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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-money in your Serve account can be withdrawn directly to a linked bank account, which, if done too much, may be seen as risky by Serve, but in moderation should be fine.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 1385582 times)

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3120 on: January 29, 2015, 12:06:00 PM »
got it
and you can buy a red card easily, but i hear the first point
basically, if you can get a redcard, no point in serve
You can only get it in certain stores.
Plus, for some people loading Serve is easier.

Offline dealfinder85

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3121 on: January 29, 2015, 12:06:40 PM »
You can only get it in certain stores.
yes, but i bought through ddf

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3122 on: January 29, 2015, 12:07:17 PM »

Offline tdk1993

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3123 on: January 29, 2015, 12:29:04 PM »
Quote
Folks,

Does Serve have the same 'trip wire' as Target's Redcard for 1099 if any at all?
I.e over  $20,000 *AND* 200 debit loads within a year?

Thanks.

Yes. That's the rule for all of these services.

Thanks! and crap. I gotta "re-factor" the use of $200 VGCs from Staples.. (not to mention $100 w/ all those rebates in December. They put quite a dent in  my 200 loads limit.

Is that a calendar year: 1/1 - 12/31? or from whatever date card became active? ( my statements are all ending on 21st of each month. last one was 12/22/2014 - 1/21/2015

During that period 7 loads were done in 2014 and 12 loads in 2015
 
« Last Edit: January 29, 2015, 12:41:43 PM by tdk1993 »

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3124 on: January 29, 2015, 12:42:52 PM »
Thanks! and crap. I gotta "re-factor" the use of $200 VGCs from Staples.. (not to mention $100 w/ all those rebates in December. They put quite a dent in  my 200 loads limit.

Is that a calendar year: 1/1 - 12/31? or from whatever date card became active? ( my statements are all ending on 21st of each month. last one was 12/22/2014 - 1/21/2015

During that period 7 loads were done in 2014 and 12 loads in 2015
I'm not an accountant, but I believe it's per calendar year.
Also, what's the big deal if it's reported? It's not like you're doing anything illegal. (Right? :) )

I know there are some accountants here, maybe they could chime in.

Offline tdk1993

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3125 on: January 29, 2015, 01:02:32 PM »
I'm not an accountant, but I believe it's per calendar year.
Also, what's the big deal if it's reported? It's not like you're doing anything illegal. (Right? :) )

I know there are some accountants here, maybe they could chime in.

To tell the truth, was not thinking about this at all till I saw a few posts in RB. I load money, I spend those money...
Amazon Payments was a bit different since you were getting $ for "goods/services" :-) But still curious..

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3126 on: January 29, 2015, 01:05:01 PM »
To tell the truth, was not thinking about this at all till I saw a few posts in RB. I load money, I spend those money...
Amazon Payments was a bit different since you were getting $ for "goods/services" :-) But still curious..
RB?

Offline tdk1993

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3127 on: January 29, 2015, 01:10:43 PM »
RB?
target's redbird a.k.a redcard.. not sure which abbreviation is more preferable :-)

P.S. looks like it's RC
« Last Edit: January 29, 2015, 01:15:57 PM by tdk1993 »

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3128 on: January 29, 2015, 01:15:37 PM »
target's redbird a.k.a redcard.. not sure which abbreviation is more preferable :-)
I hear. I think 'Redcard' is more common, but I didn't really check.

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3129 on: January 29, 2015, 01:58:06 PM »
What is the definition of 'transaction'?
each load
each spend
transfers to other banks
My favorite cause: cssy.org

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3130 on: January 29, 2015, 02:09:49 PM »
What is the definition of 'transaction'?
each load
each spend
transfers to other banks
Not an accountant, but I don't see why any of them shouldn't be counted.

Offline m65

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3131 on: January 30, 2015, 01:54:07 AM »
2 questions:
1: can serve card be used for international purchases?
2: is there amex warrantees and other amex benefits for purchases made using the serve card?
thanx

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3132 on: January 30, 2015, 02:28:15 AM »
2 questions:
1: can serve card be used for international purchases?
2: is there amex warrantees and other amex benefits for purchases made using the serve card?
thanx
1. No
2. I believe not

Offline D93

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3133 on: January 30, 2015, 02:36:34 AM »
1. No
-0.5
It can be used, but costs 2.7% forex fee

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3134 on: January 30, 2015, 02:44:39 AM »
-0.5
It can be used, but costs 2.7% forex fee
Can't. Forex fee is for online or US purchases made in foreign currency.

Offline chff

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3135 on: January 30, 2015, 08:27:09 AM »
Can't. Forex fee is for online or US purchases made in foreign currency.
Forex is even when made in USD from a non US POS

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3136 on: January 30, 2015, 02:47:02 PM »
Can I load serve with a PRG card? Which I believe is a charge card

Offline ranhan429

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3137 on: January 31, 2015, 04:11:45 AM »
Can I load serve with a PRG card? Which I believe is a charge card
No. Besides- u don't get miles with amex cc using serve
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Offline tjak

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3138 on: January 31, 2015, 12:24:10 PM »

No. Besides- u don't get miles with amex cc using serve
Why not? And I believe it would count for the threshold.

Offline ranhan429

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #3139 on: January 31, 2015, 12:27:47 PM »
Why not? And I believe it would count for the threshold.
Towards a threshold yes.

Cuz IME charge cards don't work since they don't allow for CA and that's what these trans seem to pend as. Why don't u just try it and report back? What have u got to lose.
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