RIP: The End of Serve & Bluebird & SoftServe for Manufactured Spend + What’s Left

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.

Screen Shot 2016-01-08 at 11.00.17 AM

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):

Screen Shot 2016-01-08 at 11.02.28 AM

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

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106 Comments
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Lea
Lea (@guest_347217)
February 1, 2017 12:47

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

Lea
Lea (@guest_347287)
February 1, 2017 15:04

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.

William Charles
Admin
February 1, 2017 19:58

Not sure sorry

Stampman79
Stampman79 (@guest_230699)
March 4, 2016 12:03

OneVIP shutdown today. It was open since November. Sounds like the second wave of shutdowns has begun.

ZiggyZ
ZiggyZ (@guest_220438)
January 27, 2016 01:30

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.

CJ
CJ (@guest_219407)
January 22, 2016 09:14

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…

jay
jay (@guest_219183)
January 21, 2016 11:27

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.

Eric
Eric (@guest_219212)
January 21, 2016 13:39

Isn’t it supposed to be $1 a month? Why is yours more?

jay
jay (@guest_219243)
January 21, 2016 15:11

It was softserve.

ZiggyZ
ZiggyZ (@guest_217488)
January 14, 2016 13:51

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?

dan
dan (@guest_217491)
January 14, 2016 13:59

does the walmart’ SC work on Serve card?

Dani
Dani (@guest_217440)
January 14, 2016 11:24

How does one use the send money feature on bb?

Barb
Barb (@guest_217409)
January 14, 2016 09:34

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.

Eric
Eric (@guest_216884)
January 12, 2016 21:19

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?

John
John (@guest_216789)
January 12, 2016 16:30

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.

Parkerthon
Parkerthon (@guest_216797)
January 12, 2016 16:41

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.

ZiggyZ
ZiggyZ (@guest_217516)
January 14, 2016 15:50

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… Read more »

Jonathan Chien
Jonathan Chien (@guest_220434)
January 27, 2016 01:11

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.

Jonathan Chien
Jonathan Chien (@guest_220435)
January 27, 2016 01:16

By the way, both gobank accounts are grandfathered. No $8.95 monthly fee attached.