topic Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay in Credit Cards

Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

cws-21 — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 02:00:32 GMT

Has anyone successfully used their Elan Max Cash Preferred, selected for utilities, with PayPal Bill Pay and earned 5% cash back? Thank you in advance.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

ocheosa — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 02:44:40 GMT

@cws-21 Yes, I have the bank of ca mc and used it for my water bill without issue. You can always just try a $10-25 test charge to verify. My cashback earned is displayed the day after the charge posts on the rewards and benefits tab, summary page (Rewards Earned Since Last Statement $xx.xx). Of course it will not be available until after the statement cuts but at least you will know one way or the other in a timely manner.

Merchant Category: 04900; UTILITIES-ELEC/GAS/HEATING OIL/SANITARY/WATER

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 03:03:47 GMT

@ocheosa wrote:
@cws-21 Yes, I have the bank of ca mc and used it for my water bill without issue. You can always just try a $10-25 test charge to verify. My cashback earned is displayed the day after the charge posts on the rewards and benefits tab, summary page (Rewards Earned Since Last Statement $xx.xx). Of course it will not be available until after the statement cuts but at least you will know one way or the other in a timely manner.

Merchant Category: 04900; UTILITIES-ELEC/GAS/HEATING OIL/SANITARY/WATER

Just to verify, you have checked this since 1/1/23? It was working up till then for me!

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

ocheosa — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 04:51:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@ocheosa wrote:
@cws-21 Yes, I have the bank of ca mc and used it for my water bill without issue. You can always just try a $10-25 test charge to verify. My cashback earned is displayed the day after the charge posts on the rewards and benefits tab, summary page (Rewards Earned Since Last Statement $xx.xx). Of course it will not be available until after the statement cuts but at least you will know one way or the other in a timely manner.

Merchant Category: 04900; UTILITIES-ELEC/GAS/HEATING OIL/SANITARY/WATER
Just to verify, you have checked this since 1/1/23? It was working up till then for me!

@Anonymous , my last payment was in December. I currently have large credit balances on all utility accounts but will add another $10 and come back with results. [eta Bill pay isn't working. Will try again tomorrow.]

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

cws-21 — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 12:36:28 GMT

Thanks, @Anonymous and @ocheosa. I appreciate your posts and @ocheosa's "for science" upcoming payment. The most important reason that I would be getting the Max Cash Preferred is for utilities so I want to make sure that it works through PayPal Bill Pay.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

ocheosa — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 19:10:49 GMT

@cws-21 wrote:
Thanks, @Anonymous and @ocheosa. I appreciate your posts and @ocheosa's "for science" upcoming payment. The most important reason that I would be getting the Max Cash Preferred is for utilities so I want to make sure that it works through PayPal Bill Pay.

@cws-21 Happy to assist. Having as many DPs as possible is important to us all. I was finally able to get the test payment through. It wasnt going through at first so I had to remove then add the vendor again. Noted the initial $0.01 PayPal authorization charge had a different category (miscellaneous and specialty retail stores). The actual $25 Water Co is the same as prior charges (utility category). I'm curious to see how this plays out. If I don't get the full 5% I plan to call and see if some glitch is making the system code it as miscellaneous instead of utility.

I had an issue recently when what I expected would be a Dept Store charge actually coded as Variety Stores. I was told it wasn't PayPal that altered the category but the 3rd party vendor was identified as Variety Stores so I only earned 1%. I can't see that happening with a utility company. The reward department will easily be able to verify that is was a payment to a utility company.

Will follow up as soon as it posts. Wishing all a good holiday weekend!

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

K-in-Boston — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 21:05:01 GMT

I don't have the card in question, but I do have the US Bank Cash+ which is essentially the same card with a different branding. I've been using PP Bill Pay with it for a little while now since I learned that PP passes through the correct MCC and it's been working for Utilities with electric, gas, and water bills. (I love not having to pay the CC convenience fees or feeling compelled to pay $600 for each bill every time I have a non-negative bill to maximize cash back after that fee!) I just confimed that I earned $90-something in cash back on the last statement from US Bank with all of those charges still triggering the 5% utilities category.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 21:07:19 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
I don't have the card in question, but I do have the US Bank Cash+ which is essentially the same card with a different branding. I've been using PP Bill Pay with it for a little while now since I learned that PP passes through the correct MCC and it's been working for Utilities with electric, gas, and water bills. (I love not having to pay the CC convenience fees or feeling compelled to pay $600 for each bill every time I have a non-negative bill to maximize cash back after that fee!) I just confimed that I earned $90-something in cash back on the last statement from US Bank with all of those charges still triggering the 5% utilities category.

