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Old Jan 10, 2015, 9:20 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: NoonRadar

Nov 24, 2015

Dear XXXXXXXXX,

We want to let you know that we are making a change to your Target Prepaid REDcard® by American Express, and you will no longer be able to add money from your debit card at Target stores. As always, you can continue to add money to your Prepaid REDcard by using:

• Your debit card online through your Account
• Cash at a Target Store
• Direct Deposit (You can automatically add all or part of your paycheck, government benefits and federal tax refunds to your Prepaid REDcard)


DEAD FOR DEBIT CARD LOADS EFFECTIVE 10/12/2015 - MEMO: http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.co...uests-can-use/


DEAD FOR CREDIT CARD LOADS. (Amex GCs Included)

Effective May 6, 2015 registers are hard-coded to not allow credit card reload. PIN-based debit cards are working, however YMMV. PIN-based debit cards may be refused by cashiers.


WHAT IS TARGET PREPAID REDCARD?
Prepaid Redcard is a reloadable American Express card. It is only available to purchase at select Target stores.

    WEBSITE:
    This site may error when in Firefox, especially with adding payees / bill pay. Customer service says to use Chrome or Internet Explorer.
    https://amex.serve.com/prepaidredcard

    PREPAID REDCARD LOAD LIMITS
    Cash (or debit card) loading at Target: ** - $1,000/transaction, $2,500/day and $5,000/month
    Online Debit Card Load * - $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



    All "Monthly" limits are per calendar month and reset on the 1st of each month.
    Daily limits reset at midnight Eastern time, 9 PM Pacific time.

    *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. Your account will be flagged upon first/second attempt.

    ATM Withdrawals:
    No-fee ATM usage at US Target stores* and U.S. Allpoint network ATMs. (ATM usage not available at any other ATMs.) Find an Allpoint ATM at: www.allpointnetwork.com Note that some ATMs only allow $400/transaction. There is a $750/day and $2,000/month limit to ATM withdrawals.

    RedCard is only available in specific Target stores and is not available in all states. Go to this site to find a list of available locations:https://amex.serve.com/prepaidredcard

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
    Q: Can I reload a RB at a Target that doesn't sell RB?
    Yes. However, the cashier may not know how to do it. You may be able to coach them through it by saying "It's like reloading a Starbucks (or Gift) card". For step-by-step instructions on one method of 'coaching' new cashiers see Post#1904

    Q: Can I buy or reload a RB in North Carolina?
    See post here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...a-63.html#2520
    There is currently a software issue preventing any reload of any kind in NC. It is a known issue but there is no ETA on a fix.

    Q: Can I reload the RB at any register, or just at the Customer Service desk?
    It can be done at any register, however some cashiers are not trained on how to do this and you may have to go to Customer Service.

    Q: What is the most efficient way to drain a RedCard?
    Use BillPay to pay bills. For example, pay the credit card you used to load RedCard with. You can also withdraw money at ATMs.

    Q: I cant access the BillPay feature through the RB website!
    Verify that your account information correctly reflects a 10-digit phone number (including area code). Numerous people have reported that their account only had a 7-digit phone number (no area code) and that, after updating to a 10-digit phone number, BillPay miraculously started working.

    Q: Can we buy a temporary Redbird card while we still have a Bluebird or Serve account?
    Yes.

    Q: How many Redbird cards can you purchase at once?
    You can only purchase one Redbird card a day per SSN. If you plan to purchase more than one, be sure to use a different SSN for each purchase to avoid activation issues.

    Q: Can we register our temporary Redbird online while we still have a Bluebird or Serve account?
    No. You will have to cancel your Bluebird or Serve account first before registering.

    Q: How do I cancel my BlueBird or Serve Account online? Do I need to call them?
    Frequent Miler posted a useful trick that will help you cancel online How to cancel Bluebird online This works for both BlueBird and Serve.

    Q: Cancelled Bluebird, why does registering Redbird error out saying Bluebird is still active?
    If you have open transactions that have not been settled, like BillPay checks that have not yet been cashed, the account cannot settle and will not be truly closed. Thus Target will reject it until it's permanently closed.

