Feb 9, 2017, 8:17 pm
Last edit by: lowkeyflyer
This is the master thread for all VGC and MCGC sold at Staples.
The previous discussion can be found here.
The VGCs sold at Staples are issued by Metabank and serviced by Blackhawk Network.
The activation code for online purchase comes with the card. Cards purchased at store are activated at check-out.
To activate cards over the phone (without activation codes), call (877) 426-2551 to talk to a rep.
To activate cards over the web, www.giftcardkey.com.
The default PIN number is the last four digits of the card number but can be changed online.
As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.
Earn 5x points with Chase Ink, or Simply Cash for 5% cash back
Buy Visa gift cards (Metabank) at Staples ($200 for $7.95) or the website ($300 for $8.95).
2k Limit per transaction / 10k per day for online. In-store is usually 2k but YMMV
Often times, there are promotions with no or reduced activation fees
The previous discussion can be found here.
The VGCs sold at Staples are issued by Metabank and serviced by Blackhawk Network.
The activation code for online purchase comes with the card. Cards purchased at store are activated at check-out.
To activate cards over the phone (without activation codes), call (877) 426-2551 to talk to a rep.
To activate cards over the web, www.giftcardkey.com.
The default PIN number is the last four digits of the card number but can be changed online.
As of 5/12/2014, all known portals are dead.
Earn 5x points with Chase Ink, or Simply Cash for 5% cash back
Buy Visa gift cards (Metabank) at Staples ($200 for $7.95) or the website ($300 for $8.95).
2k Limit per transaction / 10k per day for online. In-store is usually 2k but YMMV
Often times, there are promotions with no or reduced activation fees
Visa/MasterCard Gift Cards at Staples(2017 onwards)
Mar 5, 2017, 9:06 pm
#106
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: South Florida, USA
Posts: 184
Mar 6, 2017, 3:42 am
#107
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 782
Mar 6, 2017, 10:21 am
#108
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 41
The post you quote refers more to the RAT and their (current) focus on stopping people abusing signup bonuses. It maybe possible that they have shifted to stopping MS in general, but I doubt there is any reason for them to stop it as they make money on it.
Mar 6, 2017, 12:22 pm
#112
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
AMEX may see a sudden change of your usage pattern, AND also worry about your ability to pay, hence initiates an FR.
FR does not always lead to shut down. If one can prove the ability to pay and one has not embellished the data at application, accounts restriction will be lifted once FR finishes.
The dedicated FR discussion in AMEX forum have enough stat points to show accounts are back in good standing after FRed, even though some suffered reduced CLs but the accounts survived.
So are your account being "shut down" i.e. Closed, or is frozen pending FR? Again these are 2 completely different things.
Mar 6, 2017, 12:28 pm
#113
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
The only cobra dead card that earns at grocery store where OP said he tried to earn gas rewards, would be Hilton?
Must not be trivial in AMEX algorithm which takes into many other factors as we should have realized it (CL, Income, History, Charge Pattern, just to name a few obvious elements.)
Must not be trivial in AMEX algorithm which takes into many other factors as we should have realized it (CL, Income, History, Charge Pattern, just to name a few obvious elements.)
Mar 9, 2017, 7:10 am
#116
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: IAD
Programs: All of them to one degree or another
Posts: 447
Mar 9, 2017, 9:53 am
#118
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 826
Using the Chase Ink, the optimal strategy is to purchase 2 of the $200 cards which cost $206.95 each. Here is the math:
Cost: $413.90
Minus Rebate: $20
Final Cost: -$6.10
UR Points Earned: 2,070
Not sure if you can purchase one daily till the promotion runs or as many as stores would allow, the terms say one per household.
Cost: $413.90
Minus Rebate: $20
Final Cost: -$6.10
UR Points Earned: 2,070
Not sure if you can purchase one daily till the promotion runs or as many as stores would allow, the terms say one per household.
Mar 9, 2017, 10:05 am
#119
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: IAD
Programs: All of them to one degree or another
Posts: 447
Using the Chase Ink, the optimal strategy is to purchase 2 of the $200 cards which cost $206.95 each. Here is the math:
Cost: $413.90
Minus Rebate: $20
Final Cost: -$6.10
UR Points Earned: 2,070
Not sure if you can purchase one daily till the promotion runs or as many as stores would allow, the terms say one per household.
Cost: $413.90
Minus Rebate: $20
Final Cost: -$6.10
UR Points Earned: 2,070
Not sure if you can purchase one daily till the promotion runs or as many as stores would allow, the terms say one per household.
Mar 9, 2017, 10:12 am
#120
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Using the Chase Ink, the optimal strategy is to purchase 2 of the $200 cards which cost $206.95 each. Here is the math:
Cost: $413.90
Minus Rebate: $20
Final Cost: -$6.10
UR Points Earned: 2,070
Not sure if you can purchase one daily till the promotion runs or as many as stores would allow, the terms say one per household.
Cost: $413.90
Minus Rebate: $20
Final Cost: -$6.10
UR Points Earned: 2,070
Not sure if you can purchase one daily till the promotion runs or as many as stores would allow, the terms say one per household.
although there are those who claim they got away with several submissions, this is taking a risk because Staples has declined a lot of duplicate submissions from the same HH.