Simon GCs temporarily unavailable for purchase
 

Walked into my local Simon (Woodburn OR) on Thursday and saw this:
http://i.imgur.com/jlVaXAlm.jpg

When I went upstairs to the office, they had a rack of packaged GCs but no way to sell them (yet).

(BTW that says February 8th).

Well I guess that's good news, no?

OMG, please tell me you just wrote "gift" and rolled your eyes to yourself! LOL

I always write "MS or ML"

Some times for dry cleaning.

Not good news for me. Saturday, went to my SM and the guest service booth was completely taken apart. The terminal was moved to the management office and was not yet functioning. They said it would be up today 2/6.

By moving it to the management office it limits the time you can buy GCs. There was always someone at guest services when the mall was open and you were able to purchase GCs. Management office is only open M-F 10-6:30.

OH! Sorry I misread!

I thought your local mall had BECOME a Simon mall via acquisition.

I guess now your mall's hours got limited and this is a negative change for sure.

I'm sure this isn't relevant now, but I've had major issues with ordering Simon Five Back online. I ordered Jan 3rd with no arrival and called yesterday to cancel and start the refund process.

Hmm I didn't even think about that implication. :(

Well at least I'm not the only one.

Now if only I could get effing GCM to accept my order online...

For those MSing in any kind of volume, 20k and up every month, aren't you scared of being reported by your banks to law enforcement?

Can a Simon FB card be used to load Serve, or do I have to go the WM MO route?

MS isn't breaking any laws. I have had this conversation at length with member of several agencies I work with. They don't care about us.

Don't buy more than you can float. You never know when you'll get stuck with them!

No

I always write to wash dirty money so it appears clean in that "purpose" box

No need to worry unless you are doing something illegal

I have 1 Simon Mall in the area but after some research found that the Macerich Malls nearby have the exact same program with GCM. The cashier tells me over the weekend that there is one guy that comes in daily. Hopefully it will be 2 guys soon!

I've had the same question... while it's not illegal, I would still be worried that my bank would find it very curious that I was depositing $20k+ of money orders into my account... especially if I didn't have a small business account with the bank. I wouldn't be worried about going to jail or anything, but I would be worried about an investigation being opened. How come no one here seems to worry about that? (I figure even with all paperwork being saved and KNOWING it's legal, it's probably still a pain to be investigated)

Or do banks really not care? I worked as a teller for a national bank for six months or so as a second job and my teller manager would question large amounts of money orders being deposited on a routine basis without an explanation, especially if money was then withdrawn near the same amounts within a short (same day or one or two days later time frame).

Also, for money orders, how do you fill them out when it comes to TO/FROM? I can't imagine FROM *my name* to *my name* would fly by without extra questions. Is it ok to leave the from part blank? Would the raise questions?

I've been using my money orders to pay off bills but I'm running out of stuff to pay off and would still like to MS occasionally.

I have put my name as the "to" and then signed it front and back on over $100k and never been questioned over the last 8 months

I deposited one mo without fill in any to or from by mistake and bank took it, normally I make pay to my self or wife but never add purchaseser info.

They do care. If you do it long enough, they will ask you what you're doing. Just be honest and have statements to back you up.

Has anyone had the experience of SM clerk saying that he/she needed to call to get pre-approval before processing your transaction? While we don't frequent SM often, we purchased $10,000 during the holidays when there wasn't a fee without a hitch. However, my SO and I went in this week to purchase 11 $500 FB cards, and it was just a weird experience. First, the clerk left desk to get manager approval, and then had to call some phone number to get "pre-approval" which seemed to be a new policy. They didn't seem to get that to work, and finally, after about 25 minutes, sold us the gift cards without pre-approval, whatever that means. Everything just felt very uncomfortable. We weren't doing anything wrong, at least, not to my knowledge, so I thought I would ask if anyone has any insight.

I went in and bought 2 $500 cards. I had never bought there before so I had to fill out a form they kept in a book. She asked if I was registered at another Simon mall, called her supervisor and then sold me my cards.

hmmmm...this isn't exactly what I meant. I am familiar with filling out paperwork to purchase more than $3K, and we had to do that this time as well. However, these other manager approval and pre-approval steps seemed to be new. Anyone else?

Yes I understand over $3,000 but I only bought $1000. Also she checked my drivers license.

There's one Simon by me that if I but 2+ giftcards they do call that number, and then ask for my credit card and it seems like they are typing in my credit card number into the phone. I stopped going there because other Simons just have me fill the form and I'm out. That phone process is dragged out and irritating.

Mall Specific.
We only go to one mall in more than 2 years. They require form for $1K and up. To this date the CSR still makes the gesture to check our DLs against the CCs, and then the CCs against the printed receipts.

I understand they do this because they are under CCTV - if they do not follow the procedures being told, they could get in trouble. It does not matter they "know" us for 2 more years and the usual amount we buy and we can even call in our orders though we prefer to just show up at our preferred time - and they dont mind to rerun our cards should the "card malfunction" happened - that itself is against the policy but they make this exception. Yet they still go thru the motion of checking, just so they have the look of following all procedures. Not a problem for us.

New one yesterday:
While filling out the form for a $2,500 purchase.
"And you are buying these for miles and points?"
"What!"
"We have to ask in case we get audited, are you buying these for miles and points?"
"What are miles and points?"
"For spending."
"No, I am buying these for gift cards."
"OK"

Sir, are you a gamer?

Small peanuts

"Budget tool"

I haven't bought at Simon for awhile, but I would always write "Personal use" for the reason. The staff at the local mall all knew it was the miles and points crowd coming in to purchase.

From another thread, "These gift cards are for dry cleaning"

Same Thread :)

Haha, sorry couldn't remember which thread. Either way, I can't wait to fill out one of these forms so I can give that response ^:)

Can you use Am3x gc to buy at Simon? They are on sale at OM/OD this week.

won't allow if seeing it

It's fairly well known that Simon/BHN is aware and okay with what we are doing.

Why do we all still feel the need to claim 'budget tool' or whatever instead of 'points' or 'gaming'?

The line on the form has to be filled out, and that is what the Simon Mall people suggested I put in when I started doing this years ago.

I just write "Miles and Points"

How do you guys liquidate your simon mall gift cards since the PO won't take GC issued by Metabank? Does Walmart take them?

You will need to go try it yourself at your local stores - it is different for everyone depending on individual store policies. Some will be super nice, while others will call the cops on you (true story).