bigugly

Riiiiiiiiiiight.

iflyjetz

You've drawn a computer flag for the round numbers. That's only one flag, and it's the computer.
It would be interesting to see if your money stayed on the RC long enough to not trip the second (more important) flag of offloading immediately after loading the card.

The computer system may use a scoring system where x points are allocated to round numbers (and gradiations within round numbers) and different scores for the amount of time that cash stayed on your RB.
Knowing Target's data mining capabilities, they likely put scores on each transaction with respect to RB.
There's likely a cutoff number that, when exceeded, kicks the account out to a human to review. Which is likely just a rubber stamp.

I would think that it's Target closing the accounts and AmEx is merely the contracted party to manage the RBs. ... in other words, Target sends a list of accounts to shut down to AmEx and then AmEx sends out a boilerplate letter with the reason(s) why the account was shut down.

TMM1982

What do you mean by round number? 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 300 etc are all round numbers and those aren't creating flags.

PaulMSN

You keep stating your speculation as fact. Why do you do that?

Gammachu

Terrible argument to bring up. You trusted them enough to give them your personal information, but not enough to leave the money in the account a couple days? Sounds like you need to close that account before you leave a bad taste for Amex.

indelible

holding personal information is different than holding money hostage, assuming they're holding the funds and wont return it.

PWMTrav

Don't MS/float money you can't afford to be without for a while.

No, I understand the game just fine. I think you didn't understand my post.

iflyjetz

Because I'm able to comprehend the OP's shutdown letter. The OP's letter clearly stated that the transaction numbers were a flag. But please, USE ROUND NUMBERS!

Gammachu

I thank the op for sharing this information with us, but I feel what I'm about to say needs emphasis. I have said it few times and someone mentioned it in this thread.
Common sense will get you far in this game.

starbuk

Sorry Noon but I disagree. You don't know if this will get shutdown tomorrow nationwide so tippy-toeing around and loading $453.69 like an insane person is, well, insane. I've been loading 2500 in a single swipe for 6 months now and taking out the $ right after to Bill Pay, and even took out cash at the beginning to test it out, at the same Target that I loaded. Some people don't have time to visit Target 5 times in a month for ~$100 in card benefits. I sure don't and if I did have the time it's not worth it for me. I do RC because it takes 2 visits a month and I can get my bonuses with minimal effort. I would PayPal someone $5000 if this wasn't available so dealing with what ifs and taking the time to be paranoid when it could have no impact on future use is out of the question.

kenme1

Yawn........MS opportunities come and go and RedBird is no different. Time to just move along to the next opportunity.

iflyjetz

Outside blog shutdown letters (2) plus response #10.

http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....bird-accounts/

All mention round numbers as one reason why the account was shut down. For those of you who want to continue to use round numbers and quickly unload your loads, I encourage that behavior. You're the low hanging fruit that will divert Target's attention for a couple more months.

Gammachu

I approved this message x1000000!

starbuk

You are doing risk control and that is fine. Some people don't care enough about this MS method to do all the things that you do, priorities are just different, that does not mean it is not what is right for them. And there is still a chance it all gets shutdown at once, so none of this matters. OR the people who do paranoid penny loads are the ones who are doing other, less risky behavior and the combination of actions is what really gets you shutdown.

NoonRadar

The shutdowns likely do/will happen because:
1st - The computer flagged an account based on some flags or algorithms
2nd - A human looked at the account and decided that it indeed needed to be trashed

We as people also have our own algorithms, i.e. risk and reward, so of course we're not all going to behave the same.

No one can guarantee their account wont be shut down, but generally speaking I see the risk takers as a shield for the rest of us more cautious ones, for as long as Redbird (other vehicles) last. To that end, I say more power to you/them =)