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 24, 2013, 5:09 pm
#796
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: CHICAGO, IL
Programs: Arrival Points, M-Life, Hyatt, ULTIMATE REWARDS, AA, UAL, SOUTHWEST
Posts: 121
Chase GC data point
WM BB works beautifully every time. The clerk asked about getting points and I confirmed. He was grateful for the insight as he will go for it as well.
My question: Is there is a 15 day wait for another purchase with the same cc? I keep trying daily and am now eight days away from completing my 15 days.
Is GCM making it difficult to buy GCs? I just found out about GCM last night.
3 -cc since Feb and am up 200k points.
Apr 24, 2013, 5:27 pm
#797
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 88
So, is it true that giftcardmall puts a 30-day hold? I did try different cards, even tried to purchase small amounts - all my orders didn't got through. I cleared everything possible with CC company. Last time Chase's rep told me that he sees that transaction was indeed approved from their side (which means that it passed all possible verifications) and the only guilty part is a GCM. However, GSM's rep always says (I guess, from script) that I have to check my billing address. This sounds ridiculous since otherwise the transaction wouldn't be approved by CC company.
Any idea what can be done?
Any idea what can be done?
Apr 24, 2013, 5:55 pm
#798
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
You do not get charged.
Apr 24, 2013, 6:46 pm
#799
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 123
When loading BB at Walmart with 1k gift cards, can I go shortly before midnight, load 1k and then load another 1k after 12 or is it a 24 hour period?
Apr 24, 2013, 7:02 pm
#800
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: SPG,United,Delta,AA,Marriott Silver
Posts: 45
PIN available now for Visa/MC prepaid debit cards.
The charge on my card got dropped for some reason even though GCM already shipped the cards. Odd if this is frequent issue with GCM?
Called Chase to confirm if this was indeed dropped they said it is approved from their side and if GCM doesn't charge you within 30 days they will remove the transaction and I won't be billed. I am happy to get the 3000 free dollars if this is indeed the case.
Called Chase to confirm if this was indeed dropped they said it is approved from their side and if GCM doesn't charge you within 30 days they will remove the transaction and I won't be billed. I am happy to get the 3000 free dollars if this is indeed the case.
Apr 24, 2013, 8:25 pm
#801
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: HNL
Programs: AA Citi Visa and Amex, Citi AA Biz, SPG, Amex Green, Zync, Discover It (Starbucks Gold) HHonors Gold
Posts: 268
I tried five different Metabank Visas today at WM...PINS were set through their phone system. I tried to load to BB through the kiosk and each card failed with the printout receipt saying various errors..."debit not approved. Call authorizer" and "debit not available" being the most common. I tried multiple times with no luck and then tried again at the register with no luck. I then decided to try one of the cards to buy a MO at the kiosk again, and it went through? I tried the other cards again for BB, but still got the same errors.
Puzzling why it would work for MO but not BB???
Puzzling why it would work for MO but not BB???
Apr 24, 2013, 8:26 pm
#802
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4,431
Just went to WM to load some $200 Metabank Visa GC I got from Staples. This time, the Moneycenter was broken so I went to a cashier to load my BB. However, I didn't have the guts to load all five cards. I was afraid that the cashier would ask why I'm using five different debit cards to load my BB so I only loaded one card at two separate cashiers. For those of you who load multiple cards always the same cashier, do they ever give you funny looks or ask you suspicious questions? I know some of you will say that you want to load $1000 with five separate cards-- Have you ever had any problems from this?
Apr 24, 2013, 8:28 pm
#803
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,516
The charge on my card got dropped for some reason even though GCM already shipped the cards. Odd if this is frequent issue with GCM?
Called Chase to confirm if this was indeed dropped they said it is approved from their side and if GCM doesn't charge you within 30 days they will remove the transaction and I won't be billed. I am happy to get the 3000 free dollars if this is indeed the case.
Called Chase to confirm if this was indeed dropped they said it is approved from their side and if GCM doesn't charge you within 30 days they will remove the transaction and I won't be billed. I am happy to get the 3000 free dollars if this is indeed the case.
