Ongoing MS Gebit BHN breakdown
Mar 5, 2023, 9:55 pm
#63
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 375
Mar 5, 2023, 10:43 pm
#64
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 12
Staples is again selling $200s this week, but they are all BHN, right? Are there any remaining supermarket chains that will still sell you a MO with a BHN gift card? Are there any non-supermarket locations where a money order purchase might work with a BHN card? I was thinking of trying a rural Post Office, but I'm skeptical that would work.
Mar 6, 2023, 7:11 am
#65
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,430
Staples is again selling $200s this week, but they are all BHN, right? Are there any remaining supermarket chains that will still sell you a MO with a BHN gift card? Are there any non-supermarket locations where a money order purchase might work with a BHN card? I was thinking of trying a rural Post Office, but I'm skeptical that would work.
You will have to find someone who will take these cards as a credit, not a debit as payment. The limitations appear to be on the debit side of the card, but.. and this is a big but, if you can prolong the payment time between swipes to what is 5??? minutes, then you may be able to do more than 2 swipes. I just don't know.
Mar 6, 2023, 11:54 am
#66
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 15
RIP Everywheres. Was able to do 4x swipes on DE/GE/SE at WM as late as yesterday. P2 was at a WM a few hours ago and hit the same 2 card limit that we're now seeing at Safeway. She had to use a regular debit for the remainder.
Edit: Different WM store later in the day worked for 3 $200 swipes before it started failing. Maybe not totally dead, but there is definitely some sort of velocity limit on WM and/or Everywhere cards that was not evident last week.
Edit: Different WM store later in the day worked for 3 $200 swipes before it started failing. Maybe not totally dead, but there is definitely some sort of velocity limit on WM and/or Everywhere cards that was not evident last week.
Last edited by oipunk77; Mar 6, 2023 at 2:59 pm Reason: Update
Mar 6, 2023, 12:14 pm
#67
Join Date: Nov 2019
Posts: 18
DP #1:
Bought multiple $500 MCGC (BHN Pathward) from local supermarkets. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 498.XX MO at 2 well-known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI. These worked before at both stores without any issues. I went back and tried under $400 MO and it worked at both stores at the same previously "not authorized" locations.
DP #2:
Bought multiple $200 VGC and MCGC (BHN Pathward) from Staples. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 198.XX, 179.XX, and 149.XX MO at well known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI.
DP #3:
I used to auto drain the remaining amounts (usually <$1) at SCO but this isn't working on the above cards in both denominations.
Bought multiple $500 MCGC (BHN Pathward) from local supermarkets. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 498.XX MO at 2 well-known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI. These worked before at both stores without any issues. I went back and tried under $400 MO and it worked at both stores at the same previously "not authorized" locations.
DP #2:
Bought multiple $200 VGC and MCGC (BHN Pathward) from Staples. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 198.XX, 179.XX, and 149.XX MO at well known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI.
DP #3:
I used to auto drain the remaining amounts (usually <$1) at SCO but this isn't working on the above cards in both denominations.
Last edited by Krazymager; Mar 6, 2023 at 12:31 pm
Mar 6, 2023, 3:25 pm
#68
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: JRF
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,784
RIP Everywheres. Was able to do 4x swipes on DE/GE/SE at WM as late as yesterday. P2 was at a WM a few hours ago and hit the same 2 card limit that we're now seeing at Safeway. She had to use a regular debit for the remainder.
Edit: Different WM store later in the day worked for 3 $200 swipes before it started failing. Maybe not totally dead, but there is definitely some sort of velocity limit on WM and/or Everywhere cards that was not evident last week.
Edit: Different WM store later in the day worked for 3 $200 swipes before it started failing. Maybe not totally dead, but there is definitely some sort of velocity limit on WM and/or Everywhere cards that was not evident last week.
Mar 6, 2023, 3:59 pm
#69
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
RIP Everywheres. Was able to do 4x swipes on DE/GE/SE at WM as late as yesterday. P2 was at a WM a few hours ago and hit the same 2 card limit that we're now seeing at Safeway. She had to use a regular debit for the remainder.
