Confirmed: REDbird credit card loads will not be allowed as of May 6, 2015

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Note: As of 10/13/15 the Target REDcard (REDbird) can only be loaded with cash in-store at Target. Gift cards and/or debit cards no longer work to load REDcard. For more info, see: Here is the REDbird memo, “Cash is the only tender guests can use”

I reported earlier today that it appeared that today may be the last day to reload the Target Prepaid REDcard (AKA REDbird) with a credit card.  Since then, I was able to confirm this rumor…

I just talked with three different employees at three different Target stores in the Southeast Michigan area.  The news isn’t good.  Guest Service employees at two of the three stores were able to confirm the existence of the memo that says that the Target Prepaid REDcard will no longer be reloadable by credit card as of tomorrow (I believe that midnight tonight Eastern Standard Time is the true cut-off, so get to the store before 9 if you’re on the west coast).

Based on a conversation with one of the employees in which she read aloud parts of the memo, here is my best attempt at a reconstruction of the memo.  Bolded parts are what I heard. The rest is my best guess of the info that she skipped over:

New tender restrictions on prepaid cards

Do not share this information with customers.

Effective May 6, 2015, third party credit cards will not be accepted for reloading prepaid cards.  This effects all reloadable prepaid cards including the Target Prepaid REDcard, American Express for Target, Greendot, etc.

If a customer inquires, tell them that Target has made the decision to stop accepting credit cards in order to align with all other merchants where prepaid cards may be reloaded.

Again, the above is my reconstruction of the memo based on my scribbled notes of what I heard while a Target employee read over the memo.  She read aloud only certain key parts.

Important notes

  • Debit cards are not mentioned.  The Target reps I spoke with have no idea whether debit cards will be allowed or not.
  • Amex gift cards are not debit cards. They are treated as credit cards, so its pretty certain that they will not work after today for reloading REDbird.
  • Amex for Target appears to have been thrown out with the bathwater too.
  • Who knew that Greendot, etc. could be loaded at Target?  It might be worth bringing other prepaid cards to Target today just in case!
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