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Note: As of October 13, 2015, 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”
As of May 6, 2015, Target no longer accepts credit cards for in-store REDbird reloads. For more information, please see “REDbird Post Memo Answers“, and “REDbird grounded. Now what?“
Background: The Target Prepaid REDcard, AKA REDbird, is a fantastic tool for manufacturing credit card spend, or for simply saving money at Target. While the card is functionally very similar to other prepaid cards, Bluebird and Serve, it is the only one of the trio that can be loaded via credit card in-store. For complete details, please see: REDcard changes everything, The complete guide to REDbird, and The complete guide to Bluebird, REDcard, Serve, and SoftServe.
Let me apologize in advance if the title of this post scared you. Many REDbird cardholders have been fearing the day when Target stops allowing credit cards to be used for reloading REDbird. Today is not that day. And, of course, we don’t know if or when that day will come. Instead, a much more subtle change has occurred…
To understand what’s happening, let’s review the in-store REDbird swipe limits:
- Daily limit: Each REDbird can can be loaded, at most, up to $2,500 per calendar day (and up to $5,000 per calendar month)
- Cashier swipe limit: In order to reload REDbird, the process is to hand your REDbird card to the cashier and ask to reload it. The cashier then swipes the card on the cashier’s terminal and enters in the amount to reload. The maximum that can be loaded per cashier swipe is $1000. That has not changed. Hilariously, if you try to do more than $1000, the cashier is told “amount is too low”. Maybe that has changed, I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter.
- Transaction limit: Another limit to the Target register is that no transaction can be more than $3,000.
Here’s the key: until earlier this week it has been possible to ask a cashier to load multiple REDbird cards at once, up to a max of $3000. For example, it was possible to hand the cashier three REDbird cards and ask to load $1,000 to each one. The cashier would swipe each card once, key in $1,000, and then you would pay the $3,000 charge all at once. Or, if you had just one REDbird card, you could ask the cashier to swipe it three times in order to load $1,000 + $1,000 + $500. Then you would pay $2,500 at once.
This multiple swipe process is no longer working. At least, it stopped working for me at one local Target and I’ve heard similar reports from many others. The solution is simply to pay after every swipe rather than all at once. The problem with this is that it takes a bit longer and you are more likely to have your credit card payment denied due to a fraud alert. I can’t help you with the extra time required, but to handle fraud alerts quickly, please see: Bet You Didn’t Know: How to setup credit fraud alerts by text or email.
Slow but safe: There was a pretty significant problem with the way the registers used to work. When loading through multiple swipes to one card, the system did not properly protect the customer against trying to load more than the daily or monthly limit to their card. So, for example, when a person tried to load $2,500 at once to a card that only had maybe $1,500 of capacity left, bad things would happen. Specifically, the customer would be charged the full $2,500, but only receive $1,500 on their card. What would then ensue is a nightmare of phone calls, Amex and Target pointing fingers at each other, and most likely long sleepless nights. Even though the new process is more cumbersome, I’m glad that customers can no longer fall into this trap.
How is it possible to have more than one REDbird card? I get this question every time I write a REDbird post, so I’ll answer it up front… You’re only allowed to have one REDbird card in your own name, but there’s no reason you can’t manage other people’s cards (such as family members’ cards). And, there’s nothing wrong with reloading someone else’s card. They do not check that your ID matches the name on the card, but they may check to see if your ID matches the credit card you use to pay.
Read more about REDbird:Also: |
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I think the day has come. I think in the last week the cards were re-coded so you can’t load in store with a credit card.
The fix for the multiple loads with one swipe also “fixed” a glitch with AFTs that was working to my advantage: loading $6,000 per month instead of the published $5,000 limit.
24K free starpoints down the drain because someone wanted to “help” and a bunch of novices can’t do simple arithmetic.
Thanks.
boo hoo!
Hi FM, have a question i believe someone has already asked but i just cannot find the answer i need..
So I have 2 redcards, one is mine and the other one belongs to my girlfriend. I load them with all my credit cards without hers. So what is the best way to unload it? For now, i just transfer the amount of her account to my redcard account, then use the bill pay. Should it be alright?
