Jan 10, 2015, 8:55 pm
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
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.
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:
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:
Treated as purchase, but doesn't earn points/miles:
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
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:
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
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
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
- Login to BB account, bring account balance to Zero, (By Bill Pay, Send money, etc..)
- 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."
- 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!!)
- 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
- after the register and login, second error: "We're still processing your application. Please check your email for an update"
- 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.
- CSR, told me that my account went to "account security protection department" transfer me to them.
- at account security protection department, they told me need to call back on my phone number which I registered to verify.
- 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.
- 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
Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon payments (2015)
Dec 16, 2015, 5:41 am
#3317
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 146
Apologies if this has been covered--I tried searching but came up empty. For the last couple of years I've kept about $20 in my amazon payments account and each month I would withdraw $1 of it to my Serve account. This ACH counted as a direct deposit to waive Serve's monthly fee.
I'm down to my last $1 in my AP account so I logged in today to add more from my confirmed bank account only to see the "Add Funds" option gone. Withdraw is still there but no way to add funds. I looked in settings and both my bank's checking account and my serve account are still listed as confirmed bank accounts.
So I sent an email to AP CS asking what was going on. They responded that as of October 30, 2015 you can no longer add funds to AP from a bank account. That was news to me--never got any e-mail heads up about it (I went back and checked) nor can I find any press release or mention of it online. Even the help section of the web site still references adding funds from a bank account.
I remember about a year ago when the ability to send money via CC to "friends/family" was killed but I had been able to add funds from my bank account earlier this year.
So I mean it's not the end of the world but IIRC the whole reason I used AP to do the $1 ACH to Serve was that I thought I'd read that PayPal transfers weren't counting as a DD. But I could be mistaken about that and so I just thought I'd check to see what method others were using to avoid the monthly fee.
I'm down to my last $1 in my AP account so I logged in today to add more from my confirmed bank account only to see the "Add Funds" option gone. Withdraw is still there but no way to add funds. I looked in settings and both my bank's checking account and my serve account are still listed as confirmed bank accounts.
So I sent an email to AP CS asking what was going on. They responded that as of October 30, 2015 you can no longer add funds to AP from a bank account. That was news to me--never got any e-mail heads up about it (I went back and checked) nor can I find any press release or mention of it online. Even the help section of the web site still references adding funds from a bank account.
I remember about a year ago when the ability to send money via CC to "friends/family" was killed but I had been able to add funds from my bank account earlier this year.
So I mean it's not the end of the world but IIRC the whole reason I used AP to do the $1 ACH to Serve was that I thought I'd read that PayPal transfers weren't counting as a DD. But I could be mistaken about that and so I just thought I'd check to see what method others were using to avoid the monthly fee.
Dec 16, 2015, 5:47 am
#3318
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
I paid my property tax using Serve and what I did was to put the county tax collector's name on it sent to MY address. I did this so when check came in I went to courthouse to hand them the check and got my receipt. If check is mailed to them directly, chances of it getting 'lost' or misplaced in the office when received is a risk I didn't want to take. I got my payment in with no issues. Will do this again next year.
Dec 16, 2015, 6:24 am
#3319
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 8,460
I paid my property tax using Serve and what I did was to put the county tax collector's name on it sent to MY address. I did this so when check came in I went to courthouse to hand them the check and got my receipt. If check is mailed to them directly, chances of it getting 'lost' or misplaced in the office when received is a risk I didn't want to take. I got my payment in with no issues. Will do this again next year.
Dec 16, 2015, 6:32 am
#3320
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
for those of us with SoftServe accts, it is not enough to load $500/month either online or in-store, they require DD as of Jan 6, 2016. Soon as I got the email, I set up my DD and it started this month on all my accounts. If I wasn't able to set it up, I'd gladly pay the 4.95 fee because of the add'l loads I can put in.
Dec 16, 2015, 7:23 am
#3321
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 348
I paid my property tax using Serve and what I did was to put the county tax collector's name on it sent to MY address. I did this so when check came in I went to courthouse to hand them the check and got my receipt. If check is mailed to them directly, chances of it getting 'lost' or misplaced in the office when received is a risk I didn't want to take. I got my payment in with no issues. Will do this again next year.