Edit: Different WM store later in the day worked for 3 $200 swipes before it started failing. Maybe not totally dead, but there is definitely some sort of velocity limit on WM and/or Everywhere cards that was not evident last week.
Edit: Different WM store later in the day worked for 3 $200 swipes before it started failing. Maybe not totally dead, but there is definitely some sort of velocity limit on WM and/or Everywhere cards that was not evident last week.
Mar 6, 2023, 4:03 pm
#70
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 6,359
DP #1:
Bought multiple $500 MCGC (BHN Pathward) from local supermarkets. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 498.XX MO at 2 well-known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI. These worked before at both stores without any issues. I went back and tried under $400 MO and it worked at both stores at the same previously "not authorized" locations.
DP #2:
Bought multiple $200 VGC and MCGC (BHN Pathward) from Staples. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 198.XX, 179.XX, and 149.XX MO at well known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI.
DP #3:
I used to auto drain the remaining amounts (usually <$1) at SCO but this isn't working on the above cards in both denominations.
Bought multiple $500 MCGC (BHN Pathward) from local supermarkets. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 498.XX MO at 2 well-known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI. These worked before at both stores without any issues. I went back and tried under $400 MO and it worked at both stores at the same previously "not authorized" locations.
DP #2:
Bought multiple $200 VGC and MCGC (BHN Pathward) from Staples. Got "not authorized" when purchasing a 198.XX, 179.XX, and 149.XX MO at well known supermarkets at multiple different locations in Southeast MI.
DP #3:
I used to auto drain the remaining amounts (usually <$1) at SCO but this isn't working on the above cards in both denominations.
Mar 6, 2023, 5:32 pm
#71
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,430
I haven't done MOs seriously in a long time, but am very concerned about how this impacts Bluebird/Serve with Everywheres. Am I right to surmise that this affects customer service/money center, but not regular cashiers? e.g. You cannot just walk up to CS/MC and just ask to load $600 and pay with 3 x $200 cards?
Loaded my already swiped and failed SE card and loaded its $200 onto my BB card. I assume I can do this at any register including the CSC.
Mar 6, 2023, 6:18 pm
#72
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 126
While the old VGC didn't work for me at Kroger, the new VGC (yellow colored ones) worked fine before all these issues.
Mar 6, 2023, 6:59 pm
#73
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 108
Loaded AmBB with 5x$200 MB VGC from Stapler today at Walmart. Yellow MB VGC serviced by BHN. All cards were registered.
2 back to back separate transactions. 10 minute gap. 2 back to back separate transactions. 10 minute gap. 1 transaction.
All transactions in diff amt close to $200 per transaction
Same terminal. Cashier terminal near SCO lane.
2 back to back separate transactions. 10 minute gap. 2 back to back separate transactions. 10 minute gap. 1 transaction.
All transactions in diff amt close to $200 per transaction
Same terminal. Cashier terminal near SCO lane.
Last edited by kpe; Mar 6, 2023 at 7:13 pm
Mar 6, 2023, 8:04 pm
#74
Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 9
Armed with max value BHNs from GC dot commerce, classic grays from Stap les, some SS, and a mixture of valuable Madagascar spice cards, the following are my DPs from activities yesterday in the NE. Visited 3 chains, all purveyors of exclusively foodstuffs (which had all worked flawlessly 2 weeks ago, as long as transactions <500 total) as well as a few WMs. If these points hold true and/or get worse, the implications are profound.
1. Chain X, Store 1: Swiped GC dot commerce card, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, declined: not authorized. Knowing the score ahead of time, completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
2. Chain X, Store 2: Swiped Stap les classic gray, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd classic gray, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
3. Chain Y, Store 1: (This chain allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. I decided to test this avenue, to see if it made an impact. TLDR; it didn't.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, again specifying amount via POS (249.xx); declined, contact issuer. Had a few 100s of the valuable Madagascar spice variety (left over from a promo weeks ago), so decided to close out transaction with those. Swiped 1st valuable Madagascar spice for 100, went through. Swiped 2nd valuable Madagascar spice, went through, and transaction completed.
4. Chain Y, Store 2: Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS, declined: not authorized. Completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
5. Chain Y, Store 3: Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: incorrect PIN (PIN definitely was entered correctly). Swiped 2nd classic gray again, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
6. Chain Z, Store 1: (This chain also allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. Again, tested this here as well.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: not authorized. Swiped SS, specifying full value of card via POS, no issue.
