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).
Dec 24, 2014, 8:28 am
#4006
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 77
You can get Metabank variable load cards in some grocery stores - in fact, all my Bluebird loads this month have been via grocery store purchased $500 metabank vgcs (since I am trying to use up my American Express Everyday Preferred grocery allowance of $6000 annually that gives a higher bonus rate).
Dec 26, 2014, 5:41 am
#4007
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: ORD
Programs: American Airlines EXP, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 409
Not implying that. I like Metabank for unloading to Bluebird, and I can find them at grocery stores in my neck of the woods.
Dec 26, 2014, 6:17 pm
#4008
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Delta Platinum & MM, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, National Car Executive
Posts: 400
Had a similar issue yesterday at my usual WM. Tried to load $500 using US Bank Mastercard GC - kept going straight to credit at the terminal, no option / opportunity to change payment type. Tried 2 different registers and got neither to work. Drove 20 minutes to the next WM I use later last night, initially terminal was doing the same thing to me - not accepting the GC as debit, not letting me switch payment type, etc.
Then something weird happened as I was thanking the cashier for helping me, and was about to walk out - she asked me if I could cancel the transaction on MY screen since it was still in some weird "pending mode" after it was declined as CC. I hit cancel, and THEN the change payment menu came up. I saw my opportunity, hit Debit and entered PIN - Poof! success.
This is different than I've usually experienced for the MC GC workaround - the yellow key didn't let me change payments right after swiping, but after my "CC" was declined, I hit cancel on the customer terminal and it sent me to the payment option screen.
Anyone else seen anything like this? I think I'll stick to VGC from now on, they've always worked flawlessly for me.
Then something weird happened as I was thanking the cashier for helping me, and was about to walk out - she asked me if I could cancel the transaction on MY screen since it was still in some weird "pending mode" after it was declined as CC. I hit cancel, and THEN the change payment menu came up. I saw my opportunity, hit Debit and entered PIN - Poof! success.
This is different than I've usually experienced for the MC GC workaround - the yellow key didn't let me change payments right after swiping, but after my "CC" was declined, I hit cancel on the customer terminal and it sent me to the payment option screen.
Anyone else seen anything like this? I think I'll stick to VGC from now on, they've always worked flawlessly for me.
So I went to another Walmart that had the older color screens and was able to load one before I ran into the Walmart police. First CSR would only allow one $500 load and directed me to customer service. So I tried a second CSR several aisles away due to a large line at customer service and ran into the Walmart police (or at least a CSR that examined my "card") and watched me swipe. I had switched out the US Bank gift card with a Visa Buxx that had my name on it but no money. So it failed because of insufficient funds. When I tried to switch out back to the US Bank Gift MC the CSR noticed and immediately threatened to call security. So I cancelled the transaction and left.
I ended up just leaving and liquidating via Evolve instead.
FYI I have seen the newer screens in some stores near home but have only tried Visa Gift Cards which work better and are readily available where I live.
So today was an interesting day and finally ran into a hostile Walmart that I have read about in this forum. I will definitely avoid this store. And I plan on avoiding MC unless and until there are more reports of how to get it to work on the newest color terminals.
Dec 29, 2014, 1:19 pm
#4009
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Melbourne, Florida, USA
Posts: 2,983
In my experience, it is not only the color terminals, but the registers too. My store has the newer Ingenico color terminal but old registers and the "Cancel" button still shows on the color terminal in the lower right corner like it always has, as long the cashier does not push any buttons yet.
Jan 2, 2015, 2:19 am
#4010
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Earth
Programs: UA MM Platinum; HH Diamond; Marriott Gold; Starwood Gold; Hyatt Discoverist; Avis Preferred Plus
Posts: 1,527
With VISA Savings Edge going away at Staples and Chase Freedom offering 5% at grocery stores for 1Q 2015, just wanting some verification that VGC's offered at grocers do indeed work for loading at WM via Kate or cashier (will only do this for the $1,500 quarter max, of course). I got so accustomed to buying $200 VGC's at Staples over the past (issued by Metabank), that I lost track of whether the VGC's offered at grocers would qualify. They're non-Vanilla VGC's offered by US Bank that have the option to be assigned a value up to $500, which would save quite a bit on the VGC card fee (when compared to what I was paying per $200 card at Staples).
Jan 3, 2015, 9:34 pm
#4011
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
Wonder if anyone knows the answer to this.
The two nearest Walmart stores have begun to ask whether the debit card has your name on it. There is a number of workarounds, but:
Does anyone know why Walmart cares? These cards do have a PIN, and I am assuming that Walmart does get paid the money they process. Do they get into trouble with the issuing bank? Do they cost more to Walmart? Is it due to increases in Fraudulent GCs?
Inquiring mind wants to know. Knowing why they care may help make sure these methods last longer.
The two nearest Walmart stores have begun to ask whether the debit card has your name on it. There is a number of workarounds, but:
Does anyone know why Walmart cares? These cards do have a PIN, and I am assuming that Walmart does get paid the money they process. Do they get into trouble with the issuing bank? Do they cost more to Walmart? Is it due to increases in Fraudulent GCs?
Inquiring mind wants to know. Knowing why they care may help make sure these methods last longer.
Jan 4, 2015, 5:04 am
#4013
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
Hyperbole is not going to convince anyone.
Jan 4, 2015, 5:28 am
#4014
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 137
I have seen idiots walking upto money center with atleast 10 cards, in one case an old couple even (in 60s), they held up the line while opening the staples bought GCs and loaded them 1 by 1 to their bluebird. I dont think they gave the trash to the staff though. That would be a new low.
Jan 4, 2015, 8:09 am
#4015
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
Could there be other reasons? If this is the only reason, they they shouldn't have problems with people loading a single $500 card.
Jan 4, 2015, 5:38 pm
#4016
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: California
Posts: 264
That they have to empty the wastebasket more often?
Jan 4, 2015, 6:31 pm
#4017
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 374
I can use the metabank visa cards to load redbird at target?
Jan 4, 2015, 6:45 pm
#4018
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 891
one of the walmart has real bunch of "picky" representatives and they insist to check the id and match the name of bb card with the id. this seriously limits loading 2 bb card in a single visit.
Jan 5, 2015, 10:07 pm
#4020
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 156
They were making 800 payments, missing the change payment option in the screen, exceeding 8 swipes what not. Each txn has to voided couple of times before succeed. Looks like Walmart thing will not last long.
Last edited by tcook052; Jan 6, 2015 at 2:57 pm Reason: remove comment on race