RIP Bluebird/Serve
Serve and SoftServe and Bluebird cardholders just got an email sent out stating that they can no longer add funds to the prepaid card due to unusual usage patterns.
The email was sent out to anyone who has been manufacturing spend on the card. Those who have not used it at all (or used it sparingly, presumably) did not get any such email.
For the most part, both those who did just online loads or just in-store loads or both – all got the shutdown email. And even those who have not used it recently. Newer accounts have not (yet?) gotten shutdown for the most part.
This will affect both loading in store at Walmart, Rite Aid, etc, and loading online with a credit or debit card, or even loading online with a bank account. This is what I got when trying to do a credit card load and a bank account load (initiated from the Serve account):
Questions
- Can I load funds with a credit card or debit card? No.
- Can I load funds with a bank account (load initiated from my prepaid card)? No.
- Can I load funds at Walmart, Rite Aid, etc? No.
- Can we still use the card for purchases, bill payments, or withdrawals? Yes, it’s pretty clear in the email that way and I tested it out as well.
- Can we still send money between Serve/Bluebird accounts? Yes, this works (both ways).
- Can we still use the card for Amex Offers? Yes, no reason why that won’t work. The only hurdle is getting funds on the card to be able to make the purchase.
- Can we still ACH-push money from a bank account onto the prepaid card? Unknown. If it works, it will be very useful for Amex Offers.
- Will Amex eventually shut down the account completely or can I use it for Amex Offers indefinitely? Unkown. It doesn’t sound like they are shutting it down soon, but they do say: “Once your balance reaches $0, please close your Account online via your Profile page accessible here. Scroll down to the Close Account section and click “Close Account.”
- Can I close this account and open another one? Unknown. If this works, it would be very useful for the sake of Amex Offers since we’d be able to load funds in non-MS ways and keep using the cards for Amex Offers. It would also be useful for the 5% off at Target for those who don’t have/want a Target credit or debit REDcard.
What’s Left?
How to liquidate Visa and Mastercard debit/gift cards now?
- The GoBank card. It does have a $3k monthly limit though (see more here and here), and at some points in time, they were shutting down accounts as well for heavy usage.
- There may be other prepaid cards that can be loaded in Walmart.
- Kmart bill-pay.
- Buy money orders.
- Spend it down with regular purchases.
Definitely a huge hit for the hobby. It was fun while it lasted.
RIP Bluebird/Serve
View Comments (105)
My serve was 'shut down' a while back, it still works but I can't loan $ with a credit card or debit card. I want to do a 'direct deposit' to Santander Bank, do you know if I can deposit a check to my Serve account, then then do a 'withdrawal' to my Santander Bank, so that it will be a direct deposit. Do you know if this will work? Or is there a better way or any way to accomplish this?
Thanks,
Lea
Not sure sorry
Assuming yours is shut down the same as mine is then - no you can't direct deposit money into it. Only way to get money there is to send from another Serve card (e.g. from a friend).
Ok, thanks.have you tried to deposit a check via the mobile app?
Once I have $ in the account, how do I 'direct deposit' to Santander? By linking my Santander account and withdrawing $ to the account?
Thanks.
OneVIP shutdown today. It was open since November. Sounds like the second wave of shutdowns has begun.
I have my Bluebird Acct still. In fact, 2 days ago, I was able to load a little bit of money on it wiht my bank card. They also just sent me checks as well.
So Perhaps they are just trying to trim the Fat a little bit.
Hmmm... I was wondering if this could be FICO score related... I mean they say that this card is made for low income users, I would think if you have a high FICO, they would know your not low income for sure... AMEX started giving you your core every month on some cards... so I feel like that may be a common link...
Got hit with 4.95 maintenance fee. Emptied account and closed. As it is I never got any good offers on this card and why would I pay any maintenence fee on card that is just not gonna work.
Isn't it supposed to be $1 a month? Why is yours more?
It was softserve.
I've had this card for 2 years now, since Walmart introduced it shortly after starting Walmart's Savings Catcher program started. My only purpose for the card at the time was just for Savings Catcher because Walmart and Amex partnered with each other, Savings Catcher and the BlueBird Card.
Back then, the promo was if you got the card, and you scanned your Walmart receipts for Savings Catcher, you received double the Savings catcher dollars if you transferred them to BlueBird. The relationship worked VERY well. In just over a year's time, I was able to net a combined total of $230.
Now the promo is over for double the Savings Catcher dollars, but I'm still able to transfer my Savings Catcher Dollars to the BlueBird Card.
Did anyone else reap benefits with this previous promo?
does the walmart' SC work on Serve card?
How does one use the send money feature on bb?
The P2P send that was mentioned that is now blocked is different from sending money back and forth from the same network. The latter continue to work sending money from an active account to a dead account which I've done several times since 1/9.
For anyone that got their Serve shut down have you tried to transfer money from your bank account to Serve to see if the transfer goes through? If this works wouldn't that waive the $1 monthly fee for the time being? Have you tried to remove the linked bank account and add a different one?
