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)
Nov 17, 2020, 9:51 am
#1081
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,442
The easiest way to test your card is to take a $20 bill and try to load cash onto your card. If you are denied, go to your email and see if you got a termination email. It may be in your spam folder.
Inability to load means you have been beheaded. If, however, you can swipe and use your card for purchases, then you are in the shut-down group that is allowed to drain their account before you close it. (There is no sense to keeping it open once it is shut down).
The other group is those who are denied all access to their account. If you are in this cohort, BB will send you the residual funds in the account by snail mail check in several weeks
Nov 17, 2020, 10:14 am
#1082
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: JFK
Posts: 255
Thanks, I've loaded here and there, but not taken anything out for many months, so not clear abuse.
I couldn't use the card, but seemingly can access the bill pay, although i didnt try to send it through.
I thought maybe with discussion of new site cards cards were affected somehow.
I couldn't use the card, but seemingly can access the bill pay, although i didnt try to send it through.
I thought maybe with discussion of new site cards cards were affected somehow.
Nov 17, 2020, 1:47 pm
#1083
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: DEN
Programs: Hilton Diamond Hyatt Globalist Marriott Gold AA EXP
Posts: 1,017
Nov 17, 2020, 3:05 pm
#1085
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,442
Thanks, I've loaded here and there, but not taken anything out for many months, so not clear abuse.
I couldn't use the card, but seemingly can access the bill pay, although i didnt try to send it through.
I thought maybe with discussion of new site cards cards were affected somehow.
I couldn't use the card, but seemingly can access the bill pay, although i didnt try to send it through.
I thought maybe with discussion of new site cards cards were affected somehow.
BB simply denies you the ability to fund the account. If you cannot fund your account with $20 at WM, you have a problem.
Nov 17, 2020, 10:02 pm
#1086
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 113
Hello Folks - I was able to load my wifes serve card at walmart this weekend . However post load i am unable to send money using her card to my account which i have bene doing for several years. There is no shutdown email or any restriction on my account however whenever i go to transfer money it gives me the error
" We are experience technical difficulties at this time, please try again later " . Can anyone who faced this error before tell us what is going on ? getting the same error since the weekend
" We are experience technical difficulties at this time, please try again later " . Can anyone who faced this error before tell us what is going on ? getting the same error since the weekend
Nov 18, 2020, 6:43 am
#1087
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 76
My account has been this for several months. I just used the other card to bill pay as well. Seems that they restrict the acount-to-acount transfer.
Hello Folks - I was able to load my wifes serve card at walmart this weekend . However post load i am unable to send money using her card to my account which i have bene doing for several years. There is no shutdown email or any restriction on my account however whenever i go to transfer money it gives me the error
" We are experience technical difficulties at this time, please try again later " . Can anyone who faced this error before tell us what is going on ? getting the same error since the weekend
" We are experience technical difficulties at this time, please try again later " . Can anyone who faced this error before tell us what is going on ? getting the same error since the weekend
Nov 18, 2020, 8:37 am
#1088
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: DFW, TX
Programs: AA Gold, Avios, UA, DL, SPG, Hyatt, Hilton, Rapid Rewards
Posts: 28
I had the same issue with Bluebird paying an Amex credit card (payee already set up in the past)
I thought it might have been related to the recent GUI update.
So I tried paying myself in a check - it was a payee I had previously set up and it processed ok.
Looks like the “money out” functionality is messed up
I have another bluebird. I may try deleting a payee and adding it back and trying to pay it if I get that error.
The other thing I noticed is that once I sent that check, I cannot cancel the payment. I think we were able to do that before if it was soon after we created the payment.
I thought it might have been related to the recent GUI update.
So I tried paying myself in a check - it was a payee I had previously set up and it processed ok.
Looks like the “money out” functionality is messed up
I have another bluebird. I may try deleting a payee and adding it back and trying to pay it if I get that error.
The other thing I noticed is that once I sent that check, I cannot cancel the payment. I think we were able to do that before if it was soon after we created the payment.
Last edited by pointsaholic; Nov 18, 2020 at 8:45 am Reason: Clarification
Nov 18, 2020, 9:32 am
#1089
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 113
and went to the extend that i have a virus has taken over my computer ( i guess its amex virus ..lol waste of my time)
Nov 18, 2020, 9:32 am
#1090
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 113
I had the same issue with Bluebird paying an Amex credit card (payee already set up in the past)
I thought it might have been related to the recent GUI update.
So I tried paying myself in a check - it was a payee I had previously set up and it processed ok.
Looks like the “money out” functionality is messed up
I have another bluebird. I may try deleting a payee and adding it back and trying to pay it if I get that error.
The other thing I noticed is that once I sent that check, I cannot cancel the payment. I think we were able to do that before if it was soon after we created the payment.
I thought it might have been related to the recent GUI update.
So I tried paying myself in a check - it was a payee I had previously set up and it processed ok.
Looks like the “money out” functionality is messed up
I have another bluebird. I may try deleting a payee and adding it back and trying to pay it if I get that error.
The other thing I noticed is that once I sent that check, I cannot cancel the payment. I think we were able to do that before if it was soon after we created the payment.
and went to the extend that i have a virus has taken over my computer ( i guess its amex virus ..lol waste of my time)
Nov 18, 2020, 12:11 pm
#1091
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 170
Is there a particular reason why these cards are not contactless?
Nov 18, 2020, 9:59 pm
#1092
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 12
I see they just added the outside bank transfer. I just added my WF to it. Now waiting for trial deposit. Hope it will allow me to transfer the fund to WF.
Nov 18, 2020, 11:28 pm
#1093
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 317
I know Walgreens, CVS, RiteAid and others allow BlueBird reloads with cash for a fee. Does anyone know if they usually accept prepaid debit cards for the reloads?