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Open Serve: Do 1 of the following:
1) Buy a temporary card. (free in cvs in NJ won’t take cc)($3.95 fee), or
2) Open online. They’ll send you a card. (free)
Note that you COULD have more than one of these: Bluebird (BB), Redcard and serve. 

Loading Serve: Serve does not have any fees to load money.
a) At CVS, 7-11, and Rite Aid ONLY CASH can be loaded.
b) At Walmart GCs …uh Debit Cards (besides Vanilla cards) can be loaded onto Serve just like onto BB. Load limit: $2500/day up to $5000/month
c) At Family Dollar max $499.99/Day, not hard coded, YMMV, Cash or Debit/Gift Card.
WARNING: There are reports of debit cards being drained at FD, and not loading onto Serve, so FD is not recommended.
d) An Amex CC of the serve cardholder can be linked and used to fund your Serve ONLINE. Load limit: $200 per day/$1000 per month
Amex cc loads are not considered cash advance. They DO NOT earn points, or count towards a spending threshold.
e) Debit Cards linked to Serve: $200/day up to 1000/month ONLINE.  But only a permanent DC with your name on it. (NOT GCs)

So your total loading limit per month, if using all 3 methods is $7K.

-Serve has a $1 monthly inactivity fee (waived in VA, NY and TX) that is waived if you use Direct Deposit OR add $500.
-If Serve has a bonus for using direct deposit, use AP.

Using the funds on Serve:
-Free ATM use/withdrawal at MoneyPass ATMs. $2 elsewhere.
-Serve has a Bill Pay feature – same as BB.  You tell them who to pay, and they send a check for you.  You can pay up to 5k of unregistered billers, but 10K of registered ones (registered= those on their bill pay list). Pay your Credit Cards bills as well as many other bills or any person!
WARNING: Do not use the bill pay feature to pay the Credit Card that is linked for online loads.
-money in your Serve account can be withdrawn directly to a linked bank account, which, if done too much, may be seen as risky by Serve, but in moderation should be fine.
Withdraw to your bank https://secure.serve.com/Actions/WithdrawMoney

Make sure the name, address and phone number on your profile match your credit card billing address, or you may get declined.  When linking your credit card at serve.com, the website will only show you the address on your profile, but not the phone number, so this is easy to overlook.  Go to profile, and check/update your phone number there.

Error likely with the Serve account:
When you create a new account and add a credit card, you will be allowed to do the first transaction. After that, your account will probably go into system lockdown until you verify some information. Likely error message for this case is "Risk declined operation" when you try to add money on to the account. You will need to send in (online, fax or mail) a photo ID and a copy of your credit card or statement. Upload your documents here -
https://secure.serve.com/User/SecureFileUpload. Then Call up AMEX Account Protection Services at 1-800-555-4318 and tell them you uploaded the documents and ask them to verify it for you.
« Last edited by Iz on August 18, 2016, 10:36:02 AM »

Author Topic: Amexserve/Softcard  (Read 1410213 times)

Offline Alexsei

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2140 on: October 23, 2014, 02:07:28 PM »
1. Close BB. 2. Open serve.
I remember something about changing email/ssn still applicable?
Any wait between applying
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Offline eli.f

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2141 on: October 23, 2014, 02:19:43 PM »
I remember something about changing email/ssn still applicable?
Any wait between applying
You found a way to change your SSN? :)
As to your question, see the FT wiki here.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2142 on: October 23, 2014, 03:16:14 PM »
Just got denied loading an OV at FD. Guy wanted to see a debit card with my name on it. Man, am I screwed with these OVs. Still can't believe I forgot to get regular VGCs.

Offline MoGro17

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2143 on: October 23, 2014, 03:21:45 PM »
Just got denied loading an OV at FD. Guy wanted to see a debit card with my name on it. Man, am I screwed with these OVs. Still can't believe I forgot to get regular VGCs.
forgive me. How will reg VGCs be different from OVs?

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2144 on: October 23, 2014, 03:22:45 PM »
forgive me. How will reg VGCs be different from OVs?
They can be loaded at WM w/o a problem.

Offline MoGro17

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2145 on: October 23, 2014, 03:26:23 PM »
They can be loaded at WM w/o a problem.

i see...
thanks

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2146 on: October 23, 2014, 03:33:04 PM »
i see...
thanks
NP (btw that's not Vanilla VGCs, but regular VGCs).

Offline MoGro17

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2147 on: October 23, 2014, 03:33:43 PM »
NP (btw that's not Vanilla VGCs, but regular VGCs).
Visa Gift Cards  ;)

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2148 on: October 23, 2014, 03:50:10 PM »
Visa Gift Cards  ;)
Yes, but Vanilla also makes a Visa Gift Card. And that is just as difficult to use as a One Vanila card. :)

Offline etech0

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2149 on: October 23, 2014, 04:32:21 PM »
Yes, but Vanilla also makes a Visa Gift Card. And that is just as difficult to use as a One Vanila card. :)
And many people refer to them as VGCs
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline ah

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2150 on: October 23, 2014, 04:36:56 PM »
VGC-visa gift card (us bank, metabank) OV-One Vanilla VV-Vanilla Visa

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2151 on: October 23, 2014, 04:42:10 PM »
And many people refer to them as VGCs
Exactly the problem.
VGC-visa gift card (us bank, metabank) OV-One Vanilla VV-Vanilla Visa
I've never seen it referred to as VV before but I'll take your word for it.

