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Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon payments (2015)

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Old Jan 10, 2015, 8:55 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: ericdabbs
The previous megathread is here.

Read the wiki before posting a question.
It's a literacy test that's easy to pass.


As of April 16, 2015 regular Serve cards will only accept American Express network cards for online credit card loads.
Softcard Serve accounts are apparently grandfathered in the old system and continue to work as before, being able to load Mastercard, Visa, and Discover (see below).


Serve loads count towards minimum spend on AmEx-issued cards, including SPG.

This is the Serve thread. Post questions or information concerning other topics in the appropriate threads elsewhere in this forum.

For additional information on using prepaid debit cards, see PIN available now for Visa/MC prepaid debit cards.


You cannot make an ACH pull from Serve. The direct deposit account and routing numbers are for deposits only.

https://www.serve.com/#/add-cash

If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.


Loads at 7-11 and CVS are cash only. Debit cards are NOT allowed.

Loads at Walmart have been confirmed with debit cards. Self checkout does not work for loading Serve. Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of prepaid debit 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, then discreetly use your prepaid card when asked to swipe. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC (Walmart Money Center) again to load.

Debit loading at Family Dollar appears to be limited to $500 per day per store total (not per person or per account). Whoever gets there first gets the load for the day. Troubleshooting loading problems at FD

Regular Serve
  • Serve loading via VR/MP or WM/FD load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
  • Online Debit Card Load - $200/day and $1,000/month [B]
  • Online Credit Card Load (AmEx only) - $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

You can combine the three methods above and load a total of $7k/month to a single Serve account for miles/points earning purposes, but beware that you're also subject to a $10,000/month add money limit which also includes check deposits, ACH transfers, and Serve transfers.

Softcard Serve
Softcard has shutdown and there is no longer any way to apply for this version.
  • Serve loading via VR/MP or WM/FD load: $2,500/day and $5,000 total per calendar month
  • Online Debit Card Load - $500/day and $1,500/month
  • Online Credit Card Load - $500/day and $1,500/month
  • Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
  • Checks - $2,000/day and $10,000/month
  • ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month

You can combine the three methods above and load a total of $8k/month to a single Serve account for miles/points earning purposes, but beware that you're also subject to a $10,000/month add money limit which also includes check deposits, ACH transfers, and Serve transfers.

Temp Serve
You can only load a maximum of $500/day, $1000/month on a temporary card. Once you get your permanent card, then you can load more. The initial $500 when you purchase the temp card doesn't count against the $5,000/month load limit.

OneVip Card: (Mucho gracias, AndrewTheMan)
This card is essentially just like the regular, fee-free, "old" serve. You may reload this card up to $2,500/day; $1,000/transaction at Walmart (not impacted by Blue Bird daily limit change). Have not tested FD or anywhere else. KATE takes this no problems..
You can use this to load the FIDO AMEX up to 1k a month.

Limits for online debit card and credit card loads reset at 9 PM PST/12 AM EST

Online Credit Card Loads
Only one card can be linked at a time.

For online CC/DC loads, the name on the Serve account is supposed to match the name of the primary or joint cardholder. So using someone else's CC/DB card to load a Serve account is not allowed.

A few report no problems loading with an AU card in the Serve account holder's name. Increase your chances by making sure the AUs social security number is on file with the Credit Card.

When adding a new card you will usually need to call Serve Account security (1-800-555-4318) for verification of the new card on the second load try. This verification usually requires uploading of a photo of your ID and the credit card. You may pre-emptively avoid the error by going to the above website, logging in, and uploading a scan of a photo ID and the card you are trying to add. You may call back to expedite approval. One person with a Serve/Softcard account reported being sent to the main Serve number for this process.

https://www.serve.com/help/#add-money-5

Regular Serve Credit Card Loading

Regular Serve can only load from American Express network cards. In addition to those issued directly by American Express, this includes the following:
  • AAA Rewards AmEx
  • Alitalia AmEx
  • Bank of America Accelerated Rewards AmEx
  • Bank of America Asiana Airlines AmEx
  • Bank of Hawaii AmEx Card with MyBankoh Rewards
  • Bloomingdale's AmEx
  • Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select AmEx
  • Citi Dividend AmEx (not obtainable unless specifically requested)
  • Citi Thank You Preferred AmEx (not obtainable unless specifically requested)
  • Dillard's AmEx
  • FNBO AmEx
  • FNBO Graphite AmEx
  • FNBO Platinum AmEx
  • Macy's AmEx
  • Penfed Premium Travel Rewards AmEx
  • SavingStar AmEx
  • Travelocity AmEx
  • US Bank Flexperks AmEx
  • USAA Cash Rewards/Rewards Plus AmEx
  • Wells Fargo Propel World/365 AmEx