    Q: Can we get Redbird online?
    No. The only way to get Redbird is to find a participating Target store and buy a temporary card there. Some people have purchased RB on Ebay, Amazon, or through private deals. Be aware that doing so may violate the TOS of one or more of these services. Also be aware that buying an un-activated RB, you are potentially buying "stolen" merchandise; the seller *may* have simply taken the un-activated RB cards from a target store without permission. At best they got permission from a low-level employee; they certainly are not getting permission from someone authorized to allow sale of RB outside of the current Target-authorized roll out markets. It is highly recommended to only buy already activated Redbirds because many Targets which do not offer Redbirds also will not be able to activate them and you will spend a month with the Customer Service line trying to get a new one.

    Q: Does the initial load you put in when purchasing the Redbird count against the monthly limit?
    No. After registering the Redbird online, any loads done will count against your monthly limit, even on your temp card.

    Q: Can we load Redbird with Target gift cards at Target?NO.
    When loading, the register displays a large message saying that gift cards cannot be used to pay for this transaction.

    Q: What are the card’s load limits per transaction at Target?
    [B]As of 2/2/2015 there is a maximum $1,000 load per transaction. You can no longer load the same RB multiple times (multiple swipes) in 1 transaction. Likewise, you can no longer load multiple RBs (say your's and your spouse's) in 1 transaction. Maximum of 1 load, for $1,000 per debit card payment. End of story.

    Q: What credit cards can I use to reload RedCard in Target stores?
    NONE. As of May 6, 2015, credit cards cannot be used to reload.

    Q: Can I reload with a debit card?
    Yes, but only if the debit card can be authenticated with PIN-number. Signature-based debit that processes on the Visa/MasterCard/AmEx networks will NOT work.

    Q: Can I reload with a prepaid debit card or Vanilla Visa?
    Yes, but only if you have a PIN for that card.

    Q: How can I load 2 debit cards in one transaction? Example 2x$500.
    1. Swipe debit card on my terminal after total comes up $1000.
    2. PIN pad comes up. Enter 4 digit PIN.
    3. Do you want cash back? press NO
    4. Do you want full amount on this card? press NO <<<Note: I pressed YES and did not have a step 5. - PHLisa
    5. Cashier reads something on register, asks how much on this card. $500. They push something to continue.
    6. Swipe card #2. Enter PIN
    7. Repeat 3 to 5. Total: 0.00
    8. Receipt prints. Thank cashier. The end.
    (thanks to Mamibear)

    Q: Can someone else buy a Redbird card for you?
    Yes. When you buy a temp Redbird card at Target, you have to give them your drivers license info, your SSN (can be any set of numbers, does not need to be real), birthdate, and more. Then, you have to register the card online in order to get a permanent card. In the process of registering online, they ask for the birthday of the original buyer on the first screen, but you can put your own and it will still work. Either way, you can still change the details on the following screens. I did this for my wife. I bought the card at Target and used my own driver’s license, SSN, etc. But, when I got home, I registered the card to my wife. I can’t promise this will work for everyone, but it worked for me.

    Q: Can you reload Serve/Bluebird at Target?
    No.

    Q: How do I contact Target's support team to resolve an issue with my RedCard?
    Call Target's Prepaid Resolution Team, their direct telephone number is 800 438 6468 (open from 8AM to 430PM MST).

    Q: Can you have both Redbird and AFT cards?
    Yes.
    You can have both Redbird and AFT since they are independent products.

    Q: I got a "Pending" notice that the registration is being reviewed, what now?
    Add [email protected] to your address book, and check your spam folder for an email about it. You can also call in. They will need images or faxes of:
    • Social Security Documentation (must clearly show full 9 digit Social Security Number). Choose 1 of the following options:
    ◦ Social Security Card, OR
    ◦ A Medicare insurance card
    Plus...
    • Picture ID
    ◦ A valid driver's license card OR
    ◦ A valid state issued ID OR
    ◦ A valid United States Government ID Card (e.g. Green Card) OR
    ◦ A valid United States Passport (photo page only)


    Secure Document Upload
    Here's the link to upload secure documents to REDcard: https://secure.prepaidredcard.com/User/SecureFileUpload
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    Prepaid REDcard (Target) 2015-2016

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    Old Mar 11, 2015, 8:43 pm
      #3706  
     
    Join Date: Feb 2013
    Posts: 291
    Originally Posted by zorbachs
    Are we under the assumption that the "email" shutting down the Redbird account was fake?