@K-in-Boston The issue is that for some us Cash+ does work in 2023, whereas MaxCash doesn't (it did in 2022). My MaxCash is an MC which might be an additional issue I guess.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

K-in-Boston — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 21:19:42 GMT

Ah, that is indeed a pickle. Hopefully the store brand socks issue gets straightened out then. The MCC for gas, electric, water and sewer is 4900 for both Visa and MC. So the MC transactions are not being shown on statements as Utilities, or just not triggering the extra 4%?

I'm still annoyed that Verizon FIOS (in city of Boston at least; this differs elsewhere) comes up as Calls Placed Through Magnetic Stripe-Reading Phones for US Bank.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

Anonymous — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 22:01:40 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
Ah, that is indeed a pickle. Hopefully the store brand socks issue gets straightened out then. The MCC for gas, electric, water and sewer is 4900 for both Visa and MC. So the MC transactions are not being shown on statements as Utilities, or just not triggering the extra 4%?

I'm still annoyed that Verizon FIOS (in city of Boston at least; this differs elsewhere) comes up as Calls Placed Through Magnetic Stripe-Reading Phones for US Bank.

This is also for FiOS. I paid $200 to VZ Fios in Nov (via paypal billpay) and got $10 rewards. Did the same in Jan and got $2. Both show as 04814 and yes, "CALLS THROUGH USE OF MAGNETIC STRIPE - READING TELEPHONES" so Paypil Billpay does get the right MCC

ETA: this took ages to post as I had to transcribe it onto magnetic tape and put it through the special telephone. And I thought FiOS was meant to be fast!

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

ocheosa — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 23:52:22 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
Ah, that is indeed a pickle. Hopefully the store brand socks issue gets straightened out then. The MCC for gas, electric, water and sewer is 4900 for both Visa and MC. So the MC transactions are not being shown on statements as Utilities, or just not triggering the extra 4%?

I'm still annoyed that Verizon FIOS (in city of Boston at least; this differs elsewhere) comes up as Calls Placed Through Magnetic Stripe-Reading Phones for US Bank.
This is also for FiOS. I paid $200 to VZ Fios in Nov (via paypal billpay) and got $10 rewards. Did the same in Jan and got $2. Both show as 04814 and yes, "CALLS THROUGH USE OF MAGNETIC STRIPE - READING TELEPHONES" so Paypil Billpay does get the right MCC

ETA: this took ages to post as I had to transcribe it onto magnetic tape and put it through the special telephone. And I thought FiOS was meant to be fast!

@Anonymous 04814 is the same code used for sprint/tmobile. I have the cell phone category on my 2nd MCP and I've received 5% cb this year without issue. Of course I have my account set to auto pay from the card so there is no PayPal middleman. My set up:

Bank of CA MCP MC=Utilities and Dept Stores

Valley MCP Visa=Cell Phones and Dept Stores

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

Anonymous — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 01:10:12 GMT

@ocheosa wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
Ah, that is indeed a pickle. Hopefully the store brand socks issue gets straightened out then. The MCC for gas, electric, water and sewer is 4900 for both Visa and MC. So the MC transactions are not being shown on statements as Utilities, or just not triggering the extra 4%?

I'm still annoyed that Verizon FIOS (in city of Boston at least; this differs elsewhere) comes up as Calls Placed Through Magnetic Stripe-Reading Phones for US Bank.
This is also for FiOS. I paid $200 to VZ Fios in Nov (via paypal billpay) and got $10 rewards. Did the same in Jan and got $2. Both show as 04814 and yes, "CALLS THROUGH USE OF MAGNETIC STRIPE - READING TELEPHONES" so Paypil Billpay does get the right MCC

ETA: this took ages to post as I had to transcribe it onto magnetic tape and put it through the special telephone. And I thought FiOS was meant to be fast!
@Anonymous 04814 is the same code used for sprint/tmobile. I have the cell phone category on my 2nd MCP and I've received 5% cb this year without issue. Of course I have my account set to auto pay from the card so there is no PayPal middleman. My set up:
Bank of CA MCP MC=Utilities and Dept Stores
Valley MCP Visa=Cell Phones and Dept Stores

