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Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....

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Open123
Super Contributor

Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....

https://www.serve.com/VZBTS25/?solid=VZBTS25&extlink=pa-us-serve-vz-bts-svfb1-201207

 

For first time Serve account holders only.  Open an account, load $25 from a credit, debit, or bank account for an instant $25 credit.  No purchase necessary, and no credit card or debit card fees.

 

Warning - Some credit cards may consider this a cash purchase.  Chase and Citi counts Serve payments as purchases.

Message 1 of 61
60 REPLIES 60
HenryJumbo
Regular Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....


@Open123 wrote:

https://www.serve.com/VZBTS25/?solid=VZBTS25&extlink=pa-us-serve-vz-bts-svfb1-201207

 

For first time Serve account holders only.  Open an account, load $25 from a credit, debit, or bank account for an instant $25 credit.  No purchase necessary, and no credit card or debit card fees.

 

Warning - Some credit cards may consider this a cash purchase.  Chase and Citi counts Serve payments as purchases.


This looks like a good deal. Can you transfer the money back into your checking account afterwards?

Starting Score: EX: 736 FAKO | TU: 757 FICO | EQ 730 FICO
Current Score: EX: 736 FAKO | TU: 750 FICO | EQ 730 FICO
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Message 2 of 61
jamesdwi
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....

seems like its rules and fee's heavy... But perhaps if you don't want to take your regular card with you or perhaps to give to a college student. 

 

 

Cards: Chase Southwest 20k & CSR 17k & CSP 10k & FNBO 30k Oregon Duck 5k, & AMEX BCP 32.5k & Amex Magnet 15k&amg; Hilton Surpass 7.5k & Delta Gold 12k & Zync NPSL, Fidelity AMEX 17k Commerce5.9k & Cash Forward 7.5k & Sams Club MC 20k, Paypal Extras MC 10k, Paypal Credit 7.25k CapOne Venture 15k, QS 2.5k, QS 750, Amazon 10k, Walmart 10k, Citi Simplicity 18k, Discover IT 23k and a nice stack of store cards.
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Message 3 of 61
Open123
Super Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....


@HenryJumbo wrote:
This looks like a good deal. Can you transfer the money back into your checking account afterwards?

There's nothing stopping you from doing that, but I wouldn't.  Serve will issue you a warning or shut down your account if they think you're using it circumvent credit card cash advance charges.

 

You might be better off taking it out directly from an ATM.  The first ATM transaction of every month is free.

 

Message 4 of 61
Open123
Super Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....


@jamesdwi wrote:

seems like its rules and fee's heavy... But perhaps if you don't want to take your regular card with you or perhaps to give to a college student. 

 

 


There's certainly rules, but credit card and debit card charge fees have been waived until 2013.  As far as I'm aware of, there is no fee to pay another person, or the 1st ATM transaction per month.

 

For instance, buy a gift card from a supermarket with the BCP for 6%.  Load the gift card onto serve and spend as wherever Amex is accepted.  Many creative ways to use the service, such as send money from your smart phone, etc...

 

Message 5 of 61
scarrollprint
Frequent Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....


@jamesdwi wrote:

seems like its rules and fee's heavy... But perhaps if you don't want to take your regular card with you or perhaps to give to a college student. 

 

 


I looked at the site and didn't really see anything that would make it fee heavy....

 

no fees to use - or at least none really listed.

 

If you going to fill it via a credit card then I guess the cash advance might not make it worth while but then again I don't see the point in using a CC to do something like that.

 

I'm going to open up a card just to get the free $25. When restaurants do a "buy a $100 gift card for only $75" and its a place I go to often I do the same thing, only I give the card to myself. I look at it as a reward for being a loyal customer.

 



Current: Eq- 624 Ex - 631 (lender pulled) TU - 661 (lender pulled)
Goal 700+ across all three
Message 6 of 61
Open123
Super Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....


@scarrollprint wrote:

If you going to fill it via a credit card then I guess the cash advance might not make it worth while but then again I don't see the point in using a CC to do something like that.

 

I'm going to open up a card just to get the free $25. When restaurants do a "buy a $100 gift card for only $75" and its a place I go to often I do the same thing, only I give the card to myself. I look at it as a reward for being a loyal customer.

 


I know that Chase and Citi do not consider this a cash advance, but counts it as a regular purchase with full points.  Amex will not consider it as a cash advance, but will not count it towards a spend requirement.

 

For credit cards, the maximum load per day is $100 with a maximum of $250 per month.  However, this limit is raised to $1,000 per day and $2,500 for a debit card.  For example, let's say one were creative and enterprising (not advising anyone to do this), and needed some help in meeting a spending requirement.  Buy gift cards at office supply or supermarkets (5% office cards and supermarket bonus cards) and load them onto serve.  After a few days, Serve will classify gift cards under the debit card category with the higher limits.

 

Use it as an Amex.  Pay someone with your cell.  Or send money to a friend or take out some cash at an ATM.

 

Note - there's always an element of risk in arbitrage.  Please understand the process and its risks and rewards before using as referenced above.  While one is free to withdrawl money from an ATM or transfer directly to a deposit account, there are better ways to use the Serve funds account, such as "send" the money to a spouse, friend, or relative.

 

Message 7 of 61
trumpet-205
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....

I have Serve account before. I use the card once for my AT&T bill ($5) every month just so its not for simply "credit card cash advance".

 

Serve really need a better website; constant slowdown on its website.

Message 8 of 61
Autumnslight
Frequent Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....

This is the first sort of prepaid card that I might actually consider getting. The fact that it's by Amex is a huge factor, as I actually trust them. It seems like a new option similar to using Paypal's "personal payment" feature too, so that might be useful. I'm definitely going to look into this further.
Scores:
07/29/12: EX FICO (Amex) 684 | EQ MyFICO 631 | TU Walmart 695
Current: EX FICO (MyFICO) 733 | EQ (MyFICO) 683 | TU (Walmart) 745

First Goal: 700+ across the board - Got it on EX & TU!!!
Message 9 of 61
trumpet-205
Valued Contributor

Re: Amex Serve - Load $25 for instant $25 bonus....


@Autumnslight wrote:
This is the first sort of prepaid card that I might actually consider getting. The fact that it's by Amex is a huge factor, as I actually trust them. It seems like a new option similar to using Paypal's "personal payment" feature too, so that might be useful. I'm definitely going to look into this further.

Serve is designed to compete against PayPal.

 

Message 10 of 61
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