Dec 16, 2015, 9:53 am
#3322
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 161
You can also set up periodic direct payments from a bank account for $1.00 or so and this serves to waive the fees, and provide protection against not loading $500 in a month for some reason, and then having your balance depleted.
Dec 16, 2015, 9:58 am
#3323
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: AA PLT, AS 75K, DL DM, HY Globalist, HH Diamond, MC/RZ/SW Platinum, AB/UA Silver, WN CP
Posts: 1,122
It is the time of the day determines the delivery date. Someone has posted this observation many pages ago and he is right based on my own observation after reading his data point.
Payments requested late in the day get 2 business day delivery time regardless which day of the week. You can schedule a payment in Thursday late afternoon the payment would not be delivered until Monday.
If you request payment in the Friday morning, it gets delivered on Monday. Sat or Sun is always Tuesday because they are not processed until Monday. Therefore Tuesday is the earliest possible day to deliver (the next business day).
Yes I always send a trial payment on new payee before paying the real bill.
Personally I would never request a manual check but only use the electronic payees. Too many unknown can trip up a manual check - even the check arrives the payee correctly, but the payee may not know who sends the check because no payment stub attached, or the payee uses electronic method to process the check and then the check bounces because BB/Serve manual checks cannot be electronically processed, at least that is the case in the past.
People should not use these prepaid accounts as if they are the regular bank accounts for they are not. They are tools in your MS pursuit but you should not use them for your important payments if such payments have to be handled by checks. Nor people should cut it very close to make the payments. If there is any hiccup in the delivery, you are SOL.
Payments requested late in the day get 2 business day delivery time regardless which day of the week. You can schedule a payment in Thursday late afternoon the payment would not be delivered until Monday.
If you request payment in the Friday morning, it gets delivered on Monday. Sat or Sun is always Tuesday because they are not processed until Monday. Therefore Tuesday is the earliest possible day to deliver (the next business day).
Yes I always send a trial payment on new payee before paying the real bill.
Personally I would never request a manual check but only use the electronic payees. Too many unknown can trip up a manual check - even the check arrives the payee correctly, but the payee may not know who sends the check because no payment stub attached, or the payee uses electronic method to process the check and then the check bounces because BB/Serve manual checks cannot be electronically processed, at least that is the case in the past.
People should not use these prepaid accounts as if they are the regular bank accounts for they are not. They are tools in your MS pursuit but you should not use them for your important payments if such payments have to be handled by checks. Nor people should cut it very close to make the payments. If there is any hiccup in the delivery, you are SOL.
Dec 16, 2015, 11:10 am
#3325
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
I pay my HOA via serve. No issues (knock on wood). I always submit the payment about 30 days in advance. If a check is lost its a real PITA. Be sure to get your account number on the payment correct.
Dec 16, 2015, 3:02 pm
#3326
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 6
Question: just did a few loads at WM, but when I looked at the receipt, the ending balance looked off. I logged into my account and there's a ~$200 store purchase from that same WM in the pending (active) transactions. But I didn't buy anything, just loaded.
Anyone have this happen? Will the charge fall off after a few days? What's my next step if it actually posts?
Thanks for the help.
Anyone have this happen? Will the charge fall off after a few days? What's my next step if it actually posts?
Thanks for the help.
Dec 16, 2015, 6:14 pm
#3327
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 28
Coin App
This might be widely known, but there is an package called COIN that allows one to load the information of multiple credit cards onto a single card (which is provided). It comes with ones name in it and looks like a typical card. This could help in the process of buying gift cards without suspicion of using a credit card. I wonder if gift cards could be added to it as well for Serve/BB loads in-store?
Last edited by OldPainless; Dec 16, 2015 at 6:31 pm Reason: More info
Dec 16, 2015, 6:21 pm
#3328
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Coin has been talked about here so much about a year or two ago. They oversold and never fully delivered.
Dec 16, 2015, 10:53 pm
#3329
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 559
Guys any data points regarding dollar general reload of serve using one vanilla cards ?
Is there any limit like family dollar's 500/per day/per store ?
Is there any limit like family dollar's 500/per day/per store ?
Dec 17, 2015, 12:57 am
#3330
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,112
I was successful with a OneVanilla Visa a few days ago. I did one $500 transaction and did not attempt more because I knew this location would be suspicious of such (and they were already suspicious of me loading the $500).