapphire preferred from Friday and then on Saturday you submit another bill pay for 1000 to sapphire preferred, you will get this error.
- Tip: if using online bill pay to the same place multiple times, vary your amounts by $0.01 to make it easier to track since your confirmation number does not match the tracking number on your credit card statement
Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.
Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift cards when loading, even though the register and the MCE do not enforce. Do not make your prepaid debit cards visible. Show them a bank debit card if asked. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.
Loads at register over $500 will sometimes trigger ID requirement. There is a limit of four swipes per transaction; this means your card plus three payments.
If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.
Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.
Training a WM cashier:
- If the WM cashier doesn't know how to load the card, advise them to enter "70" then press "action code".
- If you are using a temp card that doesn't have your name on it, you can swipe the card from your side of the terminal. The WM rep never has to touch any of your cards. The screen will say "enter account." That is your prompt to slide the card.
- The terminal will ask the WM employee if you are loading in multiples of $2000. Advise them to enter "no."
- Avoid saying gift card. Always refer to your card as a debit card.
Error Messages:
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Received when I used a card I thought I had activated but hadn't.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
TENDER NOT ALLOWED
Card was incorrectly read, or wrong PIN entered .
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again. Try again later.
UPdate Notice on Sept 15, 2014.
Some minor changes on the ATM limits and fees:
• Out-of-Network ATM Fees:
Beginning October 30, 2014, the fee for withdrawing funds using out-of-network ATMs will increase from $2.00 to $2.50. ATM operator fees may also apply.
• Free In-Network MoneyPass® ATMs:
Effective immediately, all Bluebird Customers can withdraw funds for free when using in-network MoneyPass ATMs. You can find one of the more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs below.
• ATM Withdrawal Limits Increase:
We have increased your daily ATM limit, so you can withdraw up to $750 per day. Your monthly ATM withdrawal limit will remain at $2,000.
-----
•If you use Wal-Mart Savings Catcher, you can earn double rewards by redeeming to your BlueBird account <== Doubling of savings catcher amounts ended sometime in the summer of 2015.
Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2013-2014)
May 1, 2013, 12:11 pm
#511
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Florida
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, Choice Elite Platinum
Posts: 433
My car loan is with BoA. Is it possible to walk into BoA and swipe my BB to pay the monthly car payment?
May 1, 2013, 12:30 pm
#512
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: SPG,United,Delta,AA,Marriott Silver
Posts: 45
Does anyone know which Walmart has the MoneyCenter ATM in the Boston area? I have tried some of them but didn't find any machine.
May 1, 2013, 2:13 pm
#514
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 657
The best use of these bluebird checks for me is to pay small businesses, such as a plumber or repairman. Most small companies do not take credit cards or they may charge less if you pay with a check vs credit card.
May 1, 2013, 2:23 pm
#516
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE, AA EXP MM, UA Gold MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, HH Dia, IHG Plat
Posts: 4,777
May 1, 2013, 2:30 pm
#517
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: ONT/LAX
Programs: IHG Plat
Posts: 496
anybody use bill pay to pay chase CC? BB says delivery by 4/30 and shows as complete but Chase doesnt show any payments pending.
May 1, 2013, 2:38 pm
#518
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: SPG,United,Delta,AA,Marriott Silver
Posts: 45
May 1, 2013, 2:44 pm
#519
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
So, don't go to Customer Service but instead go to an ordinary register?
CS at Walmart yesterday refused to recognize the subject cards as debit cards (they used the term "gift cards") and told me I had to load them at the machine. I told them to inspect the machine. Luckily by that time the previous user's stray entry had cleared and I could use the machine to load, but it seems I would have had a problem if it was still malfunctioning.
CS at Walmart yesterday refused to recognize the subject cards as debit cards (they used the term "gift cards") and told me I had to load them at the machine. I told them to inspect the machine. Luckily by that time the previous user's stray entry had cleared and I could use the machine to load, but it seems I would have had a problem if it was still malfunctioning.
