Share your insights or perspective on the financial matter presented in the input.

If I deposit money as cash does it count as direct deposit?
As RonJohn points out, direct deposit is something very different.  What's going on here is that they are trying to exclude the "customers" that open the account simply for the premium and then close it again as soon as the terms of the offer have been met.  Most people have only one regular source of direct deposit money, either their paycheck or a retirement check.  This acts to make it hard for them to simply take the offer and run.