Bluebird Shutdowns

Old Jan 16, 2016, 10:37 am
  #496  
 
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So has anyone who still has an open BB been shutdown yet? If it looks like Amex is going to send out closure notices in waves rather than individually, I'm going to max out while I still can. Figure I have a few weeks left at most anyway.
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Old Jan 16, 2016, 1:32 pm
  #497  
 
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Originally Posted by hamokmonky
sweet, we have a lawyer in the thread.... Theres a world of difference between the two, incase you cant piece that together. But it doesn't matter anyway because amex does confirm before approving and will deny the new card without the correct ssn.
Are you saying it's not a crime to purposely use a wrong SSN?
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Old Jan 16, 2016, 1:36 pm
  #498  
 
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YMMV?

Last edited by Chelski; Feb 3, 2016 at 2:47 pm
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Old Jan 16, 2016, 1:38 pm
  #499  
 
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Originally Posted by JL100
We used the features of the card as allowed. If Amex was stupid enough to allow loads of $5,000 per month, they can't call that unusual - it is exactly what was going to happen. As a said in my earlier post, if companies are going to keep setting these up for us to use, then we are going to use those features - simple as that. If the company is going to "hope" that feature of the cards are not used, then don't give the card those features. Or, if there needs to be some trade-off, specifically state how you earn the ability to use the other features - then members can decide if it works for them.
Or they can just put the product out there, find out what they don't like, and then in effect close the cards of users who have patterns they object to. Part of the problem is that they may not know in advance how it can be "abused". and spelling out the rules probably creates more issues with people asking for clarification, objecting etc. Easier just to invoke we can change/close at any time.
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Old Jan 16, 2016, 1:46 pm
  #500  
 
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Originally Posted by FlightNurse
The hospital looks up the SSN how?
SSN is used as a patient identifier. Hospital looks up SSN in their own database (or Medicare) and sees it was used before by a person with a different name.
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Old Jan 16, 2016, 3:34 pm
  #501  
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Originally Posted by Scuzzy
I never give SSN to doctors or hospitals. Or any other optional situations Not because I plan on avoiding bills, but AFAIK not required to have an SSN or disclose for medical care

Obviously it is required for cc and would be fraud to use someone else's
Your insurance companies have your SSN. Your medical records at the various health care providers most likely already have your SSN in it. Matter of fact, the doctors' offices are where the SSN ID thefts occurred the most frequently because many of such places they have ZERO security measures. I am talking about this from an ID Theft Victim's stand point fwiw.

Originally Posted by FlightNurse
The hospital looks up the SSN how?
Hospital would have the info when file insurance claims. They will see if the SSN really belongs to you the patient who has the claims or the SSN belongs to another patient.
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Old Jan 17, 2016, 10:33 am
  #502  
 
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Originally Posted by silver6054
Or they can just put the product out there, find out what they don't like, and then in effect close the cards of users who have patterns they object to. Part of the problem is that they may not know in advance how it can be "abused". and spelling out the rules probably creates more issues with people asking for clarification, objecting etc. Easier just to invoke we can change/close at any time.
true - just seems odd t that they don't know what they don't "like" ahead of time...
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Old Jan 17, 2016, 3:36 pm
  #503  
 
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Originally Posted by mike64b
So I happened to sign up for BB right as these shutdowns happened and thus I had no loads on it. From what I've read, people who used BB to pay their CC bill were targeted. If this is true, would a better strategy be to simply keep your money in BB?

I guess what I'm saying is, for those of us with enough cash to pay off the CC bill, is it a good idea to keep loading BB up for as long as possible (I guess until you're shutdown) and only then transfer all your funds to a linked savings account on BB? Seems like it is a lot more suspicious to have load in / pay out every month.

