Minimum Spend Conundrum
 

Hi all, I have a MS problem I have not been able to solve.

I'm medium experienced with MS, but currently am living abroad. So I currently am limited to online methods. Usually I use Serve to meet minimum spends, and leave it at that.

I recently got a Chase IHG card. As some have reported, get a "CARD ISSUER DECLINES TRANSACTION CODE" when trying to link to Serve. Address was correct and even got Serve and Chase on a three-way call and it couldn't be resolved.

Had a similar issue with a Chase Amtrak card - used PayPal to send and ate the 3% fee. But with the IHG card, it doesn't show up on PayPal for send once linked. Tried again with Google Wallet - wouldn't charge card. I have 12 days left to make 1K to get 80000 IHG points. Any ideas? Thanks!

Consider donations to some of your favorite charities? Just throwing it out there. Organizations like Kiva (no flaming, this is just to offer a solution to OPs problem) accept cc through Paypal (no fee) to fund your lending account. The money is tied up for a little while but can be pulled out at a later date.

Good luck!

since you're currently living abroad, is it possible that your IP address poses the problem? when any of the CCs detect that, maybe that's where the block is coming from? I've read some issues like yours and they traced problem to where they're at. try VPN and see if that solves your issue although I have no experience with this, others said this worked for them.

and....DONT CALL.

For the sake of everyone, dont call and dont do 3 way calls telling chase that you are adding money to a serve card, sheesh !

Sigh, I know. The card is in fact one I got for my girlfriend and I left her with just instructions to call into to Amex about the transacation code error. I forgot she is very stubborn and she took the initiative to call everyone and spent an hour fighting about it (including the conference all). I got upset at her when I found out, and now she won't make calls about anything MS related. Mea culpa but I already am paying a price!

Yes, I use a VPN and my US address. So it isn't the foreign presence I think. Actually, the KIVA thing is something I will look into right away! Thanks!

Check you CA limit. It needs to be available for the trans otherwise you get that message. Serve overseas is no problem. I use mine every month with no need for spoofing/vpn/anything.