At most, just give them the Bluebird card for them to swipe and tell them how much you want to load the card. The screen would ask you to confirm the amount by picking yes or no. Once that is confirmed, just swipe whatever debit card (or debit gift card) and then punch in your PIN. If the transaction is successful, it would show on the screen "approved" and spit out a receipt showing the beginning bal of the BB account, the loaded amount and the last 4 digits of the card used to load, and the ending bal of the BB account.
At no point you would need to give the CSR the card(s) used to load, let alone to tell them what cards they are. They all assume those are debit cards because PIN is required to complete the transaction.
In fact, you dont even need to go to service counter. The cashier at the register should knows how to load the prepaid cards (it is no different than the WM's own Money Card as far as procedure goes).
May 1, 2013, 3:15 pm
#520
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Diamond; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 655
Does anyone know if there is a problem with multiple checks over a short period of time to a single payee, with each check right at the $2K limit before the more complicated preauthorization kicks in? We need to pay a contractor working on our house $8000 right away. I don't have that much in my or my spouse's BB accounts right now but will within a couple days as I add the VRs at $1K per day to each account. Plus, my experience from my recent large check to the IRS was that BB took almost a week to authorize the check, including a requirement to fax in proof that I actually owed the over $10K I was trying to authorize for the check. So, I would like to write the contractor a $2K check from each account tomorrow, plus another $2K from each account on Friday or Monday. Will this work to avoid the drawn out preauthorization process?
May 1, 2013, 3:21 pm
#521
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE, AA EXP MM, UA Gold MM, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Titanium, HH Dia, IHG Plat
Posts: 4,777
Very Fast Pre-Authorization for $3K Check
I was quite surprised to see my first Bluebird check, which was for $3,000, pre-approved in just 2 hours without any phone call from Bluebird. This zeroed out my BB balance.
Now to reload via more Walmart visits (on my bike, to avoid fuel costs and get exercise).
Now to reload via more Walmart visits (on my bike, to avoid fuel costs and get exercise).
May 1, 2013, 3:53 pm
#522
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
So, don't go to Customer Service but instead go to an ordinary register?
CS at Walmart yesterday refused to recognize the subject cards as debit cards (they used the term "gift cards") and told me I had to load them at the machine. I told them to inspect the machine. Luckily by that time the previous user's stray entry had cleared and I could use the machine to load, but it seems I would have had a problem if it was still malfunctioning.
CS at Walmart yesterday refused to recognize the subject cards as debit cards (they used the term "gift cards") and told me I had to load them at the machine. I told them to inspect the machine. Luckily by that time the previous user's stray entry had cleared and I could use the machine to load, but it seems I would have had a problem if it was still malfunctioning.
May 1, 2013, 4:11 pm
#523
Join Date: Apr 2013
Programs: UA MPE, BA Blue, AA, IHG Plat Amb, Marriot Silver, HHonors Silver, National Exec, Avis First
Posts: 553
Does anyone know if there is a problem with multiple checks over a short period of time to a single payee, with each check right at the $2K limit before the more complicated preauthorization kicks in? We need to pay a contractor working on our house $8000 right away. I don't have that much in my or my spouse's BB accounts right now but will within a couple days as I add the VRs at $1K per day to each account. Plus, my experience from my recent large check to the IRS was that BB took almost a week to authorize the check, including a requirement to fax in proof that I actually owed the over $10K I was trying to authorize for the check. So, I would like to write the contractor a $2K check from each account tomorrow, plus another $2K from each account on Friday or Monday. Will this work to avoid the drawn out preauthorization process?
May 1, 2013, 5:32 pm
#524
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: EWR
Posts: 81
can you use any walmart to reload you BB?
i went to walmart near me on NJ and ask the cashier about it and he has no idea what i am talking about... I also check there ATM machine but it is not a money center. just standard ATM.
So does all walmart take BB?
i went to walmart near me on NJ and ask the cashier about it and he has no idea what i am talking about... I also check there ATM machine but it is not a money center. just standard ATM.
So does all walmart take BB?
May 1, 2013, 6:44 pm
#525
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: DL, WoH
Posts: 1,253
Why did you ask a walmart cashier? That's a pointless venture. It can be done at any walmart at any cashier. Or skip the conversation and go to a walmart with a kiosk.