May 27, 2015, 12:00 am
Last edit by: iflyjetz
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 discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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.
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 discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
- Cash loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
- Cash loading up to $1999.99/day at Walmart registers (tested by PedroNY in Post #525 and showed to not be enforced. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1501215-bluebird-prepaid-debit-now-fdic-insurance-paper-checks-2015-a-35.html#post25611848 )
- 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
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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.
Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2015)
Oct 17, 2015, 3:54 pm
#481
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Delta Gold, Starwood Gold, Mosaic
Posts: 235
The odd thing is that the BB Limits still state $2500 daily; the asterisk mentions $1999.99/yr loaded at registers. I'm wondering if that's a limit for a single register or limit for going to multiple WMs and doing register loads. ie Load only $1999.99 at a Podunkville WM register vs load a total of $1999.99 at Podunkville and TrailerTrshCity WM registers.
If their intention is to limit loads at a single register in rapid succession, it's not a problem.
It may just be a velocity limit on WM registers, same as Kate's velocity limit.
Oct 17, 2015, 4:04 pm
#482
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 322
Bluebird Load Limits:
Cash loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
What is VR?
Cash loading up to $1999.99/day at Walmart registers
Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
I assume checking/saving account is used primarily to transfer the funds to your bank account??
Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
Can you send 10K worth of checks? If yes, doesn't it bypass the above checking saving limit? You can then send check to your SO and deposit that in your bank account.
ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month
Cash loading via VR or WM load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
What is VR?
Cash loading up to $1999.99/day at Walmart registers
Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
I assume checking/saving account is used primarily to transfer the funds to your bank account??
Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
Can you send 10K worth of checks? If yes, doesn't it bypass the above checking saving limit? You can then send check to your SO and deposit that in your bank account.
ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month
Oct 17, 2015, 4:26 pm
#484
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: The World!!!
Programs: Some of them not all ...
Posts: 1,532
I'm not getting it. Why are so many people switching from RB to BB? Isn't there a same difficulty loading BB or serve in WM with VGC if you go through cash register or money center?
Wiki says to handover the bank debit card if asked. In money center, it is difficult to switch cards because the CSR can see it.
Wiki says to handover the bank debit card if asked. In money center, it is difficult to switch cards because the CSR can see it.
Targei hard coded its points of sale for RB loads to cash only, and now you can not load with a plastic card (Debit or Gift), so everyone is going back to Wally
Personally, I left Serve one year ago and went to RB to start loading with Credit Card. In May of this year, I could have gone back, but it was so easy to load at Targei, that I decided to stay. Now that RB is real cash only, I decided to try BB, because I found out that Serve now has different versions, but you can not load with a CC the $1,000 a month you could in the past. So BB it is.
Oct 17, 2015, 7:41 pm
#485
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
Please read the new Limits in BB's Fees and Limits. Have you loaded 2500 in a single day across 2 registers in the last 48 hours?
Oct 17, 2015, 8:01 pm
#486
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Total Rewards Diamond, Delta Gold, Starwood Gold, Mosaic
Posts: 235
Bluebird prepaid debit, now with FDIC insurance and paper checks (2015)
Didn't see that my bad. it's been a couple months since I hit up walmart. reloadits for serve and MOs at S&S have been way easier
Oct 17, 2015, 8:19 pm
#487
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: IAD
Programs: All of them to one degree or another
Posts: 447
Sadly, I agree
I said I had started less than 10 minutes ago and loaded 1500 so she would need to be careful about the limit. She mumbled something and gave me a stink eye like I was going to mug her in the middle of WM. I then glanced at her gift card to realize it was a OV (distinctive package) and tell her never mind since she can't load the full 500 anyway! Got another grumble and she stepped to Kate. I got the distinct impression she was clueless and arrogant so I actually grabbed a seat at the bank of photo computers so I could watch. After about four frustrated swipes she gets extremely agitated and picks up her cell to call someone apparently to ask for directions. I had enough and started to walk out and told her that the gift card she was trying to use doesn't work at WM unless she only planned on 49.99 at a time. I tried to be polite and quiet so as to not alert the nearby CSRs. She was speaking English on the phone but then pretended like she didn't understand what I was saying and started speaking Korean to whomever was on the other line. As I left i saw her walking her brand new BB and a OV to the money center desk to try and load there. It's those types that know enough to be dangerous that will eventually kill it all for us. All because she or her husband read some half assed article about "how to fly for free!"
Oct 17, 2015, 9:18 pm
#488
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
Loading at the one reliable Kate in the area on Friday and I noticed a woman get in line behind me. I was about to ask if she needed the ATM (wince I was only on card 3 of my staples $300s) when I noticed her start opening a gift card package. I figured if she is that damn dumb she can wait. I finish my load and give her a warning about the velocity limit.