    I usually load my account and then pay bills on the same day, bringing the account balance to $0 in the process, and so far haven't had any trouble. I thought the account was made to pay bills.
    Even if all the current claims of account closures turn out to be fake, would it surprise you if they decided to weed out unprofitable customers in the future? If I wanted to continue using Redbird I wouldn't want to be one the most unprofitable customers when it happened.

    Last edited by zenride; Mar 11, 2015 at 8:48 pm
    zenride is offline  
    Old Mar 11, 2015, 10:13 pm
      #3707  
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: MDW
    Programs: WN (CP 6x, A+ 2x), Marriott (LT Titanium), Hyatt Explorer, Hertz PC, UA/*A Silver
    Posts: 425
    Originally Posted by bassmanben
    Laurel was the ticket.

    Anyone know if the $5000 load max per month is RB only, or RB/BB combined?

    If I'm planning to transition, should i try to max out BB first this month then switch to RB? Can I get $10k load this month per card then?
    Each card has its own limits and rules, since they are different products. So, yes, load BB with 5k, bill pay, transfer to a spouse/trusted friend/etc BB/RB account or ATM the funds out. Remember that you can transfer out $2,500 per month. You can also withdraw $2,000 via ATM in one month ($750/day limit, so you need three days at least). If you max out the $5k load, that leaves you with $500 to spend, meaning I think you'll have to bill pay it. Of course, you could simply forego the $500 in the interst of time.

    Once all bill pays have cleared, you can then open a RB and have another 5k for the month. Note that it is very important to realize that even though your account balance may show $0.00 available, a bill payment may not have cleared. You will not be able to close the account until all funds have actually cleared. I've tried a couple of times

    Best to ensure that you pay a vendor/recipient known to BB, if you decide to requet a bill payment. In that case, the payment will arrive in just a few business days via ACH and the funds will probably clear in a calendar week at most. If you pay an unknown vendor that requires a physical check, the process can take longer.

    I'm actually waiting on a BB bill pay request to clear that I made on 3/2 or 3/3 so that I can close my BB and register my temp RB. If you're thinking of doing this for March, time is getting short, considering it will take a week or so for the perm card to arrive.
    illinidad is offline  
    Old Mar 11, 2015, 10:26 pm
      #3708  
     
    Join Date: Jan 2015
    Posts: 166
    Originally Posted by illinidad
    Each card has its own limits and rules, since they are different products. So, yes, load BB with 5k, bill pay, transfer to a spouse/trusted friend/etc BB/RB account or ATM the funds out. Remember that you can transfer out $2,500 per month. You can also withdraw $2,000 via ATM in one month ($750/day limit, so you need three days at least). If you max out the $5k load, that leaves you with $500 to spend, meaning I think you'll have to bill pay it. Of course, you could simply forego the $500 in the interst of time.
    Wha ... wha ... what???? Good gosh. I hope you're kidding about the foregoing statement. Who'd take a $500 hit in the interest of time in that capacity. Many other ways to get the $500 out, like maybe buy a gift card, a gas card, Money order etc using the card where Amex is accepted.
    Beetlesauce is offline  
    Old Mar 11, 2015, 10:45 pm
      #3709  
     
    Join Date: Feb 2013
    Posts: 38
    Originally Posted by commdiver
    Does the daily limit reset at midnight?
    I too would love to know answer for this.
    stevester is offline  
    Old Mar 11, 2015, 11:06 pm
      #3710  
     
    Join Date: Nov 2005
    Location: MOD/SFO
    Programs: Whole Lot of Nothin' anymore - Thanks to baby!
    Posts: 582
    Originally Posted by illinidad
    Each card has its own limits and rules, since they are different products. So, yes, load BB with 5k, bill pay, transfer to a spouse/trusted friend/etc BB/RB account or ATM the funds out. Remember that you can transfer out $2,500 per month. You can also withdraw $2,000 via ATM in one month ($750/day limit, so you need three days at least). If you max out the $5k load, that leaves you with $500 to spend, meaning I think you'll have to bill pay it. Of course, you could simply forego the $500 in the interst of time.

