New Round Of American Express Serve & Bluebird Shutdowns

Today I’ve heard from a few readers that American Express has shut down their Serve/Bluebird accounts. This is the first of shut downs this year (but had three last year MayOctober, November). The difference between these and previous shut downs is previously they just restricted loading your account, whereas now they are permanently suspending access to your account.

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iHateRATS
iHateRATS (@guest_1282651)
November 13, 2021 08:39

Have you heard of them shutting down customers’ credit cards?

I was “permanently suspended” for what must have been something that I did almost 2 yrs ago. LOL OK. I haven’t MS since COVID. I only load via CC (which THEY allow), and I very rarely do that. I did so recently, though. I wouldn’t care about the shutdown, but I just made my AMEX CC my primary CC and I’m concerned that they’ll shut my CC down. Have they been known to do that?

How do you talk to a rep without having the system hang up on you? So rude! This is really the part that p!sses me off the most!

Did anyone get their Serve or Bluebird cards reopened?

Uri
Uri (@guest_1191943)
May 15, 2021 20:00

Apologies for being maybe a bit off topic.. If I open bb or serve, load it with gc, then use it for organic spend – insurance payment, utilities, and so on… Am I going to be at risk of shutdown? If not, then is one better than the other? (bb vs serve).. Closest Walmart to me is like 45min away… NYC….

Iks
Iks (@guest_1146797)
February 18, 2021 13:49

 Chuck  William Charles My BB Visa was shut down today. I received an email saying my account has been permanently suspended for violating Section 11(b) of the Bluebird Deposit Account Agreement. I am unable to access my account via mobile and desktop. When I call the number on the back of my card, the automated system tells me my account is suspended and then automatically disconnects the call so it is not possible to speak to an agent. I just finished submitting a CFPB complaint to get my money back. I was averaging about 3k per month and primarily 2 x 200 loads. I setup trial deposits yesterday to link my external bank account which may have put eyes on my BBV account.

Eric C.
Eric C. (@guest_1152301)
March 1, 2021 01:48

Iks Is it easy to get the BB Visa card? If you were shutdown from BB/Serve from back in the 2016 ban days is it hard to obtain the BB Visa card? Like are they SSN banning people during application process? Just looking to obtain one to use for emergencies.

Iks
Iks (@guest_1152305)
March 1, 2021 02:22

No issues. Instant approval.

iHateRATS
iHateRATS (@guest_1282657)
November 13, 2021 08:49

Whatever happened? Did you get your acct reopened? I was just browsing your posts to see if you posted an update and I noticed that you have AMEX credit cards. So, I’m assuming that they never closed your credit cards or warned you that they may be closed? That’s what worries me the most.

Iks
Iks (@guest_1282860)
November 13, 2021 16:59

I got my BBV account reopened. No other issues or warnings.

Lynn Migliori
Lynn Migliori (@guest_1136672)
January 31, 2021 13:42

My bb acct was permanately suspended this week also with 1800 on.called and they want a letter of indemity from unemployment that unemployment doesnt provide.I am writing them a demand letter waiting 30 days then will proceed with arbitration at thier expense of $4000

dan
dan (@guest_1136749)
January 31, 2021 16:25

Lynn Migliori did u get a notif email? if so, any particular reason(s)?

Iks
Iks (@guest_1147078)
February 18, 2021 19:18

i received one – see above. unlike the amex version, seems like it’s not possible to reach someone via phone number on back of visa card once permanently suspended. this sucks as i have no way of confirming the return of my funds so i notified CFPB.

dan
dan (@guest_1147555)
February 19, 2021 14:50

Iks u should eventually receive a check with the remaining balance; filing with CFPB may help expedite it, but not sure they would allow u to access the acct

Iks
Iks (@guest_1147570)
February 19, 2021 15:09

Thanks! Do you know approx how long it takes to receive the check? I heard some people were told to write a letter and send it via physical mail in order to get their money back. Sounds shady, perhaps even illegal?

dan
dan (@guest_1147584)
February 19, 2021 15:32

as u already filed with CFPB, that may likely be fastest to get ur $ back

so, other than doing or attempting ACHs xfer, did u do various bills pay each month?

Iks
Iks (@guest_1147592)
February 19, 2021 15:54

I paid credit card bills occasionally and used with Venmo to pay others back. Nothing excessive. I honestly think it was the attempted ACH trial deposits that did me in though. My external bank shows my middle initial whereas BB does not so that could trigger an alert for mismatched account names. If I’m not mistaken, these shut downs typically happen in massive waves, but it seems like I’m the only one.

dan
dan (@guest_1147602)
February 19, 2021 16:09

a HH member has the amex BB, still survive after 1 yr (hopefully not speaking too soon) loading the max monthly & paying bills, but no ACH

how long did u have that visa BB acct?

Iks
Iks (@guest_1147612)
February 19, 2021 16:26

2.5 months lol. And not even coming close to maxing the 5k limit. 3k ave and primarily 200s. Maybe they dislike smaller loading denominations?

Iks
Iks (@guest_1147073)
February 18, 2021 19:14

amex version of bb?

Alyssa N Bruce
Alyssa N Bruce (@guest_1190958)
May 13, 2021 21:35

im having the same exsact issue as well in ketucky did you ever find out a resolution its been 2 months and im still without my money and they are not doing shit about it and wont tell me shit.

Justanother dude
Justanother dude (@guest_1224364)
July 18, 2021 10:44

How did they end up resolving this?

