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Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?

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jessicaB
Member

Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?

Ok I want to buy a new computer and I was just wondering if I could buy a Best Buy gift card with my BCP so I can get the 6% reward?   Since my usual spending at Publix is about $150 ... if I get $400 in gift cards would it raise red flags? Smiley Frustrated

Message 1 of 16
15 REPLIES 15
wHiTeSoL
Valued Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?



@jessicaB wrote:

Ok I want to buy a new computer and I was just wondering if I could buy a Best Buy gift card with my BCP so I can get the 6% reward?   Since my usual spending at Publix is about $150 ... if I get $400 in gift cards would it raise red flags? Smiley Frustrated


I don't see any issue with it, you should be fine. 

 

Message 2 of 16
nicholasyud
Valued Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?

Discover 5% SHOP DISCOVER + 5% Online

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Message 3 of 16
jessicaB
Member

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?

Yeah I have a Discover It ... Just thought I would try and get 6% first. Maybe I'll buy half in gift cards and the other half with my Discover It!
Message 4 of 16
jessicaB
Member

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?

Wait. So if I buy through Shop Discover i get 10% ??? Smiley Surprised
Message 5 of 16
mongstradamus
Super Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?


@jessicaB wrote:
Wait. So if I buy through Shop Discover i get 10% ??? Smiley Surprised

yes till the end of the year , but are you using the 6% with BCP to spend the 1000 in first three months for the 250 cash back ? If it were me i would just play it safe and use the discover IT for bb purchase. I am afraid amex will pull an FR on me, but i am an bit of an scaredy cat.



EX Fico 804 11/16/16 Fako 800 Credit.com 11/16/16
EQ SW bank enhanced 11/16/16 839 CK fako 822 11/16/16
TU Fico discover 10/19/16 814 Fako 819 Creditkarma 11/16/16
Message 6 of 16
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?


@mongstradamus wrote:

@jessicaB wrote:
Wait. So if I buy through Shop Discover i get 10% ??? Smiley Surprised

yes till the end of the year , but are you using the 6% with BCP to spend the 1000 in first three months for the 250 cash back ? If it were me i would just play it safe and use the discover IT for bb purchase. I am afraid amex will pull an FR on me, but i am an bit of an scaredy cat.


Buying gift cards with the BCP is fine, especially for small amounts.  (On FT, someone was spending 10-20K a month during the uncapped period!)

So while it might be strictly against the Terms and Conditions, in reality for small amounts they will not care.

Message 7 of 16
mongstradamus
Super Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?


@longtimelurker wrote:

@mongstradamus wrote:

@jessicaB wrote:
Wait. So if I buy through Shop Discover i get 10% ??? Smiley Surprised

yes till the end of the year , but are you using the 6% with BCP to spend the 1000 in first three months for the 250 cash back ? If it were me i would just play it safe and use the discover IT for bb purchase. I am afraid amex will pull an FR on me, but i am an bit of an scaredy cat.


Buying gift cards with the BCP is fine, especially for small amounts.  (On FT, someone was spending 10-20K a month during the uncapped period!)

So while it might be strictly against the Terms and Conditions, in reality for small amounts they will not care.


Is an bit off topic but what is too much I was thinking of buying VR to pay off mortgage and cc thru bluebird. Is that stretching it with what amex would like per month at supermarkets?



EX Fico 804 11/16/16 Fako 800 Credit.com 11/16/16
EQ SW bank enhanced 11/16/16 839 CK fako 822 11/16/16
TU Fico discover 10/19/16 814 Fako 819 Creditkarma 11/16/16
Message 8 of 16
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?


@mongstradamus wrote:

@longtimelurker wrote:

@mongstradamus wrote:

@jessicaB wrote:
Wait. So if I buy through Shop Discover i get 10% ??? Smiley Surprised

yes till the end of the year , but are you using the 6% with BCP to spend the 1000 in first three months for the 250 cash back ? If it were me i would just play it safe and use the discover IT for bb purchase. I am afraid amex will pull an FR on me, but i am an bit of an scaredy cat.