Ok going to try another FD now. Will try to post my results.

Offline ah

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2152 on: October 23, 2014, 04:45:42 PM »
Exactly the problem.I've never seen it referred to as VV before but I'll take your word for it.

Ok going to try another FD now. Will try to post my results.
maybe I'm wrong, but, I think I learned that one from one of the masters ;)

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2153 on: October 23, 2014, 06:04:13 PM »
Got to my second FD and the $500 went smoothly. They needed a manager to perform the function and they asked to see my Serve card and ID as well as the OV but they didn't make any comment about my naming being on it. Signing the back may have helped assuage their concerns. But then I got back in line and tried to load another $500 and explained it was different debit card. The manager had left so they had to call her back over but she seemed okay with it. Even asked me how many times I wanted to do this and seemed to have no problem with it. But then, the OV was declined. I didn't use the cards last 4 digits as the pin as I thought I read you could pick any 4 digits (if that's even the reason it was declined). The decline got her suspicious and she looked at the card again. She asked me to swipe it again and instead, I pulled out another OV and tried to swipe it. I thought I was really smooth, like magician smooth, but she saw it and that was the end of my attempts. She had to get yet another manager over to help void the transaction and explain to her that I had cards coming out of all my pockets. So I tough-guy said ok no problem, thanks. And left the store. Oh well. At least I got another $500 cashed out. $3000 to go :(

Offline kangarruu

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2154 on: October 23, 2014, 06:11:05 PM »
Got to my second FD and the $500 went smoothly. They needed a manager to perform the function and they asked to see my Serve card and ID as well as the OV but they didn't make any comment about my naming being on it. Signing the back may have helped assuage their concerns. But then I got back in line and tried to load another $500 and explained it was different debit card. The manager had left so they had to call her back over but she seemed okay with it. Even asked me how many times I wanted to do this and seemed to have no problem with it. But then, the OV was declined. I didn't use the cards last 4 digits as the pin as I thought I read you could pick any 4 digits (if that's even the reason it was declined). The decline got her suspicious and she looked at the card again. She asked me to swipe it again and instead, I pulled out another OV and tried to swipe it. I thought I was really smooth, like magician smooth, but she saw it and that was the end of my attempts. She had to get yet another manager over to help void the transaction and explain to her that I had cards coming out of all my pockets. So I tough-guy said ok no problem, thanks. And left the store. Oh well. At least I got another $500 cashed out. $3000 to go :(

I haven't gone to FD in a bit, but there was an issue where a second Serve load wouldn't work, regardless of whether it was a different debit card or even a different Serve card. Something like a one-load limit. I never tried at different ends of the day, but it always worked (for one card) the next day.

I was hoping that they'd have fixed the issue, but maybe not.

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2155 on: October 23, 2014, 06:17:23 PM »
So to clarify, there is a $500/day limit by FD no matter what kind of GC I'm using? And at Walmart it's $2500/day (wiki)? Also, if there is a limit with the GC at FD, how can I use $200 GC? Will they break them up?
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Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2156 on: October 23, 2014, 06:57:12 PM »
I haven't gone to FD in a bit, but there was an issue where a second Serve load wouldn't work, regardless of whether it was a different debit card or even a different Serve card. Something like a one-load limit. I never tried at different ends of the day, but it always worked (for one card) the next day.

I was hoping that they'd have fixed the issue, but maybe not.
Oh! Did not know that. Like their registers can't handle more than 1 card a day?

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2157 on: October 23, 2014, 07:09:54 PM »
Where are these FD that are asking so many questions?
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Offline Redbull3

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2158 on: October 23, 2014, 07:31:28 PM »
Got to my second FD and the $500 went smoothly. They needed a manager to perform the function and they asked to see my Serve card and ID as well as the OV but they didn't make any comment about my naming being on it. Signing the back may have helped assuage their concerns. But then I got back in line and tried to load another $500 and explained it was different debit card. The manager had left so they had to call her back over but she seemed okay with it. Even asked me how many times I wanted to do this and seemed to have no problem with it. But then, the OV was declined. I didn't use the cards last 4 digits as the pin as I thought I read you could pick any 4 digits (if that's even the reason it was declined). The decline got her suspicious and she looked at the card again. She asked me to swipe it again and instead, I pulled out another OV and tried to swipe it. I thought I was really smooth, like magician smooth, but she saw it and that was the end of my attempts. She had to get yet another manager over to help void the transaction and explain to her that I had cards coming out of all my pockets. So I tough-guy said ok no problem, thanks. And left the store. Oh well. At least I got another $500 cashed out. $3000 to go :(

I thought i read it was 1 card per store per day. Basically first come first serve then that store is done for the day.
I only just got my serve and haven't gotten to fd yet so no personal experience...

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Re: Amex Serve.com
« Reply #2159 on: October 23, 2014, 07:49:40 PM »
Where are these FD that are asking so many questions?
NJ