Jan 6, 2016, 6:02 pm
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
Simon mall gift cards(2016)
Jan 1, 2016, 1:28 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: SPG Gold, Hilton Diamon, IHG Spire
Posts: 374
Simon mall gift cards(2016)
I doubt fraud is the reason they do pre-auth. The only thing pre-auth does is that it verifies the card is indeed valid and has available credit for that amount. A more likely theory is that some managers got paranoid after a few declines (fraud alert, which is guaranteed if you use a brand new Amex outside billing state) and they had to throw away all the cards used.
Jan 2, 2016, 8:04 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 145
im a frequent buyer with large amount at houston galleria, never have to do call in advance , simply told them in email that i will pick up and they always have ready for me then just pay and leave the cards that already activated. quick and simple.
Jan 2, 2016, 8:29 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 4
Good one
Last edited by nishjain1; Jan 2, 2016 at 8:33 pm Reason: Short
Jan 3, 2016, 12:24 am
#4
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
whom or what email did u send to place an order? TIA
Jan 3, 2016, 7:38 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Minneapolis
Programs: Delta Plat Kool-Aid Drinker, Hyatt Diamond, SPG GM, Marriott GM, Hilton GM, and Priority Club GM
Posts: 1,184
One of my local SMs is becoming quite hostile towards MS. Management has told the clerks that people buy the gift cards to earn points and not actually make purchases and that this is theft. So they won't sell $500 GCs to people without management approval. Without approval you can only get about half that per card. And if they think they've seen you before, you must be one of these people after the points, in which case they won't sell to you at all. Don't think about going anywhere near the $10k daily limit printed on the form either.
Another SM did something recently I've never seen before. Before running through the GCs, they asked for the credit card I was using. They called a number on the phone and went through a series of menus, at one point punching in my card number and the purchase amount. Eventually someone picked up on the other and and they exchanged a few words. I asked the clerk about it - said they had to pre authorize the card and make sure it actually had that much money on it, and that they got some sort of authorization number required to put the transaction through. It wasn't a call to a manager asking permission, nor was the form required. After the clerk hung up, then they swiped the GCs and I had to swipe my CC again for payment.
Another SM did something recently I've never seen before. Before running through the GCs, they asked for the credit card I was using. They called a number on the phone and went through a series of menus, at one point punching in my card number and the purchase amount. Eventually someone picked up on the other and and they exchanged a few words. I asked the clerk about it - said they had to pre authorize the card and make sure it actually had that much money on it, and that they got some sort of authorization number required to put the transaction through. It wasn't a call to a manager asking permission, nor was the form required. After the clerk hung up, then they swiped the GCs and I had to swipe my CC again for payment.
Then when it comes to unloading Walmart and FD cashiers freak out if I try to load more then $500 each time at the register. My friend goes to another store a couple of hours away and can go and do 5K at the both WM and FD at the resister NO questions asked. Last week he did 25 $100 in a row at FD!
Jan 5, 2016, 12:47 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 29
Simon irving down for at least a week, maybe 2 for switching systems
Jan 6, 2016, 10:32 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 559
Funny how different areas, places are different....I can pick up 10K a day with no form or ID and they don't bat a eye. Which is great for me!
Then when it comes to unloading Walmart and FD cashiers freak out if I try to load more then $500 each time at the register. My friend goes to another store a couple of hours away and can go and do 5K at the both WM and FD at the resister NO questions asked. Last week he did 25 $100 in a row at FD!
Then when it comes to unloading Walmart and FD cashiers freak out if I try to load more then $500 each time at the register. My friend goes to another store a couple of hours away and can go and do 5K at the both WM and FD at the resister NO questions asked. Last week he did 25 $100 in a row at FD!
How come he can load 2500 $ in the same store ?
Jan 6, 2016, 10:33 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 559
if GCM banned me , can i buy the simon mall gift cards online ?
I am not able to log into GCM , but i created another ID when buying simon mall gift card online.
I havent got any mail saying the order is cancelled or processed .
GCM is always PITA
I am not able to log into GCM , but i created another ID when buying simon mall gift card online.
I havent got any mail saying the order is cancelled or processed .
GCM is always PITA
Jan 6, 2016, 10:37 am
#10
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Lifetime Platinum, MR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 249
Jan 6, 2016, 10:40 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 559
No you may not buy from SM if GCM has banned you. Even though they are not the same company they do talk to one another daily to weed out people that MS. I would suggest loading you Serve card at Wal-Mart directly using a credit card, faster and cheaper, take out the middle man.
iam not getting this point . Do u mean buy GC from walmart using the CC and then use that GC to load serve ?
I have citi att which earns 3 typ online . So just trying out for options.
That card sits idle without any earning capabilities
Jan 6, 2016, 11:02 am
#12
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: LAX, LGB, SNA
Programs: AA EXP OWE, DL DM ST+, AS MVPG, UA, BA, WN CP, Hyatt E, Ritz Plat, HH GM
Posts: 3,185
Wow that went straight over his head.
Jan 6, 2016, 5:38 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: The Phoenix Desert
Programs: Hilton Cubic Zirconia, Marriott Fools Gold
Posts: 1,692
I know this is a Simon thread but FYI to anyone that buys at macerich - fees just went up to $4.95ea. Boo! Now I'm gonna have to go back to Simon which seems to take twice as long for the rep to ring up and process.
Jan 6, 2016, 6:57 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 208
is anybody else having problems liquidating simon gc at wally world? since mid December I've had about many instances where the transaction times out. when the transaction times out, i have to swipe the card again for it to process. timing out on serve loads is no big deal but for MO, it freezes the register. i attributed the timing out to the busy holiday season but it's still timing out now. i had timing out transactions the last 2 days.
Jan 6, 2016, 8:07 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 51
is anybody else having problems liquidating simon gc at wally world? since mid December I've had about many instances where the transaction times out. when the transaction times out, i have to swipe the card again for it to process. timing out on serve loads is no big deal but for MO, it freezes the register. i attributed the timing out to the busy holiday season but it's still timing out now. i had timing out transactions the last 2 days.