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-money in your Serve account can be withdrawn directly to a linked bank account, which, if done too much, may be seen as risky by Serve, but in moderation should be fine.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 1385580 times)

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2560 on: November 19, 2014, 06:21:03 PM »
What does it mean in the wiki that for AMEX CC loads that you can hit a bonus that way but cannot earn points on the load? Why does that make sense?
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.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2561 on: November 19, 2014, 06:43:05 PM »
Interesting. So the Q is do you load an AMEX directly or buy GCs with it and load them up in store. For AMEX SPG for example, that's $5K of spending which will be 10 GC's for a total of just under $50. So the Q is - is 5K SPG worth $50 plus the hassle of going GC shopping vs just loading it for free and losing out on the 5K.

Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2562 on: November 19, 2014, 06:48:16 PM »
Interesting. So the Q is do you load an AMEX directly or buy GCs with it and load them up in store. For AMEX SPG for example, that's $5K of spending which will be 10 GC's for a total of just under $50. So the Q is - is 5K SPG worth $50 plus the hassle of going GC shopping vs just loading it for free and losing out on the 5K.
5K SPG points could be a lot more valuable than $50. So if it's something you have to do anyway, it'll give you a nice discount, but I wouldn't normally buy points at this price.

Offline MosheD

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2563 on: November 19, 2014, 06:58:30 PM »
So Sbs q- I'm using bros serve account. Can I link my ebt or does it need to be his? Same q regarding bank account

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Offline rng

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2564 on: November 20, 2014, 11:23:28 AM »
Please excuse me, and yes i did read a lot on this thread probably at least 20 pages worth and I am noob at this,
I have a serve card in my wife's name and i would like to load it with my brothers Amex card for a spending threshold on his card and pay his bill from there.
1) do i need to become an AU on his card?
2) is there any problem with paying his bill straight from her serve account?
3) I have an iphone does that disqualify me from getting softcard?

Offline D93

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2565 on: November 20, 2014, 12:43:37 PM »
Please excuse me, and yes i did read a lot on this thread probably at least 20 pages worth and I am noob at this,
I have a serve card in my wife's name and i would like to load it with my brothers Amex card for a spending threshold on his card and pay his bill from there.
1) does she need to become an AU on his card?
2) is there any problem with paying his bill straight from her serve account?
3) I have an iphone does that disqualify me from getting softcard?
FTFY

1) Your wife will need to become an AU on his card, otherwise when Serve asks her to verify the card (which usually happens at the 2nd load), she won't be able to do so.
2) You shouldn't pay the same cc you loaded from
3) You need to buy a special case in order to get Softcard

Offline 89mclarenstang

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2566 on: November 20, 2014, 07:54:29 PM »
does signing up for serve via a referral link cause you to lose out on signing up through softcard?  meaning the referral gives you and the referer 10$ each, but signing up through softcard gives you higher loads per month.  if i sign up through softcard using the email address that was sent in the referral do you think it would be the best of both offers or do i have to choose which is better for me?

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2567 on: November 20, 2014, 08:17:51 PM »
does signing up for serve via a referral link cause you to lose out on signing up through softcard?  meaning the referral gives you and the referer 10$ each, but signing up through softcard gives you higher loads per month.  if i sign up through softcard using the email address that was sent in the referral do you think it would be the best of both offers or do i have to choose which is better for me?

Wasn't aware that there was a referral bonus for the serve, never paid too much attention to it.

Offline 89mclarenstang

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2568 on: November 20, 2014, 09:11:05 PM »
Anyone else have any ideas?

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2569 on: November 20, 2014, 11:31:29 PM »
I tried loading my Serve card with my Ink Bold card and got an error message that my "card issuer declined this transaction". I read around that since chase codes a serve load is as a cash advance you cant load with an ink bold. Has anyone had any success loading their serve cards with an ink bold?
« Last Edit: November 20, 2014, 11:43:39 PM by DDFer »

Offline ckmk47

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2570 on: November 20, 2014, 11:39:14 PM »
I tried loading my Serve card with my Ink Bold card and got an error message that my card issuer declined this transaction. I read around that since chase codes a serve load is as a cash advance you cant load with an ink bold. Has anyone had any success loading their serve cards with an ink bold?
Not that I heard of.
If the Ink Bold is the only one you need to spend on now, buy $200 GCs at Staples (even on line), get 5 ppd to defray the cost, load at Family Dollar or Walmart.
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Offline lifetimedeals

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2571 on: November 21, 2014, 01:21:34 AM »
Can you add a subaccount to Serve for a child under 15 ?

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2572 on: November 21, 2014, 02:25:29 AM »
Can you add a subaccount to Serve for a child under 15 ?

No.

Offline D93

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2573 on: November 21, 2014, 02:29:48 AM »
Can you add a subaccount to Serve for a child under 15 ?
Yes
No.
-1. No date of birth required for serve sub-accounts

Offline Yaalili

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2574 on: November 21, 2014, 02:38:29 AM »
Yes-1. No date of birth required for serve sub-accounts

Would they ask you to prove who the AU is, then the answer is no. According to the rules no one under 15 is allowed.

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2575 on: November 21, 2014, 08:34:20 AM »
My wife and I both have serve accounts. Can I use the same credit card number on both accounts if we both have CCs with our names on them? As far as I know, the only CC that gives separate numbers for AUs is Amex.
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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2576 on: November 21, 2014, 08:40:58 AM »
My wife and I both have serve accounts. Can I use the same credit card number on both accounts if we both have CCs with our names on them? As far as I know, the only CC that gives separate numbers for AUs is Amex.
Actually, Barclay and Capital one and some more companies give different numbers for AU cards.

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2577 on: November 21, 2014, 08:47:50 AM »
Not that I heard of.
If the Ink Bold is the only one you need to spend on now, buy $200 GCs at Staples (even on line), get 5 ppd to defray the cost, load at Family Dollar or Walmart.
I spent an hour with two Chase reps, three AmEx reps, and even a Visa rep. Finally after an hour of back and forth a Chase rep gave me a clear answer that Chase codes a serve transaction as quasi-cash which has the same rules as cash advance. So since there is no cash advance for an ink bold I can not load my serve with my ink bold card. Has anyone had a similar problem, or has anyone had any success loading the serve with an ink bold?

Offline D93

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2578 on: November 21, 2014, 08:54:02 AM »
I spent an hour with two Chase reps, three AmEx reps, and even a Visa rep. Finally after an hour of back and forth a Chase rep gave me a clear answer that Chase codes a serve transaction as quasi-cash which has the same rules as cash advance. So since there is no cash advance for an ink bold I can not load my serve with my ink bold card. Has anyone had a similar problem, or has anyone had any success loading the serve with an ink bold?
Was mentioned numerous times upthread that you can't load Serve with an IB.

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Offline eli.f

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Re: Amexserve/Softcard
« Reply #2579 on: November 21, 2014, 08:55:08 AM »
I spent an hour with two Chase reps, three AmEx reps, and even a Visa rep. Finally after an hour of back and forth a Chase rep gave me a clear answer that Chase codes a serve transaction as quasi-cash which has the same rules as cash advance. So since there is no cash advance for an ink bold I can not load my serve with my ink bold card. Has anyone had a similar problem, or has anyone had any success loading the serve with an ink bold?
It's been discussed in this thread many times. You cannot use Ink Bold with Serve. Period.