Interesting. It does show up as the magnetic stripe thing in the the description, but that could provide a simple explanation for the behavior I saw. I think that in 4Q 2022 my categories were Streaming/Internet and Cell Phones. In 2023 I dropped Cell phones as a category. If FiOS was really coding as cell phone rather than internet that would explain why 5% no longer works. I thought I had tried FiOS with cell phone coding before and it didn't work, but probably I was wrong

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

K-in-Boston — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 01:28:13 GMT

FIOS around us codes as cell phone with Amex (I get a $10 statement credit monthly with Biz Platinum), so that would make sense that it might also trigger Cell Phone with others. Users in some other geographic areas have had success with it getting pegged (correctly) as Internet.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

markbeiser — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 08:54:44 GMT

I guess I'm fortunate that none of my utilities charge a fee for auto-paying with a CC, as I never have to deal with this sort of problem.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

UncleB — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 19:48:05 GMT

For what it's worth, AT&T landline also codes as 4814 and triggers the 5% on the Cash+ for the cell phone category.

Notably, AT&T Fixed Wireless codes as 4899, which is the same as cable/satellite TV, Netflix, etc. So that one goes to my Savor MC, since it triggers the entertainment/streaming category (4%). I take the 1% loss to free-up another 5% category on a Cash+.

So much trial-and-error with figuring this stuff out, but for 5% back it's worth it!

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

yoda42 — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 00:22:21 GMT

I paid a gas bill via PPBP without issues and got the 5% on my Elan (Visa) card. The MCC is correct with "Merchant Category
UTILITIES-ELEC/GAS/HEATING OIL/SANITARY/WATER". I know it is 5% as the rewards summary has "

Rewards Earned Since Last Statement" as the 5% value plus a $10 credit from insurance bill from Frebruary. :-)

Bill was charged on 04/04.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

ocheosa — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 11:21:46 GMT

@cws-21 , 5% rewards posted this morning. @longtime_lurker , may want to give a call to rewards department to find out what happened? Rewards Center at 888-229-8864

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

cws-21 — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 12:51:49 GMT

Thanks for all the posts and information, @ocheosa. They have helped a lot and I feel more confident applying for the Max Cash Preferred a bit later in the year.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

credit8502020 — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:27:07 GMT

@K-in-Boston wrote:
Ah, that is indeed a pickle. Hopefully the store brand socks issue gets straightened out then. The MCC for gas, electric, water and sewer is 4900 for both Visa and MC. So the MC transactions are not being shown on statements as Utilities, or just not triggering the extra 4%?

I'm still annoyed that Verizon FIOS (in city of Boston at least; this differs elsewhere) comes up as Calls Placed Through Magnetic Stripe-Reading Phones for US Bank.

@K-in-Boston Hi! I wanted to check in to see if you wouldn't mind sharing where you're getting the most cash back for your Verizon Fios spend. I'm dealing with the same issue. It's coding as 04814 and not allowing 5% for TV internet category on my Elan card.

Re: Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

credit8502020 — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 00:31:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@K-in-Boston wrote:
Ah, that is indeed a pickle. Hopefully the store brand socks issue gets straightened out then. The MCC for gas, electric, water and sewer is 4900 for both Visa and MC. So the MC transactions are not being shown on statements as Utilities, or just not triggering the extra 4%?

I'm still annoyed that Verizon FIOS (in city of Boston at least; this differs elsewhere) comes up as Calls Placed Through Magnetic Stripe-Reading Phones for US Bank.
This is also for FiOS. I paid $200 to VZ Fios in Nov (via paypal billpay) and got $10 rewards. Did the same in Jan and got $2. Both show as 04814 and yes, "CALLS THROUGH USE OF MAGNETIC STRIPE - READING TELEPHONES" so Paypil Billpay does get the right MCC

ETA: this took ages to post as I had to transcribe it onto magnetic tape and put it through the special telephone. And I thought FiOS was meant to be fast!

@Anonymous Thank you for sharing these details. I've never used Paypal Bill Pay so I want to make sure I understand how this is done properly to still get 5% for your Verizon Internet bill. Mine is currently coding as 04814 and not allowing 5% for TV internet category on my Elan card. So do I setup Paypal Billpay and use my Credit Card to pay the Elan Bill through Paypal? I just want to make sure there are no specific instructions I need to follow. Were you using an Elan Card or a card from US Bank?

I'm a bit confused though...you said you did the same in January and got $2...by the same are you referring to using your Elan card and only getting 1%?

Thank you in advance.