Topic Wiki

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-money in your Serve account can be withdrawn directly to a linked bank account, which, if done too much, may be seen as risky by Serve, but in moderation should be fine.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 1385911 times)

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2600 on: November 23, 2014, 10:29:44 AM »
Barclays Arrival 2.2% CB
Only on travel.
But amex everyday cash does better than 2% on some purchases:
3% Cash Back at US supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); 2% Cash Back at US gas stations; 2% Cash Back at select US department stores; and 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
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Offline MosheD

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2601 on: November 23, 2014, 12:55:10 PM »
Their cc bank, especially if it's Chase, may consider him a risky customer as a result.  It has triggered account shut downs.
But Serve has no problem whatever bill you pay.
What if you pay AU card? (obviously not card I loaded with)
Their cc bank, especially if it's Chase, may consider him a risky customer as a result.  It has triggered account shut downs.
But Serve has no problem whatever bill you pay.
What if you pay AU card? (obviously not card I loaded with)

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2602 on: November 23, 2014, 01:28:38 PM »
What if you pay AU card? (obviously not card I loaded with)
I was going yo ask: How can you do that?  But I went to my Amex AU account on line and there is a button to 'make a payment'.  So I guess it's possible.  My guess is that amex won't have a problem with that.
 
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Offline Boruch999

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2603 on: November 23, 2014, 04:36:38 PM »
What if you pay AU card? (obviously not card I loaded with) What if you pay AU card? (obviously not card I loaded with)
Sounds like a great idea! I loaded with an Arrival. My wife is an AU with a different number (last 4 digits.) Will Serve pick up that it's an AU of the card I loaded with? Can BillPay be used to pay a CC bill using AU card number?

Offline AnonymousUser

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2604 on: November 23, 2014, 06:02:47 PM »
Only on travel.
But amex everyday cash does better than 2% on some purchases:
3% Cash Back at US supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); 2% Cash Back at US gas stations; 2% Cash Back at select US department stores; and 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
But serve is none of those categories.

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2605 on: November 23, 2014, 07:13:38 PM »
But serve is none of those categories.
yes.  But for general ownership, which card works better for you?
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Offline AnonymousUser

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2606 on: November 23, 2014, 08:09:07 PM »
yes.  But for general ownership, which card works better for you?
That's easy. I spend more on non category spend than the 1% difference in the grocery category.

Offline emb321

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2607 on: November 24, 2014, 02:55:21 PM »
In this game, what matters it what works. (Not what does or does not make sense and what does or does not say in the T&C)

To the point: The probably have different counters for spending that count for miles and spending that counts for thresholds. Maybe it doesn't make sense. But keep in mind, they make money on Serve reloads too. (Technically, it the same company, so they don't make money, but the transaction itself, is profitable)

EDIT: IIRC though, there were some reports in FT that it didn't count towards spend. Although, usually it does seem to.

I loaded my serve card with an amex platinum that needed 5K in spend. I reached the 5K a day before the statement closed but the bonus points did not post and they are not in the pending. Does it typically take an extra month for the bonus points to arrive?

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2608 on: November 24, 2014, 02:57:12 PM »
I loaded my serve card with an amex platinum that needed 5K in spend. I reached the 5K a day before the statement closed but the bonus points did not post and they are not in the pending. Does it typically take an extra month for the bonus points to arrive?
IIRC they don't show up in pending right away. (It takes a day or 2, I think)

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2609 on: November 24, 2014, 08:11:27 PM »
Got my four subaccounts today. When I called to activate first three worked like a charm, last one I has to call twice to do it and enter some more info into the prompts. BH registered all of them for SBS.

Offline clear thinker

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2610 on: November 25, 2014, 12:45:58 PM »
Just realized when I registered for serve my cell number went (automatically) on file, though my credit cards have my home number on file (as per the wiki they have to match) would that be a problem?

Offline D93

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2611 on: November 25, 2014, 02:00:42 PM »
Just realized when I registered for serve my cell number went (automatically) on file, though my credit cards have my home number on file (as per the wiki they have to match) would that be a problem?
You can easily change your Serve phone number, it's in "profile" which is located on the top right of home page.

Offline Boruch999

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2612 on: November 25, 2014, 03:56:51 PM »
Does anyone have any experience using BillPay to pay the CC bill it was funded with using the AU card number (different last 4 digits?)

Offline AnonymousUser

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2613 on: November 25, 2014, 05:55:20 PM »
Is there a limit on backup funding for Serve? I don't see anything in the T&Cs.

Offline peace123

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2614 on: November 25, 2014, 06:00:36 PM »
I am unable to link my Chase IP business card on Serve account. It is in my name and the card has 2k CA limit.

When I  try to add the card to my serve account, it says" CARD ISSUER DECLINE TRANSACTION CODE",
I called Serve , they tried it for me but told me seems to be problem with  name or address. They too couldn't link/add the card.

Called Chase and they told me address is correct and they see no issues.

I recently added my wife as authorized sub user on my Serve account.

Anyone have any idea how to fix this?
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 06:10:31 PM by peace123 »

Offline clear thinker

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2615 on: November 25, 2014, 06:40:30 PM »
You can easily change your Serve phone number, it's in "profile" which is located on the top right of home page.
Ok tnx.

Offline MosheD

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2616 on: November 26, 2014, 07:53:18 AM »
I am unable to link my Chase IP business card on Serve account. It is in my name and the card has 2k CA limit.

When I  try to add the card to my serve account, it says" CARD ISSUER DECLINE TRANSACTION CODE",
I called Serve , they tried it for me but told me seems to be problem with  name or address. They too couldn't link/add the card.

Called Chase and they told me address is correct and they see no issues.

I recently added my wife as authorized sub user on my Serve account.

Anyone have any idea how to fix this?
Check phone number

Offline db23

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2617 on: November 26, 2014, 09:27:36 AM »
call chase and ask them to allow CA on your card, that happened to me and it was very annoying ! chase considers while its pending a ca then it should become a reg charge.

Offline coralsnake

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2618 on: November 26, 2014, 09:36:25 AM »
call chase and ask them to allow CA on your card, that happened to me and it was very annoying ! chase considers while its pending a ca then it should become a reg charge.

I am unable to link my Chase IP business card on Serve account. It is in my name and the card has 2k CA limit.

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Offline peace123

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2619 on: November 26, 2014, 01:26:17 PM »
Check phone number
same number on ink and serve, same address. unable to even link and calls to serve didn't help. nothing wrong with my INK plus.

I have $2k CA limit on my IP and IP is a credit card not a charge like IB. I couldn't even Link/add my card on Serve.  I haven't even tried loading. It wouldn't allow to add my card. says CARD ISSUER DECLINE TRANSACTION CODE.

I have employee card added on my IP but don't think that is causing the problem.
« Last Edit: November 26, 2014, 01:31:35 PM by peace123 »