    Once all bill pays have cleared, you can then open a RB and have another 5k for the month. Note that it is very important to realize that even though your account balance may show $0.00 available, a bill payment may not have cleared. You will not be able to close the account until all funds have actually cleared. I've tried a couple of times

    Best to ensure that you pay a vendor/recipient known to BB, if you decide to requet a bill payment. In that case, the payment will arrive in just a few business days via ACH and the funds will probably clear in a calendar week at most. If you pay an unknown vendor that requires a physical check, the process can take longer.

    I'm actually waiting on a BB bill pay request to clear that I made on 3/2 or 3/3 so that I can close my BB and register my temp RB. If you're thinking of doing this for March, time is getting short, considering it will take a week or so for the perm card to arrive.
    Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can get it done this month otherwise I'll just start the RBs next month. I just want them in place next month since I'll have a new HELOC and I'm going to try and benefit from the float and grace periods on my business card CCs primarily, in addition to any points, with theoretically no impact on my credit score since I might be refinancing later this year.
    bassmanben is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 1:04 am
      #3711  
     
    Join Date: Jul 2001
    Programs: Marriott LT Tit; Hyatt Explorist; Hilton CC Gold; IHG CC Plt; Hertz (MR) 5 star
    Posts: 5,536
    Originally Posted by illinidad
    Each card has its own limits and rules, since they are different products. So, yes, load BB with 5k, bill pay, transfer to a spouse/trusted friend/etc BB/RB account or ATM the funds out. Remember that you can transfer out $2,500 per month. You can also withdraw $2,000 via ATM in one month ($750/day limit, so you need three days at least). If you max out the $5k load, that leaves you with $500 to spend, meaning I think you'll have to bill pay it. Of course, you could simply forego the $500 in the interst of time.

    Once all bill pays have cleared, you can then open a RB and have another 5k for the month. Note that it is very important to realize that even though your account balance may show $0.00 available, a bill payment may not have cleared. You will not be able to close the account until all funds have actually cleared. I've tried a couple of times

    Best to ensure that you pay a vendor/recipient known to BB, if you decide to requet a bill payment. In that case, the payment will arrive in just a few business days via ACH and the funds will probably clear in a calendar week at most. If you pay an unknown vendor that requires a physical check, the process can take longer.

    I'm actually waiting on a BB bill pay request to clear that I made on 3/2 or 3/3 so that I can close my BB and register my temp RB. If you're thinking of doing this for March, time is getting short, considering it will take a week or so for the perm card to arrive.
    When I closed my BB, I just sent everything to my linked bank account and then closed my BB account. I think that I was able to immediately register my RB.
    iflyjetz is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 4:58 am
      #3712  
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: MDW
    Programs: WN (CP 6x, A+ 2x), Marriott (LT Titanium), Hyatt Explorer, Hertz PC, UA/*A Silver
    Posts: 425
    Originally Posted by Beetlesauce
    Wha ... wha ... what???? Good gosh. I hope you're kidding about the foregoing statement. Who'd take a $500 hit in the interest of time in that capacity. Many other ways to get the $500 out, like maybe buy a gift card, a gas card, Money order etc using the card where Amex is accepted.
    Good heavens, I only meant run 4500 through the account, not 5000. Besides, you can't close the account with funds remaining.

    Yes, you could certainly spend the account down by using BB to make regular purchases.
    illinidad is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 6:06 am
      #3713  
     
    Join Date: Feb 2015
    Posts: 62
    Anyone have constant problems with fraud alerts? I've had 5 on chase cards over the last week, after making my first 7 (5 last month 2 this month) 1k loads with no problem at all. Both are newer Chase cards.

    It's driving me crazy.
    browerjs is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 6:21 am
      #3714  
     
    Join Date: Jan 2014
    Location: SEA
    Posts: 94
    Originally Posted by stevester
    I too would love to know answer for this.
    It resets at midnight, Eastern Time. I live on the West Coast where it resets at 9pm. I've loaded my whole $5000 in one trip - $2500 before 9pm and the rest after 9pm before the store closes.

    The midnight cutoff holds true for Bluebird and Serve as well.
    AnInfrequentFlyer is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 7:34 am
      #3715  
     
    Join Date: Jul 2001
    Location: DTW
    Programs: Dirt Status w/ All
    Posts: 5,040
    Originally Posted by browerjs
    Anyone have constant problems with fraud alerts? I've had 5 on chase cards over the last week, after making my first 7 (5 last month 2 this month) 1k loads with no problem at all. Both are newer Chase cards.

