Mar 28, 2014, 10:58 am
Last edit by: MasterCharge
Welcome to Manufactured Spending. If you are new here, please spend some time reading before posting. Most likely your questions have already been answered multiple times. Consider deals that you share. These threads are searchable by Google. A volatile deal may be worth holding close to the vest.
Hints
1) On FT, topics are heavily consolidated. Sometimes the title of the thread and first few posts may not properly reflect the broad range of discussion inside the thread. Be sure to visit any thread relating to the product or service you want to learn more about because you might be surprised by how in depth the discussion really is. Example: This thread... I know, the first few posts are confusing.
2) Use Google to search FT. It works a lot better than the built-in search.
Important Rules
1) MSing is very YMMV. It varies by store, manager, and right down to the cashier working at the moment. That being said, always be nice and courteous in the face of rejection. The biggest secret for success is to lay low so you can try again.
2) DO NOT spend more than you can afford. START WITH SMALL AMOUNTS TO TEST THE WATER! As an example.. don't start with a $5000 purchase of VGCs if you can't afford to float that much! Instead, buy one and try it, and scale up once you are comfortable with a new method. It's easy to lose track, or get robbed, when you are handling so much money. Getting a refund is NOT always possible.
3) DO NOT ask employees, cashiers, customer service representatives, etc... about how to MS, or about things you read on this forum. The information you read here are very specific, unknown, legal uses of products or services. Most employees, cashiers, and even managers do not know about them. At best you'll get bad information. At worst you'll create a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding.
4) It bears repeating that there are no guarantees. you could easily buy $10,000 in gift cards or some other instrument, only to discover that your method for liquidating them vanishes the very next day. MS is not "normal" financial activity ("normal" being defined by the banks), and thus is often perceived as "suspicious" even if it is "legal."
5) never underestimate the risk of criminal activity. gift cards can easily be stolen, loaded onto a compromised account, loaded in a debit card skimmer, or even fraudulent (e.g., an already used card put back on the rack).
If you have a question that does not seem to fit anywhere, or you have not found an appropriate place for it, post it here.
a helpful note from seat17D about some of the inherent risks of MS:
Take what you read with a grain of salt. No law enforcement agency cares if you are loading 5k to a bluebird per month unless you are loading your money from illegal activities like crack sales. Even at that point they only care about your crack sales, not your bluebird load.
Nobody is going to ask you "why are you loading your bluebird" or "where did you get the money you want to load on your bluebird" when you go to walmart.
Hints
1) On FT, topics are heavily consolidated. Sometimes the title of the thread and first few posts may not properly reflect the broad range of discussion inside the thread. Be sure to visit any thread relating to the product or service you want to learn more about because you might be surprised by how in depth the discussion really is. Example: This thread... I know, the first few posts are confusing.
2) Use Google to search FT. It works a lot better than the built-in search.
Important Rules
1) MSing is very YMMV. It varies by store, manager, and right down to the cashier working at the moment. That being said, always be nice and courteous in the face of rejection. The biggest secret for success is to lay low so you can try again.
2) DO NOT spend more than you can afford. START WITH SMALL AMOUNTS TO TEST THE WATER! As an example.. don't start with a $5000 purchase of VGCs if you can't afford to float that much! Instead, buy one and try it, and scale up once you are comfortable with a new method. It's easy to lose track, or get robbed, when you are handling so much money. Getting a refund is NOT always possible.
3) DO NOT ask employees, cashiers, customer service representatives, etc... about how to MS, or about things you read on this forum. The information you read here are very specific, unknown, legal uses of products or services. Most employees, cashiers, and even managers do not know about them. At best you'll get bad information. At worst you'll create a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding.
4) It bears repeating that there are no guarantees. you could easily buy $10,000 in gift cards or some other instrument, only to discover that your method for liquidating them vanishes the very next day. MS is not "normal" financial activity ("normal" being defined by the banks), and thus is often perceived as "suspicious" even if it is "legal."
5) never underestimate the risk of criminal activity. gift cards can easily be stolen, loaded onto a compromised account, loaded in a debit card skimmer, or even fraudulent (e.g., an already used card put back on the rack).
If you have a question that does not seem to fit anywhere, or you have not found an appropriate place for it, post it here.
a helpful note from seat17D about some of the inherent risks of MS:
I will speak to only the impacts and actions that have been taken (or threatened) to me personally over the years
1. Account closure - always got my money back. Moderate frequency. Little to no long-term impact UNLESS my wife was the first one to find out when her card was declined in public setting
2. Blacklisted by an FI - lower frequency. Short- to medium term impact. Eventually the FI's greed heals all wounds.
3. Blacklisted by a governmental agency -- lower frequency. Variable long-term impact as governmental agencies never actually forget, they just don't take action (see below)
4. Banned from a retail establishment -- threatened, but never actually banned. Mostly just pointed discussion from a misguided manager. Low-medium frequency.
