Elan Max Cash Preferred & PayPal Bill Pay

cws-21 · ‎04-06-2023

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.

ocheosa · ‎04-06-2023

@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

[4/26] Scores 8/9: 800s. Util: ≤ 1%. AoOA: 18.9y, AoYA: 4m. New Acct: 1/12, 2/24. Inq/12: EQ 0, EX 1, TU 0.
TCL $738.5K: Personal $597.5K, Business $141K.

Anonymous · ‎04-06-2023

@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!

ocheosa · ‎04-06-2023

@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.]

[4/26] Scores 8/9: 800s. Util: ≤ 1%. AoOA: 18.9y, AoYA: 4m. New Acct: 1/12, 2/24. Inq/12: EQ 0, EX 1, TU 0.
TCL $738.5K: Personal $597.5K, Business $141K.

cws-21 · ‎04-07-2023

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.

ocheosa · ‎04-07-2023

@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!

[4/26] Scores 8/9: 800s. Util: ≤ 1%. AoOA: 18.9y, AoYA: 4m. New Acct: 1/12, 2/24. Inq/12: EQ 0, EX 1, TU 0.
TCL $738.5K: Personal $597.5K, Business $141K.

K-in-Boston · ‎04-07-2023

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.

Anonymous · ‎04-07-2023

@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.

K-in-Boston · ‎04-07-2023

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.

Anonymous · ‎04-07-2023

@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!