7. WM: Requested 1k order, asked to split in half, full amounts off each card. Swiped SS, went through no issue. Swiped valuable Madagascar spice, went through, no issue. Transaction completed.
8. Chain X, Store 2: I returned to the same store as in DP #2, nearly 5 hours later. Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99). Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
9. Chain Y, Store 4: Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99), 3 hours after the initial denial. Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
Limitations to these DPs:
1. I did not have time to stick around the stores after the 2nd swipe denials, to test the specific cool down period limits. However, per DPs #8 & #9, it is clear the cool down is not 24 hours, and is not specific to the card itself. However, there is most definitely a temporal velocity throttling, as seen in all DPs. It seems confirmed 100% that once a BHN is swiped, cool down starts for ALL BHNs thereafter.
2. I did not have any BHN cards with values >250, so could not test for single swipe amounts in excess of that, or probe the ~485 threshold. However, DPs in other threads indicate that singular swipes up to that threshold are still working, for now.
3. All cards utilized were of the V isa variety, so could not probe MC functionality.
1. Chain X, Store 1: Swiped GC dot commerce card, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, declined: not authorized. Knowing the score ahead of time, completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
2. Chain X, Store 2: Swiped Stap les classic gray, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd classic gray, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
3. Chain Y, Store 1: (This chain allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. I decided to test this avenue, to see if it made an impact. TLDR; it didn't.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, again specifying amount via POS (249.xx); declined, contact issuer. Had a few 100s of the valuable Madagascar spice variety (left over from a promo weeks ago), so decided to close out transaction with those. Swiped 1st valuable Madagascar spice for 100, went through. Swiped 2nd valuable Madagascar spice, went through, and transaction completed.
4. Chain Y, Store 2: Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS, declined: not authorized. Completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
5. Chain Y, Store 3: Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: incorrect PIN (PIN definitely was entered correctly). Swiped 2nd classic gray again, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
6. Chain Z, Store 1: (This chain also allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. Again, tested this here as well.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: not authorized. Swiped SS, specifying full value of card via POS, no issue.
7. WM: Requested 1k order, asked to split in half, full amounts off each card. Swiped SS, went through no issue. Swiped valuable Madagascar spice, went through, no issue. Transaction completed.
8. Chain X, Store 2: I returned to the same store as in DP #2, nearly 5 hours later. Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99). Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
9. Chain Y, Store 4: Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99), 3 hours after the initial denial. Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
Limitations to these DPs:
1. I did not have time to stick around the stores after the 2nd swipe denials, to test the specific cool down period limits. However, per DPs #8 & #9, it is clear the cool down is not 24 hours, and is not specific to the card itself. However, there is most definitely a temporal velocity throttling, as seen in all DPs. It seems confirmed 100% that once a BHN is swiped, cool down starts for ALL BHNs thereafter.
2. I did not have any BHN cards with values >250, so could not test for single swipe amounts in excess of that, or probe the ~485 threshold. However, DPs in other threads indicate that singular swipes up to that threshold are still working, for now.
3. All cards utilized were of the V isa variety, so could not probe MC functionality.
Mar 6, 2023, 8:59 pm
#75
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 375
Armed with max value BHNs from GC dot commerce, classic grays from Stap les, some SS, and a mixture of valuable Madagascar spice cards, the following are my DPs from activities yesterday in the NE. Visited 3 chains, all purveyors of exclusively foodstuffs (which had all worked flawlessly 2 weeks ago, as long as transactions <500 total) as well as a few WMs. If these points hold true and/or get worse, the implications are profound.
1. Chain X, Store 1: Swiped GC dot commerce card, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, declined: not authorized. Knowing the score ahead of time, completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
2. Chain X, Store 2: Swiped Stap les classic gray, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd classic gray, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
3. Chain Y, Store 1: (This chain allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. I decided to test this avenue, to see if it made an impact. TLDR; it didn't.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, again specifying amount via POS (249.xx); declined, contact issuer. Had a few 100s of the valuable Madagascar spice variety (left over from a promo weeks ago), so decided to close out transaction with those. Swiped 1st valuable Madagascar spice for 100, went through. Swiped 2nd valuable Madagascar spice, went through, and transaction completed.