I'm sure someone has thought of this already but I couldn't find info about it..
thanks.
If we can get back on topic I think this will be a good option to test.
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Old Jan 17, 2016, 8:49 pm
  #504  
 
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[QUOTE=Steve in Olympia;26028113]
Originally Posted by [B
BillyBaloney[/B];26027687]I don't think that I did (manufactured spending). Plus it is kind of ridiculous to change "the rules" and then a few days later all these people get shut down. The term "unusual" is highly subjective and not defined. If they didn't like how things were going, they could have warned us and told us what we did that was "unusual" and to stop doing it.[/rQUOTE]

I am glad that no one ever warned you that you were doing anything "unusual." As you posted on Dec. 10:

"When I load VGC to BB at WM I usually do several, and go to a different register or the money center. I've been doing it this way for over two years - and recently I had a nervous cashier. She watched me and saw that I went to another register and loaded. Then she watched me some more and saw that I went to the money center (I was not aware that she was watching me this whole time).
She wrote something on a paper and passed it to the lady at the money center. All of a sudden I'm getting questioned "why am I going to more than one register..." I didn't have a good answer so I said that it was because I didn't want to hold up the line...
The lady at the money center let me load anyway, and instructed me that I'm only to go there (no register) and to "do it all at one time." How should I proceed after the Nervous Nellie incident? Limit myself to one load per visit and that's that? Has anyone else had this happen? If you do multiple loads, what is your reason (that you can tell them) for doing so?"


And now you are shocked (shocked!) that you have been shut down!

If only they had warned you......
Getting the evil eye and Columbo treatment from nervous Nellie hardly seems like a formal warning from AmEx. Granted, loading at multiple registers can seem suspicious depending on the exact circumstances.
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Old Jan 17, 2016, 9:34 pm
  #505  
 
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[QUOTE=illinidad;26035051]
Originally Posted by ;26028113

Getting the evil eye and Columbo treatment from nervous Nellie hardly seems like a formal warning from AmEx. Granted, loading at multiple registers can seem suspicious depending on the exact circumstances.
There is one, very simple rule: If you have to make up stories to tell the Walmart clerks, then you have officially forfeited your right to be surprised when your card gets cancelled.

We all knew that we were bending the rules.

My card was cancelled. I am neither shocked, surprised, nor outraged. It was fun while it lasted. Thank you, Amex, for the memories ... and the miles.
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 9:11 am
  #506  
 
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Originally Posted by TAWS
Are you saying it's not a crime to purposely use a wrong SSN?
I see reading comprehension isn't your strong suit so I'll break it down for you....

Part of fraud law is intent. Did you intend to provide the wrong social security number? In the case of the hospital, its pretty obvious that a incorrectly written number and the motive to avoid bills shows pretty good intent to defraud. After all, unless you are dyslexic its pretty hard to "typo" a written number.

Moving back to serve/bb applications, they would have to show intent that you purposefully mistyped your ssn in an attempt to defraud them for it to be a crime. If you are off significantly, then obviously yes, intent. If you are off by a number because your finger slipped and you didn't notice it? Much much harder to prove intent. Unless of course you come in here asking about "hey what if" and then they have all the proof they need.

Again, all a moot point since amex will need the correct ssn to approve your application.
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 9:16 am
  #507  
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After thinking about it, I don't consider that unusual. I'm allowed to load up to $2500 per day. How I go about that task is my business. I went to a different line so as not to hold up the people behind me. It's called common courtesy.
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 9:18 am
  #508  
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[QUOTE=Steve in Olympia;26035208]
Originally Posted by illinidad

There is one, very simple rule: If you have to make up stories to tell the Walmart clerks...
So now you have me "making up stories" to tell the Walmart clerks. I did nothing of the sort. Stop putting words in my mouth. Go back to Olympia. I said that it was because I didn't want to hold up the line... - this was a true statement.
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 10:41 am
  #509  
 
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[QUOTE=BillyBaloney;26037324]
Originally Posted by BillyBaloney

So now you have me "making up stories" to tell the Walmart clerks. I did nothing of the sort. Stop putting words in my mouth. Go back to Olympia. I said that it was because I didn't want to hold up the line... - this was a true statement.

I said that you were "making up stories" because that is what you told us on Dec. 10:

"All of a sudden I'm getting questioned "why am I going to more than one register..." I didn't have a good answer so I said that it was because I didn't want to hold up the line... If you do multiple loads, what is your reason (that you can tell them) for doing so? "

And now you are surprised that Amex suspended your card.
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Old Jan 18, 2016, 10:46 am
  #510  
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No Steve in Olympia, I did not say that I was "making up stories." Stop putting words in my mouth. Go find someone else to pick on.

Also, don't pretend to understand or to even know how I reacted - when I found out about my shutdown. You know absolutely nothing.
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