I said I had started less than 10 minutes ago and loaded 1500 so she would need to be careful about the limit. She mumbled something and gave me a stink eye like I was going to mug her in the middle of WM. I then glanced at her gift card to realize it was a OV (distinctive package) and tell her never mind since she can't load the full 500 anyway! Got another grumble and she stepped to Kate. I got the distinct impression she was clueless and arrogant so I actually grabbed a seat at the bank of photo computers so I could watch. After about four frustrated swipes she gets extremely agitated and picks up her cell to call someone apparently to ask for directions. I had enough and started to walk out and told her that the gift card she was trying to use doesn't work at WM unless she only planned on 49.99 at a time. I tried to be polite and quiet so as to not alert the nearby CSRs. She was speaking English on the phone but then pretended like she didn't understand what I was saying and started speaking Korean to whomever was on the other line. As I left i saw her walking her brand new BB and a OV to the money center desk to try and load there. It's those types that know enough to be dangerous that will eventually kill it all for us. All because she or her husband read some half assed article about "how to fly for free!"
I said I had started less than 10 minutes ago and loaded 1500 so she would need to be careful about the limit. She mumbled something and gave me a stink eye like I was going to mug her in the middle of WM. I then glanced at her gift card to realize it was a OV (distinctive package) and tell her never mind since she can't load the full 500 anyway! Got another grumble and she stepped to Kate. I got the distinct impression she was clueless and arrogant so I actually grabbed a seat at the bank of photo computers so I could watch. After about four frustrated swipes she gets extremely agitated and picks up her cell to call someone apparently to ask for directions. I had enough and started to walk out and told her that the gift card she was trying to use doesn't work at WM unless she only planned on 49.99 at a time. I tried to be polite and quiet so as to not alert the nearby CSRs. She was speaking English on the phone but then pretended like she didn't understand what I was saying and started speaking Korean to whomever was on the other line. As I left i saw her walking her brand new BB and a OV to the money center desk to try and load there. It's those types that know enough to be dangerous that will eventually kill it all for us. All because she or her husband read some half assed article about "how to fly for free!"
My guess is that she won't last very long in the MS game.
There are several differences between Target and WM, not the least of which is Target's excellent data mining vs Walmart's zero data mining. Target probably knew close to the exact profit/loss of every person with a RB, while WM has no idea if it's profitable. If WM looks at BB as an advertising cost where it gets a customer through the doors several times a month, they're probably less concerned about its direct profitability and more interested in getting BB users through the doors more often.
Oct 18, 2015, 7:13 am
#490
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
Rude MSers? WM employees are less tolerant of rude MSers, as there are several who have posted in the past of being banned from WM ... although they leave out any details that portray them in a negative light.
MSers with 20+ RBs/BBs? Those people 1) likely converted a ton of BBs/Serves to RBs, 2) it will take them a while to get all of those cards converted back over, and 3) certain GCs (such as Vanilla) which are bought in stores which give multipliers to credit cards (ex grocery stores, office supply stores) are difficult/impossible to unload at WMs.
Will BB and Serve get killed? Maybe. But I also think that more than a few RB MSers got burned by being stuck with GCs they can't unload or missing money that's still in dispute and are ambivalent about chasing MS to another card.
And another problem that makes MSing at WM more difficult is the increasingly rare Kate. Of a dozen or so WMs in my area, we're down to 1 where there used to be more than half a dozen.
Oct 18, 2015, 7:52 am
#491
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 41
so after readying the wiki and some pages on here im still not sure. Can you load BB with paypal business debit card online?
Oct 18, 2015, 8:09 am
#492
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 172
RB Rats v. BB (and Serve Rats)
We all know that the BB (and Serve) rats have been exploiting the deal for years and the deal continues to be alive. It only took the RB rats several months to kill the deal, however. So, if the RB rats jump to the BB (and Serve) ship and the deal gets killed, we all know who is responsible.
Oct 18, 2015, 8:44 am
#493
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
I'm not so sure about loading to BB but with Serve, I've done it with success. HOWEVER, if you're going to use PPMCs as source of funds, weigh it carefully because PP monitors all accounts on how MCs are being spent (their last set of warnings posted online particularly mentioned loading to prepaid cards as disallowed); they send warnings or some are not so lucky and their accounts are limited/shutdown w/o initial warning. For details, check the PPal thread.
Oct 18, 2015, 11:53 am
#494
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
Posts: 5,536
We all know that the BB (and Serve) rats have been exploiting the deal for years and the deal continues to be alive. It only took the RB rats several months to kill the deal, however. So, if the RB rats jump to the BB (and Serve) ship and the deal gets killed, we all know who is responsible.
Since you predicted that BB will be dead before the end of the year, I will eat crow and admit you're correct if BB's shut down before 2016. Are you going to eat crow on 1 Jan 2016 if BB's still alive?
Last edited by iflyjetz; Oct 18, 2015 at 11:58 am
Oct 18, 2015, 1:05 pm
#495
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Kansas City, MO
Programs: AA PLT, HH DIA, SPG Gold, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 63