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Serve - Another Paypal/Amazon payments (2015)

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)

Old Apr 21, 2015, 1:51 pm
  #1081  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BDL/NYC/BOS
Programs: UA/*A Gold, Global Entry, Marriott Plat, Hilton+IHG Gold, Hertz PC, DL
Posts: 1,751
Originally Posted by iguanajm
I have a softcard serve card, clicked on "add money" and added $4.50 (this was the remainder of my 1500 limit). It then showed my barclay card. I clicked submit and apparently the transaction went thru.



I will need to check in a few days if this posts as a CA transaction or what.
my UA MP explorer card also pops back up (i left $100 of my $1500 for april). looking forward to seeing how this posts.

serve/softcard's online loads were great for me since my only interest in MS is to hit my $25k PQD waiver each year.
riphamilton is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 3:06 pm
  #1082  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 29
Just got an email from Serve that reads:
"You may have experienced disruptions on your American Express Serve Account recently. We are happy to inform you that we have finished our investigation and you may continue using your Account with confidence effective immediately."

I haven't tried to add or spend money in the last few days so I didn't hit any errors or outages. Is it likely an action I did triggered this "investigation" or does this just happen to Serve accounts?
stuckbtwstations is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 4:46 pm
  #1083  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: sfo
Posts: 53
Originally Posted by iguanajm
Same here with my barclay card. I left $4.50 remaining as a test. It went thru today. Need to check if this pops up as a CA transaction

One more thought: I wonder if I should switch to Redbird if Serve is still working?? $5k vs $1.5k is huge. Serve is so much simpler tho.
Make that 2 thoughts: If this serve cc loads actually still works then I should also consider that I won't be able to add any other non-amex cards to load. I'd be stuck with the current card set.

Other things to consider - how long will this serve "glitch" last and how long will the target store policy last??
iguanajm is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 5:33 pm
  #1084  
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: MSN
Posts: 125
I've switched to Redbird awhile ago now but my gf still has a Serve.

With the recent changes, can you still load at FD/WM with VR?
thrillhouse763 is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 6:42 pm
  #1085  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 25
Originally Posted by johnnie198x
The list is in the wiki.
Where..? the wiki looks exactly the same from prior to April 16th..
coronalforce is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 7:04 pm
  #1086  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 47
Originally Posted by thrillhouse763
I've switched to Redbird awhile ago now but my gf still has a Serve

With the recent changes, can you still load at FD/WM with VR?

I load with VGC but the answer is yes.
fafa123 is offline  
Old Apr 21, 2015, 7:18 pm
  #1087  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 66
Hmmm, my 2 CAP ONE cards are still in our 2 accounts. Maybe I can squeeze one more month out of it. Nothing left to test with this month.
MisterEdF is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 9:35 am
  #1088  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by XP1
It is possible to have multiple Serve or multiple Serve and 1 Redbird for one person. You just had to sign up before Serve asked for SSN.
So there are others like me! I keep waiting for them to catch on but thus far I've still got my old Serve account. Like someone else said there's always a banner at the top asking me to provide my SSN.

Has anyone else sussed out what all the limits are on these old SSN-less accounts? For instance I am not able to bill pay at all. Attempting to load that part of the site always fails--both on the web and the mobile app.

There are likely other limits too, but I haven't figured out what they are because I've mainly only used this Serve account for the Sync promos and stuff like the $1 softcard credit (RIP softcard )

If anyone knows what, if any, other limits there are on Serve accounts without SSN let me know. I guess I could always call Serve and ask but I don't really want to draw any attention to this account.

Thanks!
bookemdano is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 9:48 am
  #1089  
 
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
Does an amex prg work to load serve or no because it's a charge card?
hiima is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 3:30 pm
  #1090  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 25
Heres a list of 3rd party amex cards:

Fidelity Amex
Wells Fargo Propel World Amex/Propel 365 Amex
Macy's Amex
SavingStar Amex
Dillard's Amex
USAA Cash Rewards Amex/Cash Rewards Plus
Bank of America Asiana Airlines Amex
Bank of America Accelerated Rewards Amex
FNBO Amex
Citi Platinum Select AAdvantage Amex
FNBO Graphite Amex
Citi Dividend Amex (not obtainable unless specifically requested)
Citi Thank You Preferred (not obtainable unless specifically requested)
Travelocity Amex
Penfed Premium Travel Rewards Amex
FNBO PLAT(?) Amex
Bloomingdale's Amex
Alitalia Amex
AAA Rewards Amex
Bank of Hawaii Amex Card with MyBankoh Rewards
US Bank Flexperks Amex


Can we get some verifications rolling from people that already have these cards?
coronalforce is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 6:15 pm
  #1091  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, DL, Hyatt, Hilton
Posts: 127
Everyone get the e-mail RE getting 10 cents back every time you make a purchase with SERVE? So now we just need to come up with a way to make purchases of 1 cent items, and automate such purchases to 1,000 transactions a day. Clean $90 per day profit.

I’m thinking of setting up an online store that sells nothing for .01 cent per nothing, and programing a script to make all the purchases. Who is in?
46sky is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 6:55 pm
  #1092  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 102
I know this is a dumb question but can you load Serve at the counter with an AmEx gift card? It processes as a credit card and is technically AmEx. I figure it's definitely a no but would like confirmation.
Light is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 7:14 pm
  #1093  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Originally Posted by Light
I know this is a dumb question but can you load Serve at the counter with an AmEx gift card? It processes as a credit card and is technically AmEx. I figure it's definitely a no but would like confirmation.
No, you can't load AGCs to Serve at POS/MC or Kate.
Mamibear is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 10:05 pm
  #1094  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 7
I used serve to make a in-store purchase, but transaction was cancelled. The charge is showing "on hold" in Serve account and so the fund. Does anyone know when it will become available balance? Do I have to call Serve? or this will hold automatically fall off? (FYI it's been 3 days and still on hold) Please shed some light...thanks.
worksmart is offline  
Old Apr 22, 2015, 11:16 pm
  #1095  
XP1
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 282
Originally Posted by 46sky
Everyone get the e-mail RE getting 10 cents back every time you make a purchase with SERVE? So now we just need to come up with a way to make purchases of 1 cent items, and automate such purchases to 1,000 transactions a day. Clean $90 per day profit.

Im thinking of setting up an online store that sells nothing for .01 cent per nothing, and programing a script to make all the purchases. Who is in?
That sounds fun, but getting attention and getting banned does not.
XP1 is offline  

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