4. Chain Y, Store 2: Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS, declined: not authorized. Completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
5. Chain Y, Store 3: Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: incorrect PIN (PIN definitely was entered correctly). Swiped 2nd classic gray again, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
6. Chain Z, Store 1: (This chain also allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. Again, tested this here as well.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: not authorized. Swiped SS, specifying full value of card via POS, no issue.
7. WM: Requested 1k order, asked to split in half, full amounts off each card. Swiped SS, went through no issue. Swiped valuable Madagascar spice, went through, no issue. Transaction completed.
8. Chain X, Store 2: I returned to the same store as in DP #2, nearly 5 hours later. Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99). Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
9. Chain Y, Store 4: Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99), 3 hours after the initial denial. Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
Limitations to these DPs:
1. I did not have time to stick around the stores after the 2nd swipe denials, to test the specific cool down period limits. However, per DPs #8 & #9, it is clear the cool down is not 24 hours, and is not specific to the card itself. However, there is most definitely a temporal velocity throttling, as seen in all DPs. It seems confirmed 100% that once a BHN is swiped, cool down starts for ALL BHNs thereafter.
2. I did not have any BHN cards with values >250, so could not test for single swipe amounts in excess of that, or probe the ~485 threshold. However, DPs in other threads indicate that singular swipes up to that threshold are still working, for now.
3. All cards utilized were of the V isa variety, so could not probe MC functionality.
1. Chain X, Store 1: Swiped GC dot commerce card, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, declined: not authorized. Knowing the score ahead of time, completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
2. Chain X, Store 2: Swiped Stap les classic gray, went through via auto drain. Swiped 2nd classic gray, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
3. Chain Y, Store 1: (This chain allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. I decided to test this avenue, to see if it made an impact. TLDR; it didn't.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, again specifying amount via POS (249.xx); declined, contact issuer. Had a few 100s of the valuable Madagascar spice variety (left over from a promo weeks ago), so decided to close out transaction with those. Swiped 1st valuable Madagascar spice for 100, went through. Swiped 2nd valuable Madagascar spice, went through, and transaction completed.
4. Chain Y, Store 2: Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS, declined: not authorized. Completed second half of the transaction with reg. chip debit card, no issue.
5. Chain Y, Store 3: Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS; went through as expected. Swiped 2nd classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: incorrect PIN (PIN definitely was entered correctly). Swiped 2nd classic gray again, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: contact issuer. Swiped SS card to complete transaction, no issue.
6. Chain Z, Store 1: (This chain also allows the user to bypass auto drain, and specify specific amount deducted from card via POS terminal. Again, tested this here as well.) Swiped GC dot commerce card, specifying full value of card (249.99) via POS; went through as expected. Swiped Stap les classic gray, specifying full value of card via POS, declined: not authorized. Swiped SS, specifying full value of card via POS, no issue.
7. WM: Requested 1k order, asked to split in half, full amounts off each card. Swiped SS, went through no issue. Swiped valuable Madagascar spice, went through, no issue. Transaction completed.
8. Chain X, Store 2: I returned to the same store as in DP #2, nearly 5 hours later. Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99). Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
9. Chain Y, Store 4: Using one of the GC dot commerce cards which had declined as a 2nd swipe card earlier in the day, I requested an order for full amount (249.99), 3 hours after the initial denial. Swiped, went through via auto drain, transaction completed.
Limitations to these DPs:
1. I did not have time to stick around the stores after the 2nd swipe denials, to test the specific cool down period limits. However, per DPs #8 & #9, it is clear the cool down is not 24 hours, and is not specific to the card itself. However, there is most definitely a temporal velocity throttling, as seen in all DPs. It seems confirmed 100% that once a BHN is swiped, cool down starts for ALL BHNs thereafter.
2. I did not have any BHN cards with values >250, so could not test for single swipe amounts in excess of that, or probe the ~485 threshold. However, DPs in other threads indicate that singular swipes up to that threshold are still working, for now.
3. All cards utilized were of the V isa variety, so could not probe MC functionality.