Softcard Serve Credit Card Loading

If you are fortunate enough to be grandfathered into a Softcard Serve Account, you can also load other credit cards beside American Express cards. Softcard Serve is not available to new applicants anymore so you'll need to get one of the other Serve options if you don't already have one. In general, Mastercard and American Express cards post as purchases. Visa cards transact as a cash advance and, therefore, require available CA limit; although most cards post as a purchase.

Treated as purchase, earns cashback/points/miles:
  • Bank of America (FIA) (MasterCard, American Express)
  • Barclaycard (Mastercard, Visa)
  • Capital One (Mastercard, Visa)
  • Chase (MasterCard, Visa)
  • Citi (MasterCard, American Express)
  • Discover
  • Wells Fargo (American Express)

Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
  • American Express issued (Counts toward minimum spend -- see post #434) but does not earn points. Example: For the Delta Amex card, Serve counts towards min spend DL miles sign-up bonus, but that spend and subsequent trials of spend on Serve will not earn points. Don't do it, man!

Posts as a cash advance:
The Chase Ink Bold is a charge card and has no cash advance ability.

A few report being unable to add the Chase IHG MC.

Online Debit Card Loads
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. While initial transactions may work, your account will eventually be flagged.

Switching to Serve
Helpful instruction post, latest. Thanks raeneye.

Also see this thread: Switching from Serve to BlueBird - 31 day wait???

Switching from BB to Serve
  1. Login to BB account, bring account balance to Zero, (By Bill Pay, Send money, etc..)
  2. Call BB, tell them that you want to open a serve account and close your current BB account. after they check everything they will say something like: "Your account will be permanently closed after 31 days, you can reopen it within 31 day if you change your mind, and you can apply for your new Serve account now, just make sure use the exact same register info from BB."
  3. at this point BB is closed. next morning, goto CVS and get a temporary Serve card (only with cash), load $500, ($2.95 waived, Yeah!!)
  4. get back home, register temporary Serve online, First error: "phone number already registered, please try a different number" could be the my BB's ghost account still showing up on their system, could be my info is not match my BB's registration? i'm not really sure at this point. What I did is keep the same number but change from Cell phone to home phone. and registration went through
  5. after the register and login, second error: "We're still processing your application. Please check your email for an update"
  6. I have see people on the thread reported waiting for weeks for the same message, So, I pickup the phone and called them, ask them to speed up the process.
  7. CSR, told me that my account went to "account security protection department" transfer me to them.
  8. at account security protection department, they told me need to call back on my phone number which I registered to verify.
  9. after the call back of verification, CSR told me that my new Serve account is active now, email address verification will be send with in 5 minutes, permanent card will be received within 7-10 days.
  10. CSR also told me the I can load and spend on the temporary card, but not bill pay.

Switching from Redbird is presumably similar. See the RedCard thread for more information.

The number to call to approve your registration after closing Bluebird: Serve Account security 1-800-555-4318

Loading with debit card at Walmart register
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.

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.

Using Serve
For online bill pay
  • You can pay the credit card that you used to buy VRs/GCs
  • 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

For bank transfers
Under Settings --> Funding & Transfers --> Bank & Cards --> U.S. Bank Account, you can add your bank info and transfer funds from your Serve card directly to your bank. The bank account must be verified, either by the standard "deposit 2 small sums into your account, such as $0.23 & $0.42" method, or doing an "instant verification" by actually logging into your bank account while still logged into Serve.
===

People with an apartment address can find helpful information quoted in post #7
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Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon payments (2015)

