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 $49.99 on all cards issued by InComm/ITC Financial Services, namely all Vanilla VISA and OneVanilla. There is no workaround.
Error Messages
DEBIT NOT AVAILABLE
Not enough funds available to cover whatever amount was typed in, or most likely NOT typed in.
DEBIT NOT APPROVED
Received when the card's monthly load limit had been reached.
HOST TIMEOUT
Connection problems. The GC may be drained but the transaction should reverse itself, and funds will become available again.
PIN available now for Visa/MC prepaid debit cards(2013-2016).
Apr 7, 2013, 7:11 pm
#166
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
I'm afraid I don't get what you mean. I've been doing the VRs for a couple months. Activated the PINs on these. Entered PINs, after swiping. Both clerk and I thought things were fine and then a little slip pops out that says transaction invalid. Do u think it would have gone thru if I had not put in PIN? I can use the card for something else if needed but would prefer to load it onto BB as planned. PM if you have some big insight I am not catching. Thank you much. Just an FYI I went to the vr place prior and all their cards were vanilla, several different kinds, but nothing mentioning a PIN so I was afraid to buy them.
Apr 7, 2013, 7:20 pm
#167
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 122
Not sure why you had a problem. I brought a 500$ visa gc issued by metabank from a local grocery store. Registered it on giftcardmall.com, set a pin. Then went to walmart, gave my BB card to the cashier asked her to reload it with 300$. She asked me to swipe my card to pay for it. I swiped the GC, it asked me to enter pin immediately. Entered the pin, and the BB card was loaded with 300$. Everything was fine.
Apr 7, 2013, 7:20 pm
#168
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
The giftcardmall.com/card/setpin page won't allow me to register a card, and hence, can't select a pin. I fill in the gift card number, expiration date and 3 digit security code (as required) but the site never accepts the card - just reloads ad-infinitum. Thought it might be a browser/cookie issue, but nothing seemed to work (I used Chrome and IE and incognito).
Finally gave up and used their phone system to register/get a pin. I had 14 cards and it was a PITA. You call the phone number on the back of the Metabank cards (1-888-5241283) to get the pin.
Apr 7, 2013, 7:20 pm
#169
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
I'm afraid I don't get what you mean. I've been doing the VRs for a couple months. Activated the PINs on these. Entered PINs, after swiping. Both clerk and I thought things were fine and then a little slip pops out that says transaction invalid. Do u think it would have gone thru if I had not put in PIN? I can use the card for something else if needed but would prefer to load it onto BB as planned. PM if you have some big insight I am not catching. Thank you much. Just an FYI I went to the vr place prior and all their cards were vanilla, several different kinds, but nothing mentioning a PIN so I was afraid to buy them.
Not sure why you had a problem. I brought a 500$ visa gc issued by metabank from a local grocery store. Registered it on giftcardmall.com, set a pin. Then went to walmart, gave my BB card to the cashier asked her to reload it with 300$. She asked me to swipe my card to pay for it. I swiped the GC, it asked me to enter pin immediately. Entered the pin, and the BB card was loaded with 300$. Everything was fine.
Apr 7, 2013, 7:20 pm
#170
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Ann Arbor
Programs: Delta GM, Hilton
Posts: 192
I'm afraid I don't get what you mean. I've been doing the VRs for a couple months. Activated the PINs on these. Entered PINs, after swiping. Both clerk and I thought things were fine and then a little slip pops out that says transaction invalid. Do u think it would have gone thru if I had not put in PIN? I can use the card for something else if needed but would prefer to load it onto BB as planned. PM if you have some big insight I am not catching. Thank you much. Just an FYI I went to the vr place prior and all their cards were vanilla, several different kinds, but nothing mentioning a PIN so I was afraid to buy them.
Apr 7, 2013, 7:28 pm
#171
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 122
I'm trying to figure out why it didn't work with you and why it did with the person I'm quoting below me. Was the WM you went to a WM Super Store (mostly sell grocery, not electronics) or a regular Walmart (sell everything)?
Was the WM you went to a WM Super Store or a regular WM? Was this in the cashier lane or the service desk?
Was the WM you went to a WM Super Store or a regular WM? Was this in the cashier lane or the service desk?
Apr 7, 2013, 7:37 pm
#172
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 2
I'm trying to figure out why it didn't work with you and why it did with the person I'm quoting below me. Was the WM you went to a WM Super Store (mostly sell grocery, not electronics) or a regular Walmart (sell everything)?
