But is there still a thing called CFBP? I thought it has been shutdown.

Sorry if I wasn't clear:

I had 4x SS Pathward VGC with me:

Card 1: it drained
Card 2: it drained
Card 3: Denied later found out to be locked
Card 4: Denied later found out to be locked

Asked to cancel transaction and start over -- I thought maybe the POS couldn't handle 3 swipes so I would just go back and swipe Card 3 or 4 since they had enough for the full transaction.

Card 1: refunded and locked
Card 2: refunded and locked
Card 3: denied/locked
Card 4: denied/locked

Had to pay with my regular CC lol

And then the worst part is when they all came in the mail, I went to use Card 4 which had $500 on it on my utility bill--I have had success on this many times--and it got locked again.

Ah.
I didn't cancel my transaction.
When VGC #4 for me didn't work, I paid with a credit card.
I suspect that my issue had something to do with velocity limit even though this transaction was legitimate spending.

It looks like the limit may be 2 or 3 depending on their algorithm.

Been on hiatus for a while, glad to be back. When I first started, my plan for "learn how to use them" was two fold (and it worked really well)
1) Read as much as I possibly could here on flyertalk and take notes.
2) Run experiments to solidify the learning.

Anyone who would like a head-start, you can go up to the search menu... select "Advanced Search" then in the Advanced Search form put my handle in "Search by User Name" put Experiment in "Search by Keyword" then scroll to the bottom and select "Show Results as" posts. Then, go out and experiment to see if my old experiments from that long ago still hold up.

This is a general pattern. there are lots of folk here who seem to know what they're doing. follow their posts. ;-)

Uh duh!

Easy to avoid this. Don't drain the full $500. Even $499 should be no problem.

I've had a slightly more nuanced experience. I can drain 499 of any one card in any one transaction. Second or third InComm in same transaction sometimes causes issues for me too. I have a couple of different debits I can load, and I find that loading 2 or 3 debits from 2 or 3 different InComms seems to work. $499 vs. full $500 depends on where you get them. Bought at a brick-n-mortar store, $499. Bought on-line directly from inComm (their direct site, Simon, etc.) seem to be ok for full $500.

That's just my experience. YMMV

Your experience mirrors what I've experienced exactly. When you say "2 or 3 different Incomms," do you mean different types of Incomm cards (brick and mortar vs online)? I have not bought any of the online ones.

when ever I run into this I ask for and get a check sent to me, never got a replacement card, but it can take a month or 2 till then check arrives

Had 3 cards locked. One of the agents I spoke with must have felt bad for me. He told me he would expedite the replacement card. It came in a fedex envelope in 3 business days. Still waiting on 1 card to arrive by regular mail.

You're saying they will liquidate the GC for you? Wouldn't you just purposely try to break every card then?

You can ask for FedEx shipping every time.

I just say: "Since my card/cards are $500 or more can you expedite the shipping through FedEx."

Don't you ever worry about it getting stolen or lost?
I just saw on the news a woman whose mail was being systematically stolen --- SS check, new debit card, ...

Thanks I'll try that next time.

Liquidate? what they do is CX the card and mail the value of the card thats remaining, if it happens too often they may not work with you on it, so its not something Id especially do