David_

Now that same KATE has a broken card reader.

chalucky

Just got my wifes new Bluebird card . Just activated and tried first load
of $500 Sunny at Kate. Swiped the Bluebird and then When I swiped the GC a screen immediately appeared asking me to obtain supervisor clearance. I tried to exit the screen and cancel the transaction, but the software wouldn't allow me to do that...I kept being requested to contact a supervisor. My $500 card had been swiped so I didn't feel like walking away leaving that debit transaction hanging in mid air.

Three minutes later a supervisor must have noted my multiple taps on the
screen and asked if she could help. I said I was trying to cancel a transaction so she came over and entered her supervisor password...I noticed a popup screen right away with instructions for the supervisor to
look for abnormal activity or fraudulent loads with a gift card swipe.
It was only up for a second but no doubt their was some specific instructions for supervisor to prevent transactions like this.

Since I was only asking to cancel she didn't ask too many questions how I got to this place. So she exited out and cancelled the transaction.

The only thing I can think of is that I should have done a non-GC load for my first transaction with the card but I am not sure that would have helped.
I haven't seen this issue in the reading I have done so I was hoping to get some feedback on similar experiences or an explanation of what stupid mistake I somehow made.

Thanks in advance.

illinidad

Sounds like you might have triggered the velocity limit. Was someone else loading right before you tried?

PowerMan572

Yup. I'm almost positive this is what happened I don't miss the days. All 9 of my family's BlueBirds got shutdown. I remember walking into Walmart and there would be 3 or 4 of us fighting over a machine and hitting the velocity limit. Doesn't matter what time of day it was. I tried mornings, afternoons evenings and late evenings. Always someone there doing the exact same thing.

I'm surprised to see this still happening. I figured Amex got most of the MS'ers in their wave of cancellations.

I've been dead in the water since I got back from vacation last month. Working 2 jobs, it amazes me how I used to fit in time for MS'ing I'd do upwards of $40 - $45k a month!

OP, just try again. Someone was using the machine right before you. The machine only allows $1,999.99 every 10 minutes.


EDIT: I think the OP should have posted in the "Walmart money kiosks" thread instead of the OP creating a new thread all together.

chalucky

Thanks...there was someone ahead of me but I was trying to be nonchalant.
Makes sense based on what I read about velocity limits...I should have
been more observant. Will try again,

Wasn't sure where to post>>>Walmart kiosk or Bluebird Thread...sorry
if starting a new thread was a faux pas.

PowerMan572

Don't worry about it. MODS will fix (if they want.)

You can walk away if that ever happens again. Don't worry that you already swiped your card. A Walmart manager HAS to come over to clear the screen. As soon as they do that, it goes back to the home screen.

When that would happen to me (all the time) I would just walk away, go out to my car for a couple minutes and come back. Then someone would jump in front of me and I'd have to start the countdown clock all over again! I would get so mad and tell myself "If I came just 30 seconds earlier, I would have beat this person to Kate!!!"

Towards the end (right before Amex shutdowns) I would seriously just stand guard of the machine and start a countdown clock on my phone and warn people if they walked up to it.

LOL I knew the days were numbered when there were this many people trying to attempt MS'ing

chalucky

Just as an aside...I am sure the pop up screen to the supervisor mentioned gift card loading.

Doesn't anyone find it interesting that the software has an installed warning about MS. Why would they do that as they seem institutionally so indifferent in so many other ways? (MO's, Cashier loading)

khareabhishek

I use to buy Simon mall gift cards via GCM and those used to load to KATE without issue. But recently Simon mall acquired a mall in my city and I got the VISA gift card from mall and I tried loading that 2-3 time in different WM, but everytime the loading process goes through, but at the end I get the receipt of $0 loaded in my BB.

I am a very occasional MS'er doing it only when getting new card for my next travel plan,so I was spared from the BB shutdown wave I think.

David_

That is the main issue at one of my local Walmart's. The managers will leave it locked up for up to a week. Even if you ask nicely they can't be bothered to fix it.

David_

I tried being friendly about the velocity limit by warning a fellow MS'er but they told me to mind my own business and then proceeded to lock up KATE with their first swipe.

PowerMan572

That would seriously ticket me off. Every time I would warn a fellow MS'er that I just used the machine to load $1,999.99, they would thank me.

If I were you, I would have stepped back, then walk up to him/her after the lock-up and simply say "I told you so. Thanks for ruining it you jack*ss."

Seriously, if you warned me... I would be thankful. Locking up the machine is just a pain. Oh well, looks like I don't have to worry about that anymore!

David_

Went to my other location and saw the green light on KATE. Someone beat me to it so I stood back and waited.

One swipe.
Two swipes.
Three swipes.
This guy knows what he is doing.
He pulls out another card.
I note the current time on my watch.
He just has to know about velocity limits, right?
NOPE! Red light and he bolts for the door.

I ask a CSR if they can unlock it. They said only a manager can do it but they are only there for a few hours early in the morning.

StartinSanDiego

Maybe mostly newcomers survived the big shakedown on Jan 8. Those of us who visited Kate regularly for the past couple of years have all been nixed!

FlightNurse

Really... Not all... But I did change all of my BBs over to Serve VIP in Nov and Early Dec. But I have changed the way I use them. I'm running an expeirement to see if I can last. I'm going to use Serve to pay my normal bills will be interesting to see how Amex will look at this, but I would have to say that the only way they could nail me if they look at how the money is added to the serve cards, with the $500 cards.

ajhardee

I have been paying my bills through serve VIP for the past 3 months. Loading $5,000 a month via Kate and FD and I never got an email saying I'm shut down but, I can no longer load with GC anywhere.