Small Changes to Bluebird, REDbird and Maybe Serve
This afternoon I received a couple of emails from REDbird and Bluebird explaining upcoming changes to their terms. While I haven’t yet received one for Serve, I would guess these changes will take place on that card as well, although I don’t have confirmation of that. Let’s take a look at the emails, the changes and some interesting language in the REDbird email.
REDbird Announcement Email
I received the following email from American Express regarding a REDbird account I manage. (Thanks to Rami for tipping me off before I received the email myself.)
We want to let you know about some changes to the terms and conditions of your Prepaid REDcard® by American Express Account:
• Funding & Transfers
As of October 28, you will not be able to link a new bank account to your Prepaid REDcard Account to add money. However, you will still be able to transfer money out of your Prepaid REDcard Account to a bank account.If you currently have a linked bank account, nothing will change – you’ll still be able to add money from that account.
You can continue to easily add money through Direct Deposit, Debit Card, and Cash Reloads at any U.S. Target store.1
• Early Direct Deposit
Now you can get access to your money up to two days faster* with Direct Deposit. You can automatically add all or part of your paycheck, government benefits and federal tax refunds to your Prepaid REDcard Account.
Woah. Let’s rewind. Did you see it? The email says the REDbird can be loaded with a debit card at Target stores. I’m not sure if that ability will return like some have guessed, but my guess is that it is just an oversight. Why? The Bluebird email looks very much the same.
Bluebird Announcement Email
We want to let you know about some changes to the terms and conditions of your Bluebird® Account:
• Funding & Transfers
As of October 28, you will not be able to link a new bank account to your Bluebird Account to add funds. However, you will still be able to add funds out of your Bluebird Account to a bank account.If you currently have a linked bank account, nothing will change – you’ll still be able to add funds from that account.
You can continue to easily add funds through Direct Deposit, Debit Card, and Cash Reloads at thousands of locations.
• Early Direct Deposit
Now you can get access to your money up to two days faster* with Direct Deposit. You can automatically add all or part of your paycheck, government benefits and federal tax refunds to your Bluebird Account.
Analysis
These changes aren’t a huge deal since I don’t know many people who funded these accounts through a bank account. I’m not really sure why this change is being made, but my guess is that it has something to do with fraud. That seems to be driving a lot of what they are doing these days.
As for the “debit” word being in the REDbird email, I just think it is a mistake caused by cut and paste. The only difference between the Bluebird and the REDbird emails was the word Target. It will be interesting if a similar email will be sent out to Serve cardholders. For now I’m not going to hold my breath for debit (especially gift card) loads to return, but it sure would be nice!
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That is referring to the cash reloads, otherwise you could also do direct deposits at Target to the card. 🙂
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One can hope RB becomes a phoenix, resurrection.
You are (mis)reading too much into this.
You can add money through direct deposit (online not at target), debit cards (online, not at target), and cash reloads at any target (as the wording has always been but now actually enforced)
You’re reading it wrong. The “at any U.S. Target store” clause only applies to Cash Reloads.
Your reading would also apply the clause to Direct Deposit which makes no sense.
Without the comma after Reloads, it could be read to be limited to only “Cash Reloads at any…store” and debit is online or something
I got the same email today, from Serve. Same wording, including the debit card reference.
Here is the e-mail from Serve:
We want to let you know about some changes to the terms and conditions of your American Express Serve® Account:
• Funding & Transfers
As of October 28, you will not be able to link a new bank account to your Serve Account to add money. However, you will still be able to transfer money out of your Serve Account to a bank account.
If you currently have a linked bank account, nothing will change – you’ll still be able to add money from that account.
You can continue to easily add money through Direct Deposit, Debit Card, American Express Credit and Cash Reloads at thousands of locations.
• Early Direct Deposit
Now you can get access to your money up to two days faster* with Direct Deposit. You can automatically add all or part of your paycheck, government benefits and federal tax refunds to your American Express Serve Account.
You can also review these changes in the Consumer User Agreement here.
Thanks,
The American Express Serve Team
Thanks Brandon.
Anytime! Enjoy Hawaii 🙂