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Old Sep 19, 2015, 8:43 am
  #2206  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: PDX & PHX
Programs: AA,AS,HH,HY,IB,LH,IHG,MAR,WN
Posts: 199
Wiki says "Serve loads count towards minimum spend on AmEx-issued cards, including SPG." Loaded $1k from Amex SPG personal CC + $2k VGCs from GiftCards.com + $11 misc. = total $3,010 on 1st Amex SPG statement. No 30,000 SPG points yet, even though the new charges exceeded $3,000. Should they be on the next statement?
HiYoSilver is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2015, 3:34 pm
  #2207  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 186
Originally Posted by HiYoSilver
Wiki says "Serve loads count towards minimum spend on AmEx-issued cards, including SPG." Loaded $1k from Amex SPG personal CC + $2k VGCs from GiftCards.com + $11 misc. = total $3,010 on 1st Amex SPG statement. No 30,000 SPG points yet, even though the new charges exceeded $3,000. Should they be on the next statement?
How long has it been? Should be about 5-8 business days in my experience.
jlt19 is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2015, 9:03 am
  #2208  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Reisterstown, MD, USA
Posts: 117
Just a load datapoint: On 9/20/2015 I bought a ($20-$500 variable amount) $500 (Metabank) Visa Gift Card (VGC) from Giant Grocery for $505.95 total using my Citi Premier ThankYou card. I took it to Family Dollar and said I wanted to load my Serve card (recently acquired Blue Card with my name on it.) She ignored the Vanilla Reload card I got from the rack and scanned from a book, prompted me to swipe Serve, told me the total $500, and had me swipe my Visa Debit Gift Card and enter the PIN (last 4 card digits). I got a receipt and checked my Android Serve app and saw the $500 credit. (FYI the blue Serve card I got from CVS began with 3751 7110, but I used the one with my name on it that Amex sent me.) It looks like I paid no load fee. (I also posted this on reddit churning)

Last edited by hdatontodo; Sep 20, 2015 at 9:17 am
hdatontodo is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2015, 10:06 am
  #2209  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 138
The Wiki says that

"Online Credit Card Loads. Only one card can be linked at a time." and that "Citi (MasterCard and American Express)" cards are accepted for online loads. Or at least that's how I interpret it. I think this information is outdated, but can someone confirm?

I thought Serve no longer accepts credit card loads of any kind as of April 14, 2015?

If Serve does not, it makes no sense for me to get Serve (I don't have a Wally World or Family Dollar near me). I do have a Target so it means REDcard is the option for me.

Last edited by schrute; Sep 20, 2015 at 10:24 am
schrute is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2015, 12:03 pm
  #2210  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 29
Originally Posted by schrute
The Wiki says that

"Online Credit Card Loads. Only one card can be linked at a time." and that "Citi (MasterCard and American Express)" cards are accepted for online loads. Or at least that's how I interpret it. I think this information is outdated, but can someone confirm?

I thought Serve no longer accepts credit card loads of any kind as of April 14, 2015?

If Serve does not, it makes no sense for me to get Serve (I don't have a Wally World or Family Dollar near me). I do have a Target so it means REDcard is the option for me.
Serve accepts Amex loads online. Regular Amex cards do not earn points and lately, it's possible that they don't even count for minimum spend. That's developing though, may be true, may not be, but keep it in mind. 3rd party Amex cards (not issued by Amex) can be loaded online and still do earn points and count towards minimum spend.

Some people have had soft Serve cards from a while back that still do accept visas/MCs.
cbe20e is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2015, 12:08 pm
  #2211  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 138
Originally Posted by cbe20e
Serve accepts Amex loads online. Regular Amex cards do not earn points and lately, it's possible that they don't even count for minimum spend. That's developing though, may be true, may not be, but keep it in mind. 3rd party Amex cards (not issued by Amex) can be loaded online and still do earn points and count towards minimum spend.