Was the WM you went to a WM Super Store or a regular WM? Was this in the cashier lane or the service desk?
Was the WM you went to a WM Super Store or a regular WM? Was this in the cashier lane or the service desk?
Apr 7, 2013, 7:45 pm
#173
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Sweet Home Chicago
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 646
To prevent using a PIN? Seems like a dumb question, but wouldn't that sort of be at cross-purposes with the law?
I don't view this as a glitch in the system - in fact I think over the coming weeks it will get easier as more banks get set up with systems that will allow the setting of a PIN, e.g. Vanilla.
What worries me is what comes after that.
I don't view this as a glitch in the system - in fact I think over the coming weeks it will get easier as more banks get set up with systems that will allow the setting of a PIN, e.g. Vanilla.
What worries me is what comes after that.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:10 pm
#174
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: SPG,United,Delta,AA,Marriott Silver
Posts: 45
Tried this yesterday on a $100 GC that is on sale for $90 at Safeway. Successfully loaded BB at Wal-Mart after getting the GC pin via a phone call. Now to find the $500 GCs or look through this long thread for hints or wait for FM/MMS to do the grunt work!
I thought that I recently read that some CCs no longer offer 5 percent cashback on GCs purchased at grocery stores/drug stores/department stores/electronics stores/wherever else they usually offer 5 percent back on other non-GC purchases. Hopefully the Amex Preferred 6 percent (capped) at grocery stores is not one of those.
Seems like Safeway did not give gas rewards on the GC purchase.
I thought that I recently read that some CCs no longer offer 5 percent cashback on GCs purchased at grocery stores/drug stores/department stores/electronics stores/wherever else they usually offer 5 percent back on other non-GC purchases. Hopefully the Amex Preferred 6 percent (capped) at grocery stores is not one of those.
Seems like Safeway did not give gas rewards on the GC purchase.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:15 pm
#175
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 3
Walmart registers are not smart enough to load $1000 off multiple gift cards. You can only load the amount of a single gift card. So, if you have 2 $500 cards, you would have to load it in 2 separate transactions. I twill deny if you try to load $1000 then swipe both cards.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:22 pm
#176
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UNited American
Posts: 60
In response to the questions, I was at a Walmart super. Tried both a cashier lane and the customer service line. I was already at 5k for the month thru VR but thought I could still add up to the 10k as long as I didn't exceed 1k per day. I will try to call from work tomorrow and get clarification from them. There seems to be so much inaccurate info floating around that perhaps I am confused regarding the guidelines.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:30 pm
#177
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: AA Plat, UA Gold, AS MVP Gold, HH Diamond, SPG Gold, Club Carlson Gold, US
Posts: 956
Walmart registers are not smart enough to load $1000 off multiple gift cards. You can only load the amount of a single gift card. So, if you have 2 $500 cards, you would have to load it in 2 separate transactions. I twill deny if you try to load $1000 then swipe both cards.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:43 pm
#178
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: IND/MEX
Programs: AA PPro BA Bronze SPG Gold HH GLD Hyatt Exp
Posts: 1,134
In response to the questions, I was at a Walmart super. Tried both a cashier lane and the customer service line. I was already at 5k for the month thru VR but thought I could still add up to the 10k as long as I didn't exceed 1k per day. I will try to call from work tomorrow and get clarification from them. There seems to be so much inaccurate info floating around that perhaps I am confused regarding the guidelines.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:52 pm
#179
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
Has anyone tried buying the Walmart Visa gift cards? Their website says you can use PIN to purchase items with the gift card using the last 4 digits of the card number being the PIN. Would be nice buying the gift card and loading the BB in the same place.
Apr 7, 2013, 8:55 pm
#180
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
In response to the questions, I was at a Walmart super. Tried both a cashier lane and the customer service line. I was already at 5k for the month thru VR but thought I could still add up to the 10k as long as I didn't exceed 1k per day. I will try to call from work tomorrow and get clarification from them. There seems to be so much inaccurate info floating around that perhaps I am confused regarding the guidelines.
Someone may correct me if this is incorrect. The info. may also be located on their site under T&C (which you might want to read before calling).
Thanks to Bender464 for reading the T&C for you below.
If in doubt, the T&C is always a good place to start before just calling (as stated above).
Last edited by shoreline; Apr 8, 2013 at 8:58 am Reason: added: Thanks to Bender464 line.