Simon mall gift card(2014-2015)
 

Has anyone experienced this? I went there last Saturday to buy VGC of 500$x5. The one at the customer service asked me to fill a form including my address/name saying it is a anti-fraud practice. I did it once in the past with the same amount but no forms was needed. She appears to recognize me though.

Will the form negatively affect me?

No. It's just for record keeping.
Just like Office Depot, Staples etc would do.

I had the same thing happen to me. No big deal, wouldn't worry too much about it.

Under 3000, you do not have to fill the form out.
Daily limit of 10000.
Each representative only carry 20GC (US VISA)

Purpose of those from to prevent fraudulent charges. (Since SSN is not written down, nothing to worry about)

That's not necessarily true. All of the malls are different. I've filled out the forms for $1000 purchases.

I was told that they require it for 5k+

They have a different policy in different locations.

I had to do the form for $2K.

I have to fill out for $500 or more, so it's pretty much unavoidable. Considering contacting a manager to buy as a business instead of an individual.

Anybody done that before?

And that means even more paperwork. :)

As have I. Much depends on what their previous history for selling gift cards is, I think. In my case, there were 2 CVS stores within a mile of the SM, that all of a sudden saw GC sales go from nothing to thousands a day.

Simon mall gift card - filling forms
 

I'm curious as to why you guys buy gc's here as there isn't a 5% earnings CC on these purchases? I know the purchase fee is only 2.95. I'm sure I'm missing something though.

I used for minimum spend on my AA Executive card. Have also used for 2% on my Fidelity Amex. Plus the purchase fee at my local SM is even less than $2.95 :D

For the people who live close by, and do not care about the earnings, and as others said, doing it for the minimum spend at low cost, this is a good strategy.

However, if you have to drive out of your way to the mall, and want to earn rewards, this is a complete waste of time regularly.

Then you are also dealing with other risks of shopping at the malls, extra paperwork, security and the fact that you have to call in out change pins.....much more pain in the butt than regular gc you buy elsewhere.

This being the only Simon mall in the area, I'm sure that they get hammered (thus the paperwork requirement). I figure becoming a known regular buyer would work better than just being someone who comes in and randomly buys a lot.

Because it cost me $118 to fly anywhere in the Cont US round trip with my mileage earning credit card. :-)

I can tell you for business, every order requires paperwork. :) no matter how small.

actually, buying what they perceive to be a lot of these is looked upon with suspicion at my mall, period. the form has to be filled out and DL given and # written on form for any amount, $1000+, and also requires they call their manager for approval. max of $2500/day.

the 3rd trip the agent called the manager with 'one of those guys is back wanting to buy the limit again'- but it was approved. the 4th trip i was told that if i wanted to buy $1000 or more, i would have to come in during the day and talk to the manager. i am a realist, and i understand that traveling over 40 miles RT to busy a mall to buy $10,000/month (or whatever) in mall branded gc's looks a bit suspicious.

sometimes it's easy to get caught up in these things; looking for a better deal. ya know: oooh, $2.95- i'm so there. without thinking of time, gas, hassle, etc. when i was driving back from the 4th trip it dawned on me- this is costing me more than even a $4.95 at cvs that's 2 minutes away and i just wasted over 2 hours of my day, when i also have ppower for free that's closer, univision at a profit, etc etc... what am i, stupid? answer was, of course: yep.

Which card is that? :D

Great point. Talking to a few friends, I realize that the key to sustainable ms... On your part, is fitting ms into your life, and not changing your life around ms.

Ie... I hit up a local cvs on the way to the office, and then go immediately a half mile down the road to a store to either buy more gc or unload, then to office.... As opposed to during the day, it requires an extra u turn and a few more lights.

Simple stuff like that, makes it easier.

I laughed at folks who would put all the ms stores on a map, now I have my own, and actually figure out how much extra time and gas I am wasting to go to Wally instead of a grocery store. Ie, even at $1 per $500 mo, it is cheaper for me to go to a grocery store along the way, than to spend a few more mins, miles and gas to go to Wally to save a $1.30 per $1k money order.

