AAA - no processing fee giftcards
Nov 20, 2013, 10:54 pm
#151
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: SEA
Posts: 1,887
Was told today by AAA Washington they couldn't sell any more to me and the max per member was 5K. They were apologetic. I told them I would no longer have any use for the membership I purchased 2 weeks ago and got a refund. No promo here in WA other than $2.99 fee per card for AAA members . Not really worth it IMHO as you waste more time that it is worth buying these at AAA, not to mention have to set PIN. Would much rather go to Walgreens, RiteAid, etc. pay a couple more bucks and be in/out in 1 minute with no need to call and set PIN.
Last edited by HikerT; Nov 21, 2013 at 1:01 am
Nov 21, 2013, 2:40 am
#152
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,659
@RFDmn: Just be clear: You are only being blacklisted from further purchases, right? Cards previously purchased by you and not yet spent are still good?
I think driver here is not how many cards someone purchases, but rather how fast they're being liquidated. Gotta believe if the liquidation was more measured, you wouldn't be banned from future purchases.
Edit to add: I have purchased close to $15k worth of these cards so far, including $2k today, and no one has given me any grief. I have liquidated via MO purchases, $1k here, $1k there, etc.
I think driver here is not how many cards someone purchases, but rather how fast they're being liquidated. Gotta believe if the liquidation was more measured, you wouldn't be banned from future purchases.
Edit to add: I have purchased close to $15k worth of these cards so far, including $2k today, and no one has given me any grief. I have liquidated via MO purchases, $1k here, $1k there, etc.
I think spending on different things probably does make a difference. 8.5 of my 9.5K went to BB, the other 1K to MO
Nov 21, 2013, 12:50 pm
#154
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 939
In the southern region I was told that an email from corporate was sent out saying that purchases were to be made with cash/debit/CC only. No more of this buying GCs with a GC business. Bought a large amount recently and no word about a cap (yet).
I imagine some wannabe HHers have been screwing the pooch on the downlow racking up massive spend. No way Metabank is going through all this trouble bcos of a few churners who have only reached 10k-15k since the beginning of the month.
I imagine some wannabe HHers have been screwing the pooch on the downlow racking up massive spend. No way Metabank is going through all this trouble bcos of a few churners who have only reached 10k-15k since the beginning of the month.
Nov 21, 2013, 4:34 pm
#155
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Florida
Posts: 448
Someone earlier in this thread said that the only benefit to having a AAA membership is getting a discount on buying GCs (making it 2.99 with AAA membership). Wouldn't this be even cheaper than buying VR? Is AAA the new CVS?
Nov 21, 2013, 7:20 pm
#156
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 939
I didn't even realize the sold cheap GCs but the process is so cumbersome that you can really scale it like you want. At drug and grocery stores checkout is designed to be efficient. Buying GCs at AAA takes 2-3 different screens and a lot of wrangling on their part. Im sure they can establish a flow if they do it often enough but definitely not an in and out type of transaction.
Nov 22, 2013, 12:41 pm
#157
Join Date: May 2012
Location: New England
Programs: DL PM, HH Gold, the rest come and go
Posts: 313
FYI you call the number on the back of the card to set the PIN. Phone prompts: 1 for English, 1 for card holder, card number, #, security code, PIN, 1 to confirm. I don't mean to spoonfeed, but I find it genuinely confusing which kinds of GCs you set the PIN online and which you call in to do so, so hope that helps.
Now off to Walmart!
Nov 22, 2013, 1:00 pm
#158
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 222
got turned down today at AAA. no reason given - lady just said they were instructed by the bank not to sell any more to me and gave me the number to call them. Fwiw, I got $7000 in GC over two visits but have only liquidated half. I wonder if it even makes sense to check other branches at this point.
Nov 22, 2013, 1:14 pm
#159
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,659
got turned down today at AAA. no reason given - lady just said they were instructed by the bank not to sell any more to me and gave me the number to call them. Fwiw, I got $7000 in GC over two visits but have only liquidated half. I wonder if it even makes sense to check other branches at this point.
Nov 22, 2013, 2:15 pm
#161
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,659
They were all people I had never seen before. They asked for my AAA card and cross referenced it with an email they had printed out
Nov 22, 2013, 2:24 pm
#162
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,516
How much you bought in total? I made only 2 trips - $1.5K first and $2K - second. I am not sure I want to go thorough such trouble if they counting how much you bought already.
Nov 22, 2013, 4:47 pm
#163
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Somewhere above the Mason-Dixon
Programs: DL Ham Samich
Posts: 1,659
Nov 22, 2013, 9:22 pm
#165
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 222
I can confirm it is something alerting them once they swipe your AAA card. I dealt with a completely different person who would not recognize me. Thanks for the heads up RFD, i will not waste my time going to a different location as it will more than likely be the same outcome. I was able to meet min. spends on 3 cards - it was good while it lasted.. onto the next one i guess.