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-money in your Serve account can be withdrawn directly to a linked bank account, which, if done too much, may be seen as risky by Serve, but in moderation should be fine.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 1385641 times)

Offline Josef.koney

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 2018
  • Total likes: 19
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4100 on: October 18, 2015, 09:23:08 PM »
Best ever!

Offline David Smith

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2015
  • Posts: 8075
  • Total likes: 212
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 13
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4101 on: October 18, 2015, 10:15:22 PM »
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
JTZ

Offline sam i am

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 722
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: NJ
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4102 on: October 18, 2015, 10:24:56 PM »
I don't want to screw myself up by trying if it doesn't work, that's why I am inquiring.
if you have a citi amex it won't do any harm. If the MC doesn't work then you can switch back. If you had a working visa/MC and you wanted to switch you would be right to be concerned.

Offline Josef.koney

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 2018
  • Total likes: 19
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4103 on: October 19, 2015, 07:14:23 AM »
I don't want to screw myself up by trying if it doesn't work, that's why I am inquiring.
There was just a link few pages Back that there is not problem switching back

Offline Thingywingy

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 4789
  • Total likes: 46
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 24
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4104 on: October 19, 2015, 09:47:15 AM »
Does Serve offer checks? If not can I send money from a Serve account to a Bluebird account?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline Josef.koney

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2014
  • Posts: 2018
  • Total likes: 19
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4105 on: October 19, 2015, 10:23:29 AM »
Does Serve offer checks? If not can I send money from a Serve account to a Bluebird account?
No yes

Online etech0

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 12861
  • Total likes: 3316
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: not lakewood
  • Programs: DDF
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4106 on: October 19, 2015, 10:43:16 AM »
Does Serve offer checks? If not can I send money from a Serve account to a Bluebird account?
Pay and Transfer > Send Money
Workflowy. You won't know what you're missing until you try it.

Offline coralsnake

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 4555
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 9
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4107 on: October 19, 2015, 10:58:37 AM »
Does Serve offer checks? If not can I send money from a Serve account to a Bluebird account?
You can have serve send a check to whoever you want.
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline Thingywingy

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Sep 2011
  • Posts: 4789
  • Total likes: 46
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 24
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4108 on: October 19, 2015, 02:50:20 PM »
You can have serve send a check to whoever you want.
Yeah but that takes time. I have 3 BB account already. I think I'm gonna switch my redcards to serve. If I need a check I'll just transfer to BB. Is there max amount you can send from Serve or receive in BB?

Is it necessary to wait after closing redcard before opening a serve?
« Last Edit: October 19, 2015, 02:53:22 PM by Thingywingy »
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline D93

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2014
  • Posts: 8791
  • Total likes: 21
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
    • View Profile
  • Location: PHL - TLV
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4109 on: October 19, 2015, 03:20:12 PM »
Yeah but that takes time. I have 3 BB account already. I think I'm gonna switch my redcards to serve. If I need a check I'll just transfer to BB. Is there max amount you can send from Serve or receive in BB?
Yes
Quote
Is it necessary to wait after closing redcard before opening a serve?
No

Offline farmbochur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2011
  • Posts: 1796
  • Total likes: 233
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4110 on: October 19, 2015, 03:47:51 PM »
Just switched to serve but I'm confused about loading US Bank issued Mastercard gc at Walmart. Can I do it and do I pay a fee?

See pic for version of serve that I have.
Risk is opportunity

Offline MosheD

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Aug 2011
  • Posts: 2275
  • Total likes: 40
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4111 on: October 19, 2015, 06:52:49 PM »
Just switched to serve but I'm confused about loading US Bank issued Mastercard gc at Walmart. Can I do it and do I pay a fee?

See pic for version of serve that I have.
If it has pin should work. AFAIK et with pin works except vanilla

Offline farmbochur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Dec 2011
  • Posts: 1796
  • Total likes: 233
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4112 on: October 19, 2015, 06:53:42 PM »
Just got back from Walmart.
They wanted to charge $3.74 fee to load the card.
Risk is opportunity

Offline bermo

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Feb 2014
  • Posts: 1559
  • Total likes: 20
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 11
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4113 on: October 19, 2015, 07:05:47 PM »
Just got back from Walmart.
They wanted to charge $3.74 fee to load the card.
Which serve card do you have? The VIP one?

Offline lindnuck

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 212
  • Total likes: 20
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4114 on: October 19, 2015, 07:24:05 PM »
If I open a Serve VIP card in my name, can I use it to pay off credit card bills in my wife's name?

Offline coralsnake

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 4555
  • Total likes: 162
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 9
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4115 on: October 19, 2015, 07:24:41 PM »
If I open a Serve VIP card in my name, can I use it to pay off credit card bills in my wife's name?
Yes
"Here at DansDeals we don’t do buses." -Dan

Offline username

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jul 2008
  • Posts: 4530
  • Total likes: 602
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 14
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: C Heights
  • Programs: ┌──────────────────┐ │───> Ữ₴ΣЯИΛΜӘ <─── │ └──────────────────┘
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4116 on: October 19, 2015, 07:28:39 PM »
Yes
Would that raise any flags on the CC end that someone else is paying your bill?
^^^

Offline lindnuck

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 212
  • Total likes: 20
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4117 on: October 19, 2015, 08:22:44 PM »
+1 Family Dollar is terrible.

Can anyone elaborate? It's really the only option in my area, as there is no Walmart. What can I expect?

Offline Iz

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Dec 2014
  • Posts: 7001
  • Total likes: 460
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 13
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4118 on: October 19, 2015, 08:26:33 PM »
Can anyone elaborate? It's really the only option in my area, as there is no Walmart. What can I expect?
Look above on page 246.

Offline lindnuck

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Oct 2015
  • Posts: 212
  • Total likes: 20
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #4119 on: October 19, 2015, 08:52:04 PM »
Look above on page 246.

Thanks! So do you think if I make sure to get there when they open it's worth a shot? Or not bother?

Otherwise, it seems like my only option to MS is to buy VGCs and then just make sure not to lose them, and spend them over time. Seems like buying MOs with them is too fraught and FD too sketchy. Am I missing another avenue?