As most of you already know, both B of A and Wamu offer these two products that boast a few cents back on any transaction. I'll explain the basics of the two different programs
B of A KTC
Every purchase you make with a debit card is rounded up. The difference between the amount transaction amount and amount charged to the checking account is transferred from the checking account to a linked savings account. For example, I buy something at a grocery store for $23.76. That amount is withdrawn from the checking acct, and $0.24 is deposited into the savings acct. Additionally, If that same day I buy some grub from Taco Bell for $6.92. 8 cents will be transferred to the savings acct.
So whats the big deal? Isn't all of this just moving around pennies between accounts? Well, B of A will pay you 5% of the total amount that gets transferred through this program, up to $250. This occurs after a year of having the account open.
Washington Mutual
This is a slightly different program. Basically no extra money is added to a transaction, but every transaction you make with the debit card gives you 3 cents at the end of the year. So Whether you buy something for $1 or $100.92, each transaction is worth 3 cents flat.
The scam.
Go to a gas station during a time when all of the pumps are NOT ever going to be in use at the same time. Have two cans of gas. With a BofA card in one hand, and WaMu card in the other, swipe BofA card at Pump#1, while waiting for approval, swipe WaMu card at Pump#2, then go back to bofa pump and pump 1 cent of gas into can (this make take a few tries but its definitely possible..at first I was only able to get 3 cents, which is fine, but 1 cent is ideal) . Next, hang up the gas pump and while the pump is resetting now, go to the wamu machine, which has been authorized at this point in time and pump 1 cent of gas. Rinse, lather and repeat.
Now, you may be saying get a life, who would waste all this time? Well, I would. And I have. Successfully.
You see, 5% of .99 is 5 cents for every cent you pump on the bofa card, and youll get 3 cents for every cent on the wamu. You must do this 5000 times for the bofa card and 8,333 times for the wamu card. If you are relatively quick, this can be completed in one 11 hour session. Or you can spread this out by doing this roughly 100 times one day every week. The end result is $250 in free money from both accounts after 12 months.
"You're retarded"
Yes, I know that some gas stations will preauthorize some crazy amounts each time. So find a gas station that doesn't (which should be relatively easy to figure out if you only have a hundred dollars in each account), or put a lot of money in the accounts.
"But this is such a waste of time"
Yes, Yes it is. But it made me 500 smackers.
"Isn't there some other way to do mass 1 cent transactions, to utilize these programs to our respective advantage?"
Probably, and judging from some of the few especially shrewd people I've seen post on here, the answer to this question will be replied on this thread. Or I hope so
You may or may not find my idea practical. If most people dont, I'm sure this will be deleted. Also this is my first post, so dont be so hard on me. Also Im a high school student with nothing to do all summer, and sometimes I meet girls at the gas station while im there doing this nonsense, or sometimes ill just go with a friend or a few and just chill at the gas station while im doing this, or enlist their help.
Ok thanks bye.
Edit by Moderator: Thank you for participating in the forums. However, this topic has been covered in a recent post Here.
