Jun 22, 2013, 10:42 am
Last edit by: ChrisFlyer66
There is a new thread for 2017: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1819569-pin-available-now-visa-mc-prepaid-debit-cards-2017-a.html
Federal Reserve interpretation of Dodd-Frank financial reform regulations has resulted in Visa/MC gift cards getting PINs as of April 1, 2013.
Setting PINS
At Walmat, many MCs default to credit(and fail) and require pressing a button to change the payment type to debit. Here are the workarounds:
Old POS systems (monochrome black on green terminals and replacement color terminals):
1a. Screen shows "Insert or Swipe Card Quickly" with "Espanol" button in lower right (note if your screen blinks)
1b. Swipe card
1c. Screen shows "Waiting for cashier..." with with working animation in lower center and "Cancel" button in lower right
2. Press "Cancel" on the screen or red button on pad (if your screen blinks, do not hit button until after blink)
3. Press "ATM/DEBIT" from upper left
4. Press "No Cash Back"
5a. Enter PIN
5b. Screen shows "Waiting for cashier..."
6. Cashier hits blue (not green) Debit button on their side.
New POS systems (color terminal):
1. Swipe GC
2. Press "Change Payment" on screen (Yellow button on pad should also work, but screen works better for some. Timing is critical.)
3. Press "DEBIT"
4. Press "No Cash Back"
5. Enter PIN - Screen showing another 'Waiting for cashier...'.
6. Ask Cashier to hit blue color Debit button on the screen
When splitting transactions among multiple cards at a Walmart register, make sure to have the cashier hit the debit button on their physical keypad. If they hit the debit button on the touchscreen, it will not work. If your transaction got declined, try having the cashier hit 'Debit' using the physical keypad on the right of the screen.
As of 6/19/2014, Walmart rejects Debit attempts above $49.99 on all cards issued by InComm/ITC Financial Services, namely all Vanilla VISA and OneVanilla. There is no workaround.
Error Messages
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Not enough funds available to cover whatever amount was typed in, or most likely NOT typed in.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again.
Federal Reserve interpretation of Dodd-Frank financial reform regulations has resulted in Visa/MC gift cards getting PINs as of April 1, 2013.
Setting PINS
- MetaBank VISA or Sunrise VISA -use the last four digits of the card number (or to set personal PIN call 888-524-1283)
- US Bank VISA and Mastercard - Newer cards come with a PIN printed on cardstock inside the package. To set/reset PIN, call 866-952-5653. One person reports: VISA that has pre-set PIN locks PIN on first use if not previously reset; always call to set PIN before use. If you forget to reset the pin and you can't unload the funds to your BB, call the toll free # and ask rep. to "reset" the card and they will do some magic and you should then be able to unload the funds at WM.
- Vanilla VISA and OneVanilla(not MyVanilla, etc) - selection of 4 digits on the first transaction becomes the PIN
At Walmat, many MCs default to credit(and fail) and require pressing a button to change the payment type to debit. Here are the workarounds:
Old POS systems (monochrome black on green terminals and replacement color terminals):
1a. Screen shows "Insert or Swipe Card Quickly" with "Espanol" button in lower right (note if your screen blinks)
1b. Swipe card
1c. Screen shows "Waiting for cashier..." with with working animation in lower center and "Cancel" button in lower right
2. Press "Cancel" on the screen or red button on pad (if your screen blinks, do not hit button until after blink)
3. Press "ATM/DEBIT" from upper left
4. Press "No Cash Back"
5a. Enter PIN
5b. Screen shows "Waiting for cashier..."
6. Cashier hits blue (not green) Debit button on their side.
New POS systems (color terminal):
1. Swipe GC
2. Press "Change Payment" on screen (Yellow button on pad should also work, but screen works better for some. Timing is critical.)
3. Press "DEBIT"
4. Press "No Cash Back"
5. Enter PIN - Screen showing another 'Waiting for cashier...'.
6. Ask Cashier to hit blue color Debit button on the screen
When splitting transactions among multiple cards at a Walmart register, make sure to have the cashier hit the debit button on their physical keypad. If they hit the debit button on the touchscreen, it will not work. If your transaction got declined, try having the cashier hit 'Debit' using the physical keypad on the right of the screen.
As of 6/19/2014, Walmart rejects Debit attempts above $49.99 on all cards issued by InComm/ITC Financial Services, namely all Vanilla VISA and OneVanilla. There is no workaround.
Error Messages
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Not enough funds available to cover whatever amount was typed in, or most likely NOT typed in.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again.
PIN available now for Visa/MC prepaid debit cards(2013-2016).
May 29, 2013, 2:03 pm
#1486
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
Yes - Vanilla Visa are the standard GC and function like any other Visa GC with the exception that the PIN is set on first use.