    It's driving me crazy.
    It varies by bank and by person. I have not had a problem with a brand new Chase card or even Citi Business with only a $1500 limit ($650 x 2). US Bank shut down my first $1K, allowed it after I cleared the FA, then denied a $650 with no FA, then another $650 with no FA, then allowed $175. The FA algorithms are somewhat a mystery.
    tev9999 is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 8:27 am
      #3716  
     
    Join Date: Sep 2013
    Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
    Posts: 3,677
    Originally Posted by browerjs
    Anyone have constant problems with fraud alerts? I've had 5 on chase cards over the last week, after making my first 7 (5 last month 2 this month) 1k loads with no problem at all. Both are newer Chase cards.

    It's driving me crazy.
    Have you tried calling the Chase automated phone number and placing a notice of an upcoming large "purchase"? That's worked for me.

    1-800-792-0001 option 5

    Also, it's important to understand that banks for some crazy reason treat all ccs individually. You could have a card with a bank, and charge $5K at Target every month for 20 years. Then when you get a new cc with that bank, it acts as if it's never heard of you before, and you have to train the computer once again that this type of behavior is normal for you.
    Brugge is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 8:38 am
      #3717  
     
    Join Date: Apr 2007
    Posts: 1,857
    Originally Posted by Brugge
    Have you tried calling the Chase automated phone number and placing a notice of an upcoming large "purchase"? That's worked for me.

    1-800-792-0001 option 5

    Also, it's important to understand that banks for some crazy reason treat all ccs individually. You could have a card with a bank, and charge $5K at Target every month for 20 years. Then when you get a new cc with that bank, it acts as if it's never heard of you before, and you have to train the computer once again that this type of behavior is normal for you.
    I think Chase is just screwing with us. It was very definitely option 5 a few days ago (see my post here). I called today, and it was option 3. Same phone number, same card, same everything. I'm pretty sure they're just screwing with us.

    Any thoughts on whether banks treat individual cards differently when they give you a fraud alert? One bank in particular (Citi) seems to go on high alert on any other cards as soon as you do something "suspicious" on one card. It makes sense (maybe you lost your wallet, and all the cards in it), but it's also annoying (if a card gets declined, you better have one from another issuer with you).
    bobert24 is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 8:41 am
      #3718  
     
    Join Date: Sep 2013
    Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
    Posts: 3,677
    Originally Posted by bobert24
    I think Chase is just screwing with us. It was very definitely option 5 a few days ago (see my post here). I called today, and it was option 3. Same phone number, same card, same everything. I'm pretty sure they're just screwing with us.

    Any thoughts on whether banks treat individual cards differently when they give you a fraud alert? One bank in particular (Citi) seems to go on high alert on any other cards as soon as you do something "suspicious" on one card. It makes sense (maybe you lost your wallet, and all the cards in it), but it's also annoying (if a card gets declined, you better have one from another issuer with you).
    Yeah, I was in Singapore, when Citi decided my last Target purchase, obviously done days earlier, was questionable. Suddenly my debit card didn't work anymore. Good thing I had my Chase debit card with me as back up, or I would have been SOL.
    Brugge is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 8:53 am
      #3719  
     
    Join Date: Apr 2007
    Posts: 1,857
    Originally Posted by Brugge
    Yeah, I was in Singapore, when Citi decided my last Target purchase, obviously done days earlier, was questionable. Suddenly my debit card didn't work anymore. Good thing I had my Chase debit card with me as back up, or I would have been SOL.
    This is where I would normally say something bad about Citi's computer programming, but seeing as their crappy computers seem to play a large role in their willingness to give us free money all day every day, I guess I'll hold off.

    But yes, lesson for the new kids: always have cards from multiple issuers in your wallet. Especially when you go overseas, but really, you should have them anytime. I usually aim to have at least 3 different banks represented, just in case. And if you're using them to MS (say, large purchases at Target that Citi might flag), always make sure you've got a backup plan. Don't be standing there trying to figure out which card you want to use if one fails.
    bobert24 is offline  
    Old Mar 12, 2015, 9:10 am
      #3720  
     
    Join Date: Oct 2010
    Location: BOS
    Posts: 814
    I thought if you had money left on the account and wanted to close they should send you a check for it?
    xSTRIKEx6864 is offline  


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