I would highly recommend staying away from gobank. I opened an account the other day with a $100 debit card deposit. They closed the account before I could even use it and my $100 is no where to be seen. When you call any of the customer service numbers they just say this account has been closed, you can not open any more green dot accounts, goodbye. There is no way to get a person on the phone. They stole $100 from me.
I and my wife have two gobank accounts for over 2 years. Load 3K each account each month and never have any issue. I believes that gobank like $500 or more. Do not use $100 or $200 VGCs if you wants to avoid shutdown.
I usually keeps at least $500 balance anytime so gobank might think I am still a good customer.
By the way, both gobank accounts are grandfathered. No $8.95 monthly fee attached.
The only thing I can think of, of where your money may have possibly went, is if you had any of their other green dot family of cards and there was moniey owed on it. There are dozens of brands that utilize the Green dot system to service, underwrite & operate the cards. They may have closed the account and reallocated those funds to any of those other cards.
Some say it's impossible to owe money on these cards. It is possible, although not as common a you would think. An example would be if you went to a restaurant or other Tip based establishment. If you had $40 on the card for the meal, then the merchant runs the initial authorization for the $40. The merchant gets the authorization, then you can still indicate a tip. If the final amount goes above and beyond the available funds on the card, you could put the card into a negative balance situation. There are some Cards that will not allow usage at certain types of establishments. There are plenty of pre-paid cards that do not allow use at Gas stations, at least at the pump, because of how open ended the initial $1 authorization can easily turn into a $60 liability. This leaves these cards open to potential abuse. So the card would require you to pre-pay for gas.
Assuming this is the only card within the Green Dot family that you've signed up for and funded. More than likely, since the card has been closed, you will probably receive a check in the mail for the $100 within the next 30 - 60 days from the date of account closure since you said there were no transactions on the account. However, I have not looked at the T&C's for this particular card to find out exactly when a cardholder can expect a refund. If I were you, I would look at their T&C's and find out what the time period is for receiving a refund from an account that has been closed.
I would call back and talk to someone again. Make sure you call from a different phone number than what is on your account, so the system doesn't automatically pull you up and fwd your info to the rep. Blocking your number and calling an 800 number doesn't work, as most 800-numbers are able to unblock your number. Chances are you will talk to someone in another country. When you do, ask for an American/US Rep. If they refuse or are unable to transfer you to one, ask for supervisor who should then be able to either transfer you or have at least more access to the system/account than the 1st rep, provide you more info, and perhaps maybe request a refund sooner than later, since the process is generally automated, once they see there are no transactions on the account. Whatever you do, Do NOT provide or verify any of your account details to anyone, more specifically the 1st person you speak with. Only provide more details about yourself to someone on the phone that can at least give you more info about what happened & why; Or at minimum, when you can expect your money back. Make sure you ask the person you speak to if they are able to access a closed account. If you are able to get the right person on the phoen who can get into the account, you can may be able to get your money back sooner. It will probably not be the 1st person you speak to. Most Frontline reps (1st person you get on the phone) are unable to do anything beyond pull up basic info enough to verify it's you and the account status. Depending on the account Status, depends if they will have access to the account. They will more than likely not be able to do anything other than transfer you, which is why it's important NOT to verify your info.
If the terms for receiving a refund are not outlined in the T&C, GENERALLY, when a Pre-paid card, or any credit card for that matter, is closed and it has a credit balance, they are legally allowed to hold onto those funds for up to 60 Calendar Days from either the date of:
1. Account closure or
2. The date of the last transaction that generated a pre-authorization or
3. The date the last transaction settled (posted) to the account.
After this time frame they are required to process a refund. Once the credit balance is submitted for a refund, generally most issuers may take up to 2-4 weeks to process the refund and send out a check. The major banks will submit and issue a refund that will be sent out within a week.
The 60 day rule comes from the rules of engagement for merchants to be able to settle a transaction to submit for capture (transfer) of funds from your account to theirs. Once they have that initial pre-authorization, a merchant legally has up to 60 days from the date of initial authorization to settle the transaction. After this date, they are SOL.
Generally, most pre-auth transactions that are submitted for settlement are honored, regardless of account balance at the time of settlement both for debit and credit accounts, at the time the transaction settles. Doesn't matter if it's 7 days or 7 weeks.
There are certain transactions, that depending on the method used for processing used by the merchant at the time of the Pre-Auth, they legally have up to 180 days or 6 months from the date of the pre-auth to submit the transaction for settlement and still get paid. When you close an account, the person who is handling the closure looks for both types/methods of processed/processing transactions. However, the 1st/primary method of processing is used on over 90% of all transaction processing.
Card issuers/banks utilize this 60 day safety net to prevent a potential liability for them.
Many horror stories like this with Go Bank. According to many, they use anti-fraud/MS measures as a license to steal. Safer and more enjoyable to stick your tongue in an electrical outlet.