Jan 7, 2016, 8:18 am
Last edit by: RedSun
This is the 2016 and onwards Bluebird thread.
The original discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread. The previous 2015 megathread.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read the wiki before posting a question.
The most recent huge wave of shutdowns occurred in May 2019.
Most accounts used for MS were shut down on Jan 8, 2016. Another wave of shutdowns occurred on March 4, 2016. Using Bluebird for MS is very likely to lead to account closure. There is no clear pattern as to how to avoid the account shut-downs. Some of the dormant accounts were not shut down.
Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.
Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).
The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.
For online bill pay
Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.
Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift 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. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.
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.
If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.
Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.
Training a WM cashier:
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.
The original discussion. The previous 2013- 2014 megathread. The previous 2015 megathread.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Read the wiki before posting a question.
The most recent huge wave of shutdowns occurred in May 2019.
Most accounts used for MS were shut down on Jan 8, 2016. Another wave of shutdowns occurred on March 4, 2016. Using Bluebird for MS is very likely to lead to account closure. There is no clear pattern as to how to avoid the account shut-downs. Some of the dormant accounts were not shut down.
Check your BB load limits BEFORE asking in this thread about "tender not allowed" or any other errors.
Bluebird website. There's no need to buy a Bluebird kit in-store; sign-up free on the website.
For information on switching from BB to Serve, see the Serve thread wiki.
Bluebird Load Limits:
- Cash loading: $2,500 ($1,999.99 at Walmart) per card per day; $9,000 per day all BB cards combined; $5,000 total per calendar month each card; $10,000 calendar month and $100,000 per year all BB cards combined for each SSN.
- Direct Deposit: $100,000 per year
- Online Debit Card Load* - $200/day and $1,000/month
- Checking/Savings Account - $2,000/month
- Mobile Check Capture by Ingo® Money - $5,000/day and $10,000/month
- ATM Withdrawals - $750/day and $2,000/month
The cash load limit for a temp card is $1,500 total.
*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. If blocked, call Account Protection Services at 1-800-660-2454 to clear it (9am-8pm EST, Mon-Fri).
The day currently resets around midnight Eastern/11pm Central/10pm Mountain/9pm Pacific.
For online bill pay
- You can pay the credit card that you used to buy reloads
- 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
Loading with debit card at Walmart
Self checkout does not work for loading.
Many Walmart stores are enforcing a rule against the use of gift 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. Otherwise, you may be asked by management to never visit the MC again to load with gift cards.
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.
If your card doesn't say "debit" on the front, it isn't a debit card.
Please see http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manuf...bit-cards.html for additional information on using prepaid debit cards.
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.
Bluebird master thread (2016 onwards)
Jan 21, 2016, 3:56 pm
#181
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: ATL
Programs: AA, AGR, DL, MR, WoH, UA
Posts: 951
I'm curious as to how many folks are planning to do that, and what kind of responses they get.
Considering that the problem is how people were unloading their accounts, that's a lot of swipes to push 5k a month....
Jan 21, 2016, 5:30 pm
#182
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: AUS
Posts: 41
Good luck finding someone to reopen a closed Bluebird account - Amex is (mostly) getting out of the business, laying off a good portion of the staff and calling it a day...
http://www.pymnts.com/news/payment-m...longer-serves/
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...not-so-wealthy
http://www.pymnts.com/news/payment-m...longer-serves/
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...not-so-wealthy
Jan 22, 2016, 11:35 pm
#183
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 53
2 Kates in my town. 1 won't take vgc, the other will. They appear to have identical software interfaces. Any ideas on why won't process vgc, not even Meta...?
Jan 25, 2016, 11:07 am
#185
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,668
Similar situation. Four Walmarts in the immediate area with ATM. The closest ATM ceased to accept VGC for a period of time. I received the enter pin message repeatedly. The other ATMs functioned as expected. No indication of why one ATM worked with VGC and one did not work with VCG. And best of all 1/3 chance the ATM would be non working at any given location. The noted closest ATM worked the last attempt to load VGCs but Bluebird shut down the account a few days after so all a mute point now. One day I traveled to all four Walmarts before I found the one with the working ATM that would accept VGC. Not terribly upset Bluebird is shut down.
Jan 25, 2016, 11:38 am
#186
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,207
Similar situation. Four Walmarts in the immediate area with ATM. The closest ATM ceased to accept VGC for a period of time. I received the enter pin message repeatedly. The other ATMs functioned as expected. No indication of why one ATM worked with VGC and one did not work with VCG. And best of all 1/3 chance the ATM would be non working at any given location. The noted closest ATM worked the last attempt to load VGCs but Bluebird shut down the account a few days after so all a mute point now. One day I traveled to all four Walmarts before I found the one with the working ATM that would accept VGC. Not terribly upset Bluebird is shut down.
repeating pin is the same issue as the 9 digit pin, and it would happen regardless of what card you used and has nothing to do with vgc or not. But like you said, its a moot point.
Jan 25, 2016, 6:41 pm
#187
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 113
Similar situation. Four Walmarts in the immediate area with ATM. The closest ATM ceased to accept VGC for a period of time. I received the enter pin message repeatedly. The other ATMs functioned as expected. No indication of why one ATM worked with VGC and one did not work with VCG. And best of all 1/3 chance the ATM would be non working at any given location. The noted closest ATM worked the last attempt to load VGCs but Bluebird shut down the account a few days after so all a mute point now. One day I traveled to all four Walmarts before I found the one with the working ATM that would accept VGC. Not terribly upset Bluebird is shut down.
Jan 29, 2016, 12:44 pm
#188
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: AA Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 245
Has anyone who was shutdown successfully opened a new BB or other flavor of Amex prepaid using the same SSN? Or tried and failed? I have seen no recent data points.
Jan 29, 2016, 6:09 pm
#189
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 527
I got an e-mail offer from AMEX today for me to open a BB card.
Jan 29, 2016, 10:18 pm
#190
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 19
I've opened a new Bluebird using same exact information as Serve but with a new email. All this after getting shut down and the Serve is still open. Looks like you can have multiple accounts.
Jan 30, 2016, 9:09 am
#192
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,784
Even more, let us know when you have successfully loaded and paid off cc bills with multiple thousands of $. No point in opening new accounts that just get immediately shut down. But if the shut downs were a one time thing, of if it takes many months of activity to get the new account shut down....
Jan 30, 2016, 12:00 pm
#193
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: USA
Programs: DL PM - IC RA - HHonors Gold - Hertz Gold - AA - US - CO - Choice Privileges
Posts: 1,668
Per email from American Express, Once your balance reaches $0, please close your Account online via your Profile page accessible here. Scroll down to the Close Account section and click “Close Account.”
Thought on how long the account will remain open? I would have expected American Express to close the accounts and mail a check for the remaining balance. The remaining balance ironically is $4.
As I also have a Delta American Express and a SPG American Express so thought best not to pursue additional debit options via American Express. I have yet to tap into the business products so options for points and miles continue, but not vie Bluebird and Serve. Better to keep American Express happy.
Thought on how long the account will remain open? I would have expected American Express to close the accounts and mail a check for the remaining balance. The remaining balance ironically is $4.
As I also have a Delta American Express and a SPG American Express so thought best not to pursue additional debit options via American Express. I have yet to tap into the business products so options for points and miles continue, but not vie Bluebird and Serve. Better to keep American Express happy.
Jan 30, 2016, 2:55 pm
#194
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 265
Is it still possible to load VGC at the registers or Money Center? Noticed all the posts in the last few pages only talk of KATE. TY 