5. Banned from an online establishment -- lower frequency, generally lower impact. Generally permanent, at least for me so far.
6. Cashback forfeited or clawed back -- generally happened to me as part of a credit card shut down. so far only forfeits and not clawbacks, but they are possible
And then there are the things law enforcement can and has done
1. Executed a warrant to subpoena my banking and other financial records without my knowledge
2. Contacted my FIs to inquire as the nature of my financial relationship
3. Frozen the portion of my assets that were currently involved in the activity they were investigating
4. Visited my home -- when I was not there -- to "interview" my spouse, etc. regarding their knowledge and involvement ... and to attempt to obtain additional documentation not already obtained by the subpoenas
5. Threatened to seize my assets. Not just the ones frozen. Not just those I currently possessed. But all assets they deemed as ever having been part of the criminal activity. (Think every GC, MO, etc. you have purchased over the past 3-5 years)
6. Threatened one or more felony charges. (Consider having to explain THAT to your wife or boss.)
And that all was for something that was completely legal, once the 'splaining was done.
Of course once LEO opens a criminal investigation, it never actually closes unless they take you to court and fail. So even though I was cleared of the charges, the original case file is out there ready to be dusted off.
In the end, my biggest concern is the extent to which something will permanently impact my marriage or ability to enter into financial contracts (felony charges would be one example). Fortunately once the initial shock of LEO's investigation wore away, both my marriage and financial relationships were intact. Very thankful both she and a few key FI's stood by me.
When you MS, you are running with scissors.
1. Account closure - always got my money back. Moderate frequency. Little to no long-term impact UNLESS my wife was the first one to find out when her card was declined in public setting
2. Blacklisted by an FI - lower frequency. Short- to medium term impact. Eventually the FI's greed heals all wounds.
3. Blacklisted by a governmental agency -- lower frequency. Variable long-term impact as governmental agencies never actually forget, they just don't take action (see below)
4. Banned from a retail establishment -- threatened, but never actually banned. Mostly just pointed discussion from a misguided manager. Low-medium frequency.
5. Banned from an online establishment -- lower frequency, generally lower impact. Generally permanent, at least for me so far.
6. Cashback forfeited or clawed back -- generally happened to me as part of a credit card shut down. so far only forfeits and not clawbacks, but they are possible
And then there are the things law enforcement can and has done
1. Executed a warrant to subpoena my banking and other financial records without my knowledge
2. Contacted my FIs to inquire as the nature of my financial relationship
3. Frozen the portion of my assets that were currently involved in the activity they were investigating
4. Visited my home -- when I was not there -- to "interview" my spouse, etc. regarding their knowledge and involvement ... and to attempt to obtain additional documentation not already obtained by the subpoenas
5. Threatened to seize my assets. Not just the ones frozen. Not just those I currently possessed. But all assets they deemed as ever having been part of the criminal activity. (Think every GC, MO, etc. you have purchased over the past 3-5 years)
6. Threatened one or more felony charges. (Consider having to explain THAT to your wife or boss.)
And that all was for something that was completely legal, once the 'splaining was done.
Of course once LEO opens a criminal investigation, it never actually closes unless they take you to court and fail. So even though I was cleared of the charges, the original case file is out there ready to be dusted off.
In the end, my biggest concern is the extent to which something will permanently impact my marriage or ability to enter into financial contracts (felony charges would be one example). Fortunately once the initial shock of LEO's investigation wore away, both my marriage and financial relationships were intact. Very thankful both she and a few key FI's stood by me.
When you MS, you are running with scissors.
Nobody is going to ask you "why are you loading your bluebird" or "where did you get the money you want to load on your bluebird" when you go to walmart.
New to Manufactured Spending? Start Here.
Sep 11, 2014, 10:29 pm
#1006
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
regarding your new Ink CC, make sure to check the revised terms and conditions of Chase. This has been discussed in blogs, check them out for details.
some salient points mentioned in Chase's new terms and conditions:
Chase has made it very clear that you could lose your points or be shut down for:
Signing-up for cards just to earn the bonus, then cancelling
Using cards solely to buy gift cards or other methods of “manufactured spending”
Repeatedly signing-up for cards just to earn the bonus or points.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
best to know what you're getting into so you'll not be surprised if they forfeit your earned rewards if they suspect you're abusing the card.
If you're going to use it for legit biz spend, you have no need to worry about all the changes.
some salient points mentioned in Chase's new terms and conditions:
Chase has made it very clear that you could lose your points or be shut down for:
Signing-up for cards just to earn the bonus, then cancelling
Using cards solely to buy gift cards or other methods of “manufactured spending”
Repeatedly signing-up for cards just to earn the bonus or points.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
best to know what you're getting into so you'll not be surprised if they forfeit your earned rewards if they suspect you're abusing the card.