Some people have had soft Serve cards from a while back that still do accept visas/MCs.
So you think that statement applies to Softcard? I have a Citi - Mastercard AAdvantage and need to meet the minimum spend on it. Wondering if an online load is possible. But reports state that Serve does not allow online serving for credit cards (except AMEX cards).
schrute is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2015, 12:45 pm
  #2212  
NDN
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: Marriott Titanium and LTP, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 786
Originally Posted by schrute
So you think that statement applies to Softcard? I have a Citi - Mastercard AAdvantage and need to meet the minimum spend on it. Wondering if an online load is possible. But reports state that Serve does not allow online serving for credit cards (except AMEX cards).
If you have a Softserve card, you can use it. If you don't, find another way to meet minimum spend.
NDN is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 1:32 pm
  #2213  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 692
Any recent reports of BOA Visa posting as purchases? Is it still only BOA MC/Amex that post as purchase?
compddd is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 1:45 pm
  #2214  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 681
Originally Posted by cbe20e
Serve accepts Amex loads online. Regular Amex cards do not earn points and lately, it's possible that they don't even count for minimum spend. That's developing though, may be true, may not be, but keep it in mind.
I'm not sure what "lately" refers to but it counted for me on a BCE in late June.
MisterBill is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 2:51 pm
  #2215  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 2
Just read a few posts back about the personal SPG card being loaded onto serve. can anyone confirm whether or not SPG with Serve counts toward promo spending? My gf is about to get one and want to make sure she can indeed count on serve for the credit card spending.
daxplicitazn is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 3:19 pm
  #2216  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,507
Originally Posted by schrute
So you think that statement applies to Softcard? I have a Citi - Mastercard AAdvantage and need to meet the minimum spend on it. Wondering if an online load is possible. But reports state that Serve does not allow online serving for credit cards (except AMEX cards).
Originally Posted by NDN
If you have a Softserve card, you can use it. If you don't, find another way to meet minimum spend.
I am not sure even with a SoftServe if they will allow you to add a new Visa/MC now.

What the datapoint people were saying before was that if they had an existing SoftServe card which had a Visa/MC CC attached to it prior to the shutdown of Softcard, you are able to still do online loads via Visa/MC CC. Perhaps this was only possible since because once your Visa/MC card was "verified" in the system, the system might not further check to see if its an Amex. However trying to replace or add a new Visa/MC CC might not be possible since now Amex will do the check on the new card to see if its valid.

Someone plz correct me if I am wrong.
ericdabbs is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 3:29 pm
  #2217  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: Hyatt Globalist No More..., Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 4,375
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
I am not sure even with a SoftServe if they will allow you to add a new Visa/MC now.

What the datapoint people were saying before was that if they had an existing SoftServe card which had a Visa/MC CC attached to it prior to the shutdown of Softcard, you are able to still do online loads via Visa/MC CC. Perhaps this was only possible since because once your Visa/MC card was "verified" in the system, the system might not further check to see if its an Amex. However trying to replace or add a new Visa/MC CC might not be possible since now Amex will do the check on the new card to see if its valid.

Someone plz correct me if I am wrong.
I'm not sure of what the newest rules are. However, since the change for regular Serve, I did change my MC due to a new credit card issue. I sent in the pictures and no issues. However, this was about 3-4 months ago. Things of course change everyday and someone above posted they had issues. But then I think someone else pointed out that you have to tell the CSR to read the terms for Serve Softcard rather than regular Serve.
cdancer20 is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 5:34 pm
  #2218  
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,272
Originally Posted by ericdabbs
I am not sure even with a SoftServe if they will allow you to add a new Visa/MC now.

What the datapoint people were saying before was that if they had an existing SoftServe card which had a Visa/MC CC attached to it prior to the shutdown of Softcard, you are able to still do online loads via Visa/MC CC. Perhaps this was only possible since because once your Visa/MC card was "verified" in the system, the system might not further check to see if its an Amex. However trying to replace or add a new Visa/MC CC might not be possible since now Amex will do the check on the new card to see if its valid.

Someone plz correct me if I am wrong.
I have the old serve. I was able to swap out a MC with a new MC and do my loads. I didn't have to verify the card or anything like that. This was as of two days ago so it is possible.
Red259 is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 7:02 pm
  #2219  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 322
We are not supposed to link Credit/Debit card in online serve portal. If you load money to your serve account using VGC debit cards, can you transfer money to your linked checking account? I know you can, but this will not result in account closure, correct?
nfpa70e is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2015, 8:55 pm
  #2220  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 476
Just wanted to update everyone on the new serve cards. I received One Vip serve card today and was able to load at FD and Walmart both. Closed my BB 2 weeks back and moved to Serve.
anubond005 is offline  


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