Gregory Anderson
Gregory Anderson (@guest_1301659)
December 17, 2021 16:14

Did you resolve this yet? I was shutdown today. About $2400 gone!

Ashok Pareek
Ashok Pareek (@guest_1093399)
November 17, 2020 23:36

Hello ALL – Suddenly this weekend after loading my serve cards of family members i am unable to transfer money out of them to my serve card. None of the cards are shutdown . no emails , load works and i am able to login and modify any details. However everytime i attempt a transfer money it says . We are experience technical difficulties at this time
try again later.. anyone had that before what seems to be the issue here , is it safe to call customer service

Thanks

karen lynn michaud
karen lynn michaud (@guest_1086476)
November 7, 2020 13:10

I have been a customer of BB for 10 years. I have all 4 of my kids on the family account. My 18 year old daughter began claiming unemployment when the pandemix hit as well as my son. I ahd no idea that because they were not primry they could not receive this money ACH. My sons unemployment discontinued when he went back to work so this ended way prior to July. July 25 I get up to a suspended account. Now my daughter was saving for months to get her first car, that same weekend she had a car ready to buy. I have talked to agents, all told me a different story. I ahve taked to supervisors that say although there is over 4000 in the account. They say I have to get a letter of indemity from unemployment and they will return the funds to them as they are the original depositor, I have been n the phone with unemployment numerous times they said they do not send that type of letter to anyone. That bb would need to simply return the funds to them and they would dispurse it back to my daughter on a DUA card. BB wil not do this. so i can not help but think they intend to keep that money. I would think unemploymet would want thier money back and at this point if BB returned it and it did not come bacl to us I am fine with that. But just letting it go and giving momey to some company that has agents in all countries does not givve me a warm fuzzy feeling. Anyone have any idea of what I can do to at least have these crooks send the fudns back to the original depositor?

Alyssa N Bruce
Alyssa N Bruce (@guest_1190962)
May 13, 2021 21:39

i have the same problem and they will not do anything to give my money bck and they have my sisters who was an joint holder but due to she couldmnt have deposits we used the primary account not to mention i have poa over her did u ever get a resolution?

joe mama
joe mama (@guest_1077381)
October 22, 2020 04:10

but Y

Amanda Evans
Amanda Evans (@guest_1001761)
June 21, 2020 22:44

My serve account got shut down with $1,300 still in it. It says my account is permanently suspended and that I will mo longer have any access to the account. Does anyone have any idea how I can get my money off of my account

Samosa
Samosa (@guest_1009723)
July 4, 2020 13:01

I think they will send you a check. Few months ago P2’s BB got shutdown with $0.12 in it. They mailed a check.

dan
dan (@guest_1009736)
July 4, 2020 13:32

so, now once BB & Serve acct is shutdown or loading is suspended, can’t even login or access?

Samosa
Samosa (@guest_1009750)
July 4, 2020 14:21

Dan this is what happened to P2. No online access. onnce BB was shutdown. dan

dan
dan (@guest_1009751)
July 4, 2020 14:25

wow, the new co. handles it differently than amex

Samosa
Samosa (@guest_1018389)
July 17, 2020 15:09

Amanda Evans did you get your money?

Amanda Evans
Amanda Evans (@guest_1019383)
July 20, 2020 02:27

No I never did. The really messed up thing is that I get weekly texts from BB telling me just how much money I have in the account, yet I can not access it and when I called they said that they return the money to the original sender but its been 2 months and it is still in my account and they will not give it to me

Samosa
Samosa (@guest_1024853)
July 28, 2020 10:11

Amanda Evans You may have some work to do but they can’t just keep your money. Don’t let them do that. Keep in mind that CSRs are generally out-sourced reps working from another country, they may not be very knowledgeable and may not have powers beyond a certain point. Here is what I would do;

1. take screenshots of those text messages. that’s your proof they still have your money.
2. ask them to transfer you to the supervisor, try to resolve the situation politely but if the conversation seem to go nowhere, threaten them with a CFPB-complain, going to court etc.
3. If #2 doesn’t work, send them a demand letter alongwith screenshots of those texts and any additional proofs that they have your money.
4. File CFPB complaint.

AFAIK, there are no legal grounds for them to rob you from your money. They are hoping that you would just go quiet since you did some shady re-loads (which is not true if you bought GCs with your own CC and loaded them onto Srv).

Lastly, may I ask what they meant by “they return the money to the original sender”? Assuming you did GC loads, there is no sender, and the texts you receive is a proof that they have your money.

please keep us updated.

Samosa
Samosa (@guest_1024877)
July 28, 2020 10:35

Amanda Evans My above comment is no longer editable, I just want to declare I have no background in US law, so obviously everyone including you shouldn’t take my above comment as a legal advice, its just a personal opinion.

dan
dan (@guest_1024876)
July 28, 2020 10:34

Amanda Evans do what Samosa has suggested; hope CFPB will help get ur $ back; if not, do a small claims court or i have a name who previously helped me won a case against bank unfair denial on contingent basis

Samosa
Samosa (@guest_1032688)
August 8, 2020 18:28

Amanda Evans Any updates? I hope you got your money back!

scott
scott (@guest_907635)
February 13, 2020 10:03

Looks like I survived. I’ve been loading several thousand a month to my Serve card since last summer. I have a Bluebird as a backup in case the Serve gets closed.

John
John (@guest_907112)
February 12, 2020 18:11

I am unable to pay Chase Credit Card since they updated the payments in December. Only option is Chase Commercial Card, so that kind of stinks now with these.