Thanks so much! Appreciate it!
You can transfer, but you’ll be limited to $2500 per month. I would just use her account to bill pay your credit card(s)
I am following this, here and other sites, anyone caught by our security and loss prevention officers, will be reported to the authorities, cards canceled and balances confiscated
I can confirm this. I have been trained to sniff out Target Prepaid Red Cards and tip off the rent a cop. We will both board the Target Fake-Segway (if we can ever find the key) and chase you down. So watch out.
Why the hate with the title? If you’re using a Redbird, then this is important information that you should know so you don’t have a meltdown at the Target counter.
@dennis That particular Target has stopped allowing CC, but it is NOT hardcoded yet in NYC. Keep searching 😉
Thanks @JayR, appreciate the info. Not too worried about reloads since I travel for work every month. I can always find a Target in a different city. Will visit other Targets in the area when I get back.
My Target is now only allowing up to $1,000 with a single swipe. This isn’t as convenient as up to $2,500 with the 1k,1k,500 method but since I’m using AMEX GCs I’m not running into any fraud alert issues on my CCs.
A quick heads up, went into my local Target (Brooklyn – Atlantic Ave), waited in line at the Customer Service desk and approached the register. I informed the CSR that i would like to load my Redcard, she said only with Debit cards, no credit cards. I asked when this policy became effective and she said last Sunday. Did a quick search on FT and noticed another post regarding a problem with a reload. Don’t have enough data points to surmise if this is an isolated store or if it is in effect across all of NYC. Will try and test at another location this coming week.
FYI, i have loaded my Redcard at this location many times in the past several months since the Redcard was first released. Never any problem with one transaction for 3 cards at $1000 each = $3K per transaction or one transaction for 3 cards at the $500 amount = $1500. I have reloaded at the desk as well as in a regular line.
I can confirm your experience at that particular target. I’ve tried twice at that location in the last week and been told debit only. Did you actually try to pass off a credit card as debit? I’m not sure they really check it.
I went to a local Target store to load my redbird this Friday. The customer rep told me they don’t allow load any Redbird & AFT anymore. I went to another Target store 5 miles away and I loaded Redbird without any issue. I
am not sure if t his only apply to that specific target store or this will become a new policy.
Seems like a lot of work this redbird. Does it work with Citi?
Yes it works with all credit cards. No cash advance fees.
[…] Target recodes REDbird registers – Target has recently made some changes to the way they allow you to load REDbird. […]
Do you know if this cash register change will also affect the Amex for Target cards?
Yes, it does
Has anyone tried buying VISA gift cards at Target ($400 – priced at $406) with the pre-paid REDcard, and then loading their REDcard from the gift card?
If we get the 5% discount on the $406, total should be $385.70.
If I’m doing the math right, we’d be getting $15 profit from this. What am I missing?
I am sure you won’t get 5% on gift cards
“Even though the new process is more cumbersome, I’m glad that customers can no longer fall into this trap.”
Ah, so you’re saying you’re glad the system has now been optimized for the morons who either can’t/won’t follow clear instructions or can’t/won’t do simple math – at the expense of the convenience of those with at least half a brain. Got it.
Caulk up another victory for the bottom-feeder circles ‘n arrows set.
I’m glad that they fixed a very easy to make mistake.
I’m not happy that it is more cumbersome.
A good strategy is to load your REDcard with a AGC or OV because you will not get a FA call/e-mail/text if you try loading $1K, $1K, $500 within the same hour. Any FA would be handled at the time you buy the AGC, OV, or whatever your favorite card is.
I’ve generally spread the $2500 over 3 separate cards…$1K Southwest business, $1k southwest personal, and $500 on american citi visa for a monthly retention bonus. Three swipes on different cards is way faster than dealing with a fraud alert on my account.
I go first thing in the morning to the customer service desk, so I’m not annoying other people. They know me now. Then stop at the in-house Starbucks, grab a drink at a 5% discount using my redcard, and check the receipt to make sure everything loaded correctly before leaving the store.