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).
#1998
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
I prefer to get mine at the grocery store. I like fuel points along with the credit card rewards.
#2000
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: SF Bay area
Posts: 269
My walmart has the LCD screen at the customer service station for loading Bluebird. I followed the steps above, EXCEPT instead of hitting cancel right after swiping my card, I hit Change Payment and switched it to debit. This worked for 2 cards for me.
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for the info!
#2001
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 801
But when 4 cards get's you $2 discount/gallon, and you fill up once at 18-gallons (say), it's 2,000 points and $12 PROFIT (avoided cost) or more. Depends on how much you drive of course, how big your tank is, and if there is a max discount/gallon at the store in question. YMMV.
#2002
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 299
But when 4 cards get's you $2 discount/gallon, and you fill up once at 18-gallons (say), it's 2,000 points and $12 PROFIT (avoided cost) or more. Depends on how much you drive of course, how big your tank is, and if there is a max discount/gallon at the store in question. YMMV.
#2003
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
True, but I make 15 bucks worth of fuel points per fill up and I have several grocery cards that are easily churnable. One of my drugstore cards has been shutting folks down. That's caused me to go slow and steady.
#2004
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 61
I know the FuelRewards program linked to Winn Dixie (and a dozen other grocery stores) has no limit. Some folks are paying 1 cent per gallon and I have no idea how they're doing it. Gift cards are definitely excluded from counting toward their earn 5 cents per $50 spent.
#2005
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 801
Stop & Shop...although recently it seems i get no points for variable GCs. For a while I was getting double pts for variable GCs. :beatsme:
#2007
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Down South, The Desert
Programs: Marriot Rewards, Southwest Rapid rewards, Emerald Club, Avis Preferred
Posts: 1,871
But when 4 cards get's you $2 discount/gallon, and you fill up once at 18-gallons (say), it's 2,000 points and $12 PROFIT (avoided cost) or more. Depends on how much you drive of course, how big your tank is, and if there is a max discount/gallon at the store in question. YMMV.
#2008
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 809
Its safe to say thats why they dont carry GCs over $100 anymore :-)
#2009
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 801
Price Chopper was my grocery store. They gave 2$ in gas for every $100 spent. They would run promos once a month where it would be 4x that! Yes, $8 per $100 you spent. I took them for about $800 in gas over two months.
Its safe to say thats why they dont carry GCs over $100 anymore :-)
Its safe to say thats why they dont carry GCs over $100 anymore :-)
#2010
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Murica
Posts: 344
Anyone have an issue where the 1-866 number for US Bank issued cards hangs up on you after you enter in the card number and last 3 on signature pad? Hope this is a temp glitch because I have a stack to move today.