Buying gift cards with the BCP is fine, especially for small amounts.  (On FT, someone was spending 10-20K a month during the uncapped period!)

So while it might be strictly against the Terms and Conditions, in reality for small amounts they will not care.


Is an bit off topic but what is too much I was thinking of buying VR to pay off mortgage and cc thru bluebird. Is that stretching it with what amex would like per month at supermarkets?


Disclaimer:  I do not represent nor have special insight into the parameters of Amex's Fraud Department!

 

There are various ways for an issuer to attempt to control "perk abuse".  One, adopted by Amex, is to simply cap the high earning category.  So with the BCP, no matter how clever the scheme, the maximum you will earn on the 6% category is $360 per year, and with the AF etc, plus swipe fees from other categories, it seems that this is acceptable and Amex is much less concerned than some other banks.   (Citi and Chase in contrast have, from time to time, closed all the cards of people they consider misusing the system they set up).

 

So while I wouldn't go and purchase $6K worth of gift cards in your first month as member, spending a few hundred from time to time should be OK.  But again, I don't represent Amex.  However, I haven't seen reports of people being shut down, because for new card members the opportunity to go wild simply isn't there.

 

Can you get VRs at your supermarket?  That's not very common, and if so, check that they accept credit card payment.  They probably do have Visa/MC gift cards which are almost as good if you can get to a walmart.

Message 9 of 16
mongstradamus
Super Contributor

Re: Buying a Best Buy gift card with BCP at grocery store?


@longtimelurker wrote:

@mongstradamus wrote:

@longtimelurker wrote:

@mongstradamus wrote:

@jessicaB wrote:
Wait. So if I buy through Shop Discover i get 10% ??? Smiley Surprised

yes till the end of the year , but are you using the 6% with BCP to spend the 1000 in first three months for the 250 cash back ? If it were me i would just play it safe and use the discover IT for bb purchase. I am afraid amex will pull an FR on me, but i am an bit of an scaredy cat.


Buying gift cards with the BCP is fine, especially for small amounts.  (On FT, someone was spending 10-20K a month during the uncapped period!)

So while it might be strictly against the Terms and Conditions, in reality for small amounts they will not care.


Is an bit off topic but what is too much I was thinking of buying VR to pay off mortgage and cc thru bluebird. Is that stretching it with what amex would like per month at supermarkets?


Disclaimer:  I do not represent nor have special insight into the parameters of Amex's Fraud Department!

 

There are various ways for an issuer to attempt to control "perk abuse".  One, adopted by Amex, is to simply cap the high earning category.  So with the BCP, no matter how clever the scheme, the maximum you will earn on the 6% category is $360 per year, and with the AF etc, plus swipe fees from other categories, it seems that this is acceptable and Amex is much less concerned than some other banks.   (Citi and Chase in contrast have, from time to time, closed all the cards of people they consider misusing the system they set up).

 

So while I wouldn't go and purchase $6K worth of gift cards in your first month as member, spending a few hundred from time to time should be OK.  But again, I don't represent Amex.  However, I haven't seen reports of people being shut down, because for new card members the opportunity to go wild simply isn't there.

 

Can you get VRs at your supermarket?  That's not very common, and if so, check that they accept credit card payment.  They probably do have Visa/MC gift cards which are almost as good if you can get to a walmart.


ooops i misspoke i was all over the place in that post. I meant for when freedom is 5% you can get those vr at an drugstore, not amex. Amex i only usually buy amazon cards at supermarket. I will play it safe for first year or so. I don't want to lose either my freedom or bcp :-)



EX Fico 804 11/16/16 Fako 800 Credit.com 11/16/16
EQ SW bank enhanced 11/16/16 839 CK fako 822 11/16/16
TU Fico discover 10/19/16 814 Fako 819 Creditkarma 11/16/16
Message 10 of 16
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