If you're going to use it for legit biz spend, you have no need to worry about all the changes.
Sep 12, 2014, 5:54 am
#1007
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
What does: "Signing-up for cards just to earn the bonus, then cancelling" mean specifically? Does it mean if you signup for the CSP or Ink card and get the first year free then cancel when the AF is due they will take action against you? I can understand something like the citi AA exec card where people signed up and then cancelled before the AF, but I don't plan on keeping the CSP beyond the first year (I have an ink and see no reason to pay two AFs). Would doing a PC to a CS be sufficient to keep Chase off my back on future apps?
Sep 12, 2014, 8:01 am
#1008
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,303
What does: "Signing-up for cards just to earn the bonus, then cancelling" mean specifically? Does it mean if you signup for the CSP or Ink card and get the first year free then cancel when the AF is due they will take action against you? I can understand something like the citi AA exec card where people signed up and then cancelled before the AF, but I don't plan on keeping the CSP beyond the first year (I have an ink and see no reason to pay two AFs). Would doing a PC to a CS be sufficient to keep Chase off my back on future apps?
Sep 12, 2014, 3:59 pm
#1009
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 76
Newbie here... with Amazon Payments shutting down, is Serve the only MS method left that can be done completely online (except initial set up)? Thanks.
Sep 13, 2014, 8:44 am
#1010
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
check those available in your state by going through search engines. research takes time, but it's worth it once you find them and your registration is successful.
Sep 13, 2014, 11:09 am
#1011
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 342
Spent years fostering my relationships (including going to the bar with a certain grocery chain's head of security) and there are few things more rewarding then having a cashier decline your large GC purchase and calling said person over to put her in her place.
Sep 14, 2014, 8:42 am
#1012
Formerly known as scootr29
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 977
Not that I'm saying you are, but successful MS'ing is difficult for agoraphobes. Social engineering is key. The real money is on the streets. Having "friends" (people who you may or may not like but give deference to) will ease your game and exponentially raise your profits.
Spent years fostering my relationships (including going to the bar with a certain grocery chain's head of security) and there are few things more rewarding then having a cashier decline your large GC purchase and calling said person over to put her in her place.
Spent years fostering my relationships (including going to the bar with a certain grocery chain's head of security) and there are few things more rewarding then having a cashier decline your large GC purchase and calling said person over to put her in her place.
Sep 15, 2014, 12:41 am
#1013
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
Sep 19, 2014, 10:57 am
#1014
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 113
Fee Free Prepaid/Gift Cards from Supermarket/Drugstores
I was in the market looking for Fee free prepaid cards/Gift Cards from supermarket/drugstores that can be used as credit without registering them for MS purposes
Any ideas/suggestions welcome
Thanks in advance
Any ideas/suggestions welcome
Thanks in advance
Sep 19, 2014, 4:01 pm
#1015
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Programs: Hyatt Global, Marriot Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 2,282
Sep 19, 2014, 7:01 pm
#1016
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 47
Just got my Amex Platinum with a 90 days, spend 10K to get 100K points offer. I'm unlikely to hit this spending by myself, and I estimate that I'll probably need about ~4K to actually make this offer. Anyone have advice on the best method to go about this? I have plenty of time and I'm willing to take a ~1-1.5% penalty.
Sep 19, 2014, 9:46 pm
#1017
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 437
Just got my Amex Platinum with a 90 days, spend 10K to get 100K points offer. I'm unlikely to hit this spending by myself, and I estimate that I'll probably need about ~4K to actually make this offer. Anyone have advice on the best method to go about this? I have plenty of time and I'm willing to take a ~1-1.5% penalty.
Yes, you are buying Amex with Amex. But people say it does work. ^
You can then spend that Amex GC anyway you'd like with no time limit...
Sep 20, 2014, 7:19 am
#1018
Join Date: May 2014
Location: New York
Posts: 391
Just got my Amex Platinum with a 90 days, spend 10K to get 100K points offer. I'm unlikely to hit this spending by myself, and I estimate that I'll probably need about ~4K to actually make this offer. Anyone have advice on the best method to go about this? I have plenty of time and I'm willing to take a ~1-1.5% penalty.
Sep 20, 2014, 10:07 pm
#1019
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,463
I recommend buying an Amex GC. Here is a thread that talks about buying Amex GC: Cashback on Amex GC through TopCashBack, BigCrumbs, etc.
Yes, you are buying Amex with Amex. But people say it does work. ^
You can then spend that Amex GC anyway you'd like with no time limit...
Yes, you are buying Amex with Amex. But people say it does work. ^
You can then spend that Amex GC anyway you'd like with no time limit...
Sep 21, 2014, 10:19 pm
#1020
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 36
So after maximizing Serve for the entire month, what would be the next best prepaid debit card that's reloadable? Is it the HR Block Emerald card? Is there another way to get a Serve card if you're a single guy with no wife or kids?