If you’re excited about the $1,000 Visa gift cards coming to Simon Mall this week, there’s more good news: Simon Mall is going to make the purchase process easier for those buying over $10,000.
Right now, if you’re buying more than $10,000 worth of gift cards, you’re required to fill out a form with your personal information. That includes sensitive your Social Security Number, which a lot of people are touchy about.
Going forward, you’ll fill this out once, Simon reps will enter your information into an online system, then shred the paperwork. On subsequent purchases, you’ll get to fill out a much shorter version of the form:
This new process is meant to keep buyers’ personal information secure while expediting the purchase process. Your information will get entered into a secure online database.
All you’re doing with the shorter form is verifying that your information hasn’t changed. If it has, the rep will update the system to reflect that.
The current process
At my local Simon Mall, the reps have pre-filled versions of the form, so frequent buyers just sign and date. The reps leave the SSN on the $10k+ form blank for security reasons. Once you fill it out, the reps keep it in a folder on-site.
It’s interesting because even Walmart enters the information into a database and then shreds the paperwork. It’s nice that Simon Mall is following suits.
How this makes gift card churning easier
With this promotion coming up on Wednesday, it’s nice to know our information will be more secure when we can purchase gift cards in larger volumes.
Initially, I planned on going in daily for $9,500 purchases. This has always been my go-to amount. But now that the information is going to be kept more securely, I feel more comfortable buying $25,000 gift card batches.
I recently learned my mall has much shorter summer hours that are incompatible with my 9-5 commuter schedule. So on days when I do make it out there, I’ll have to buy enough to make up for the rest of the week. This new procedure makes that easier.
What are your thoughts on Simon Mall’s new purchase form on orders over $10,000? Will you purchase gift cards in larger quantities now that the information will be better secured?
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I don’t have any issues submitting my info to do MS, because I do it with recognized companies and I am not doing anything illegal. The problem comes when people judge this activity and try to be difficult on our MS routines. Thank God there are always other options around the city.
Thankfully that’s not an issue with Simon Mall. I think transparency helps. After I had that conversation with my local WM Asset Protection team, they backed off completely.
This upcoming opportunity will be my first at a Simon Mall. The closest one to me is 2+ hours away, and I rescheduled an appointment I have in that city from Tuesday to Wednesday just to be able to swing by and pick up $10,000 worth but I may increase that now.
Thanks for the info!
You are going to spend four hours roundtrip in the car just for our silly little hobby??? The IRS mileage rate is .58 cents a mile. Is it worth it? Would you not be better off ordering from GCM?
Ed, pardon my ignorance, but I just reread your post, and saw that you are going to be in that city, anyway. That definitely makes it a no brainer.
Lol! Love it.
I had an identity theft issue a number of years ago that cost me quite a bit of money to remedy. I’m still sticking to purchases under $10k, as I refuse to give out my SS number. I reluctantly provide my DL info., but that’s about as far as I go. People don’t understand until they have to pay a boatload in legal fees.
That must have been tough. I’m not 100% ok with providing my social either, because of possible security breaches. Hopefully the electronic system Simon Mall has implemented will be safer than the paper storage method.
Can you use multiple different cards to make that one large purchase?
Yes…you tell them how much for each card.
Yes.
What cards are you using for this promo? I plan to use a 2% card. I usually do < 3k. With this promo, I may do the full 10k. But again, liquidating can be tricky.
Mostly cash back cards.
I am wondering if you can do 4-999.12 MO’s in one transaction at walmart, because that would just be 4 swipes. O
You can at my Walmart, but we know how each Wal-Mart does their own thing.
I was wondering the same thing. Guess we’ll find out! 🙂
Another reason I go to a local grocery store and not WMT to buy my MO’s. Just did 15 swipes the other day and even the cashier was impressed that it worked! (And no paperwork / iD required)
Which grocery store you go to? Winn Dixie won’t let me buy MO with VGC.
JP – I go to a regional grocery chain that has several locations in my area and issues Western Union MO’s. I can deposit them with my bank’s mobile app, something I can’t do with Moneygram MO’s from WMT for some reason.
What?!?! I WISH I had a grocery store like that in my area.
Yes. That’s what makes this so great – two transactions and you’re out of there.
Hi , I’m new to all of this. Do I purchase these and get Walmart to give MO? Is there a limit at Walmart?
Hi. I just recently found your blog. I love it.
Can you help me with a question?
I have s Dimon mall near me but have never been in it. Where do you go in the mall to buy these gift cards?
Thanks!
Go to the customer service center.
I’ll be putting some miles on my car come this weekend! Sadly the Simon Mall is 30 miles from the nearest MS friendly WM for me.
That’s not so bad!