Then you go as, every Sunday we do sushi take out at a restaurant 10 miles away.... So along the way there are 3 cvs, 1 Wally, 2 walgreens, and one grocery store. I will, 90% of the time do ms on the way, typically load and dump $2k, pays for dinner and then some. :)

Thanks frugal gal and maks. All very good points that I never even considered! Did an AOR and have a ton of min spends to meet now. Looks like I'll be heading to the mall.

I've got calling in to set pins down to 2 minutes each. Hint: you don't wait for announcements to finish before you start keying in CC info and going through the menu tree. Saves $2 per card over buying OV, which is like getting paid $50/hour, counting flubs.

The nice kiosk lady gave me a copy of the form. I filled it out neatly and made a bunch of photocopies. Now I just fill out what I'm buying, sign and hand it in. They appreciate being able move on to the next person in line that much faster.

The only thing I can see as a serious MS risk at malls, is buying stuff you don't need on impulse. Malls hereabouts are low crime areas and usually have a lot of people milling around. If I'm not in a mall, I'm driving someplace. Even at WM with scads poor people in the MC line, security is just not an issue if you dress down and don't stare at strangers.

Buying stuff... more than 50% of the time I walk out of CVS with drinks or something else. Humn, is that MS expense? =)

It can be done in less than 30 seconds. :)

About a minute and that includes validating the balance.
#, CC num, CVV#,1 for balance, 1 to go back, 7 for pin, 2 to change pin, key in 4 digits, 1 to confirm, hang up.

I'm not going to avoid the paper work either way.

I just want to stay on management's good side.

This is great, thanks Skyflier! Slightly off for me though, it was either 1 (for English) or 2 (for Espanol), and # was unnecessary. # just started the language selection message over. Not sure if there are different numbers for different regions. I had 866-300-9401.

Edited

The # at the start is probably a typo and should be 1. Havent picked up Simon cards in a few weeks. The nearest mall is 40 mins away for me. The ph number is the same.

Has anyone tried other mall companies to see if their policies are easier to get around?

I don't see how it is hard right now?

It is just a form, get a blank copy, come with it pre-filled. Well worth it.

Edit: Nevermind, got it lol

Anyone with experience at the two Simon Malls in Memphis?

I went to one in Dallas and got the Simon Visa cards last month. Checked the Simon website before going and it clearly showed the cards available. When checking Memphis on Simon.com, it did not show the same promo.

So, anyone know? Do they have the Visa or only the old Simon Amex?

Has anyone had any luck buying Simon Visa's with AmexGC?

I recently moved and made my first trip to a Simon mall this week. I had to fill out paperwork for 2x$500 in Arlington VA and paid with a regular MC.

At the "other mall" I was asked to fill out a form when my orders passed their threshold. But I haven't tested ways of evading it and I don't see why it's a big deal. They ask for way less information than WM does when you do BP or MO.

Yes

Used Amex GC, no problem.

I wanna know where you live!~:D

Glimcher, right? Don't have one....

You used the new AA Exec for $10K spend right away?

It seems as though every drugstore, gas station, grocery store etc. in my area has now totally shut down using CC to buy and I've tried almost a dozen. Not only that my formerly reliable Lucky store not only switched to cash but even for cash the rack is clear of anything over $25. I can't imagine someone cleaned them out for cash.

I need to check this out before I apply for Citi Executive, I'm a virgin, (before it goes away) because this would be my main spend. I've seen that Simon codes as: Merchant Category: MISCELLANEOUS / SPECIALTY RETAIL STORES. Advice on how fast to scale up on new cards?

Anyone been turned away for the Visa GC? A friend was told they can only sell them to businesses and once he said they were for a busniess they said it would require a form to be filled out with tax ID and other info and he would need to talk to a business representative. The only option he was given was AMEX.

YMMV

Some places sell both and some dont. Some restrict to businesses and some dont. Sorry that is not the perfect answer but that is how it is. I work next to a Simon mall and they only sell AMEX but a mall 10 minutes away sells both.