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Amex Serve (2016) [Many shutdowns starting Jan 8, 2016]

Old Jan 6, 2016, 10:21 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: cbn42
The previous megathread is here.

The following megathread is at Amex Serve master thread (2017)




On January 8, 2016, most Serve cards that were being used for MS were closed by Amex due to "unusual activity". Recurring waves of shutdowns have continued.


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.

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.[/SIZE]

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

Loads at Dollar General - Works with Vanilla visa. Tried to load 2 500 gift cards and it worked. Not sure about more than 1000 $

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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Amex Serve (2016) [Many shutdowns starting Jan 8, 2016]

Old Jan 22, 2016, 1:06 am
  #676  
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 285
Everyone is piling on isriam. But if we ever get about 10 posts in a row, from 10 different posters, that loads are not working one could apply a certain logic and come to the conclusion, given recent Serve developments and this MS month overall, that they hardcoded/disabled any non-cash loads
Joshy119 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 1:11 am
  #677  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 41
Somebody tried cash, which failed too. Many people are getting errors when swiping their serve cards, before selecting tender. It seems like it's a loading issue in general. Someone tweeted amex, and they said they're working on it, but the word of a clueless csr isn't worth much. Thankfully, reports of success are coming in today. Seems like they had an issue which was fixed.
maygarish is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 8:19 am
  #678  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Originally Posted by Joshy119
Everyone is piling on isriam. But if we ever get about 10 posts in a row, from 10 different posters, that loads are not working one could apply a certain logic and come to the conclusion, given recent Serve developments and this MS month overall, that they hardcoded/disabled any non-cash loads
We're piling on because he said use logic when it was actually just speculation and jumping to a conclusion. There have been posts from others who successfully loaded.
PaulMSN is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 8:30 am
  #679  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
Originally Posted by maygarish
Somebody tried cash, which failed too. Many people are getting errors when swiping their serve cards, before selecting tender. It seems like it's a loading issue in general. Someone tweeted amex, and they said they're working on it, but the word of a clueless csr isn't worth much. Thankfully, reports of success are coming in today. Seems like they had an issue which was fixed.
system glitch... it happens
danhouston is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 9:02 am
  #680  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 18
Did you guys close the account? I don't want to be charged monthly fees.
burgerking089 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 9:03 am
  #681  
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Houston
Programs: DL Platinum, UA Silver
Posts: 37
Attempted to load with VGC at walmart cashier about 30 minutes ago, got debit/credit error. Manager had to come over and give override to clear. No load.
umich07 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 9:17 am
  #682  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 184
Just loaded today at RA successfully
spidy1 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 3:55 pm
  #683  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 5
Just loaded one VIP fine at DG ...
vickyforever08 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 4:34 pm
  #684  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 374
Loaded 1k at RA
winsteven13 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 5:20 pm
  #685  
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 124
Did anyone's heart just sink when they received today's "Serve E-Communications Disclosure has been updated" notice?

With 3 surviving Serve accounts, when I saw the subject heading "Important Change to Your Serve Account", I was expecting another January 8 mass-notice.

Heavens!
prech is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 5:39 pm
  #686  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 186
Originally Posted by prech
Did anyone's heart just sink when they received today's "Serve E-Communications Disclosure has been updated" notice?

With 3 surviving Serve accounts, when I saw the subject heading "Important Change to Your Serve Account", I was expecting another January 8 mass-notice.

Heavens!
YES!!!
kyroadrunner is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 5:40 pm
  #687  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 6
Loaded a few hundred using VGC at RA yesterday, but it gave an error the first couple of tries ... Eventually everything went through though.

No need to panic, just intermittent system-wide issues going on.

Also based on the E-disclosures email earlier, I'm starting to see a pattern. Seems like they like sending out notices or any changes to accounts on Fridays. Not sure how this is useful information yet, but worth bearing in mind perhaps.
Tech_Mo is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 6:06 pm
  #688  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 153
Originally Posted by Joshy119
Everyone is piling on isriam. But if we ever get about 10 posts in a row, from 10 different posters, that loads are not working one could apply a certain logic and come to the conclusion, given recent Serve developments and this MS month overall, that they hardcoded/disabled any non-cash loads
The thing is that Amex itself does not allow debit-card loads in person. What we see as debit loads are considered cash reloads by Amex (look at a Serve statement). It is the fact that some stores (RA, WM, FD) accept debit as a cash tender while others don't.

They could always come down on these stores to stop allowing debit cards as a source of cash, of course.
billybayswater is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 6:27 pm
  #689  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Michigan
Programs: AA, UA, DL, UR, IHG platnium, AirAsia
Posts: 323
Originally Posted by prech
Did anyone's heart just sink when they received today's "Serve E-Communications Disclosure has been updated" notice?

With 3 surviving Serve accounts, when I saw the subject heading "Important Change to Your Serve Account", I was expecting another January 8 mass-notice.

Heavens!
If I could upvote this 100x I would. Almost had a heart attack but got a laugh out of that one. Whew!
JamieDee78 is offline  
Old Jan 22, 2016, 6:43 pm
  #690  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: Multiple
Posts: 38
System glitch (or perhaps certain daily limit of the store?) at Rite Aid two days ago and wasn't able to load (rejected after PIN was entered). Tried again last night with the same GCs and it worked!
davidalism is offline  

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