Here are the different Vanilla Cards available:
https://www.onevanilla.com/onevanilla/about.html
There is seemingly no difference between the Vanilla Visa and OneVanilla in terms of functionality (according to them). I believe the difference is that the OneVanilla cards are meant to be upgraded to MyVanilla cards:
https://www.onevanilla.com/onevanilla/
So these cards shouldn't really be considered standard gift-cards, but rather "temporary reloadable debit cards."
Of course there is also the standard reloadable beans packs:
https://www.vanillareload.com/
None of these should be confused with each other - even though they are all owned by InComm.
I would stay away from the OneVanilla cards, for reasons I mention above. I suspect were you to upgrade them to MyVanilla, you could use the MyVanilla to purchase - but that opens up other hassles that are not worth meeting.
Personally, I have never found a place that sells OneVanillas and *not* Vanilla Visas....so just stay away from the former.
Here are the different Vanilla Cards available:
https://www.onevanilla.com/onevanilla/about.html
There is seemingly no difference between the Vanilla Visa and OneVanilla in terms of functionality (according to them). I believe the difference is that the OneVanilla cards are meant to be upgraded to MyVanilla cards:
https://www.onevanilla.com/onevanilla/
So these cards shouldn't really be considered standard gift-cards, but rather "temporary reloadable debit cards."
Of course there is also the standard reloadable beans packs:
https://www.vanillareload.com/
None of these should be confused with each other - even though they are all owned by InComm.
I would stay away from the OneVanilla cards, for reasons I mention above. I suspect were you to upgrade them to MyVanilla, you could use the MyVanilla to purchase - but that opens up other hassles that are not worth meeting.
Personally, I have never found a place that sells OneVanillas and *not* Vanilla Visas....so just stay away from the former.
Vanilla Ice
Milli Vanilli
Ben & Jerry's vanilla heath bar crunch
May 29, 2013, 2:07 pm
#1487
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 120
just found this interesting. when i first discovered this thread i was able to use a US Bank Visa GC from Kroger to pay my car payment with BMW. i did it two separate times in april, one to test, and once to complete the payment. it required that i choose the debit network, either star, pulse or nyce. i chose nyce and it worked. next time i tried it (several times actually), it wouldn't work. i wonder what changed, why would they care as long as it is debit? i guess the card issuers changed something. i was able to use BB this month since i finally jumped on that train, just found it weird and maybe interesting to share.
May 29, 2013, 2:27 pm
#1488
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Land of the parrots and parrotheads
Programs: Several dozen
Posts: 4,820
The key is that it was US Bank. Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, it was US Bank that refused to give Flexperks for the Great US Mint Inventory Reduction Plan. My old alma mater just ain't a team player.
And MM - what about Vanilla Sky?
And MM - what about Vanilla Sky?
just found this interesting. when i first discovered this thread i was able to use a US Bank Visa GC from Kroger to pay my car payment with BMW. i did it two separate times in april, one to test, and once to complete the payment. it required that i choose the debit network, either star, pulse or nyce. i chose nyce and it worked. next time i tried it (several times actually), it wouldn't work. i wonder what changed, why would they care as long as it is debit? i guess the card issuers changed something. i was able to use BB this month since i finally jumped on that train, just found it weird and maybe interesting to share.
May 29, 2013, 2:53 pm
#1489
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052
just found this interesting. when i first discovered this thread i was able to use a US Bank Visa GC from Kroger to pay my car payment with BMW. i did it two separate times in april, one to test, and once to complete the payment. it required that i choose the debit network, either star, pulse or nyce. i chose nyce and it worked. next time i tried it (several times actually), it wouldn't work. i wonder what changed, why would they care as long as it is debit? i guess the card issuers changed something. i was able to use BB this month since i finally jumped on that train, just found it weird and maybe interesting to share.
)Of all the miles in all the gift cards in all the CVSs you had to swipe your prepaid at mine.
cant win em all! lol
May 29, 2013, 4:06 pm
#1490
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 787
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 1,306
Has anyone been able to identify what the problem is with MetaBank cards and "debit not approved call authorizer".. Got this message today at local WM. Pin was set and it showed "authorized" at first, then little receipt came out with this denial message.
May 29, 2013, 4:32 pm
#1491
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: DL, WoH
Posts: 1,253
Check load limits on BB.
May 29, 2013, 4:35 pm
#1492
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: BOS
Programs: AA, SPG, UA, CSP
Posts: 338
Found $500 GCs at Michaels. The cashier didnt let me use the CC. Anyone had any success getting cards from there?
May 29, 2013, 5:28 pm
#1493
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sweet Home Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 646
May 29, 2013, 6:37 pm
#1494
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: 787
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 1,306
May 29, 2013, 7:45 pm
#1495
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: Bunch of mid-tiers
Posts: 1,034
May 30, 2013, 5:35 am
#1499
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: BOS, MHT
Programs: AA ltg, B6, DL, UA, AS, SPG/Marriott Plt, HH, Hyatt
Posts: 10,052