Apr 24, 2013, 8:33 pm
#804
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 250
Just went to WM to load some $200 Metabank Visa GC I got from Staples. This time, the Moneycenter was broken so I went to a cashier to load my BB. However, I didn't have the guts to load all five cards. I was afraid that the cashier would ask why I'm using five different debit cards to load my BB so I only loaded one card at two separate cashiers. For those of you who load multiple cards always the same cashier, do they ever give you funny looks or ask you suspicious questions? I know some of you will say that you want to load $1000 with five separate cards-- Have you ever had any problems from this?
Apr 24, 2013, 8:33 pm
#805
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: So Cal
Programs: UA Gold/0.744MM, WN AL, Hyatt Diamond, MR Scum, Hertz PC, National Exec, Avis PC
Posts: 5,563
On a business trip, so of course I went mileage hunting in a new state
Went to a gas station and actually found VR's in the shelf! Cashier however said she had a bunch of issues with people bringing them back and scamming her (supposedly) and saying that it didn't work and wanting a refund. Looked thru the stack and found one with a code already exposed
Not a great confidence builder. Bought an untampered one and went to the parking lot to load it to BB...didn't work. Turns out their system is having issues and they can't actually activate the VRs (she called someone else, either a manager or another station)..... Kept the VR agent on the phone and went back in so that the cashier could see that I wasn't a scammer. Got a refund.
So the adventure continued. Went to another gas station and found a variable load Visa card with only a 4.95 fee. I'm used to the 5.95 fee so that was surprising. Since I was looking for VRs though, didn't get the card and I forgot to check the issuing bank
On to Albertsons. Brought a variable load Visa up to the register and had already swiped the credit card when the cashier said cash or debit only
I politely inquired why and that I didn't see any restrictions, but then shrugged it off as "state by state" differences (I knew it wasn't that, but wanted a graceful exit). Cashier also likened it to buying lotto tickets with a credit card which wasn't allowed (poor analogy)
On to Safeway for a Metabank card. Had all sorts of credit card declines because of trying to purchase 500 out of state (though oddly there were no problems with the 500 earlier at the gas station that eventually got refunded). Finally got that at cleared up, called in, set the PIN, and then loaded to BB at WM.
Went to a gas station and actually found VR's in the shelf! Cashier however said she had a bunch of issues with people bringing them back and scamming her (supposedly) and saying that it didn't work and wanting a refund. Looked thru the stack and found one with a code already exposed
Not a great confidence builder. Bought an untampered one and went to the parking lot to load it to BB...didn't work. Turns out their system is having issues and they can't actually activate the VRs (she called someone else, either a manager or another station)..... Kept the VR agent on the phone and went back in so that the cashier could see that I wasn't a scammer. Got a refund.So the adventure continued. Went to another gas station and found a variable load Visa card with only a 4.95 fee. I'm used to the 5.95 fee so that was surprising. Since I was looking for VRs though, didn't get the card and I forgot to check the issuing bank
On to Albertsons. Brought a variable load Visa up to the register and had already swiped the credit card when the cashier said cash or debit only
I politely inquired why and that I didn't see any restrictions, but then shrugged it off as "state by state" differences (I knew it wasn't that, but wanted a graceful exit). Cashier also likened it to buying lotto tickets with a credit card which wasn't allowed (poor analogy)On to Safeway for a Metabank card. Had all sorts of credit card declines because of trying to purchase 500 out of state (though oddly there were no problems with the 500 earlier at the gas station that eventually got refunded). Finally got that at cleared up, called in, set the PIN, and then loaded to BB at WM.
Apr 24, 2013, 9:05 pm
#806
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,689
On a business trip, so of course I went mileage hunting in a new state
On to Safeway for a Metabank card. Had all sorts of credit card declines because of trying to purchase 500 out of state (though oddly there were no problems with the 500 earlier at the gas station that eventually got refunded). Finally got that at cleared up, called in, set the PIN, and then loaded to BB at WM.
On to Safeway for a Metabank card. Had all sorts of credit card declines because of trying to purchase 500 out of state (though oddly there were no problems with the 500 earlier at the gas station that eventually got refunded). Finally got that at cleared up, called in, set the PIN, and then loaded to BB at WM.
Same as if you make a very small purchase and then go to a drug store or gas station and use that same card for a large purchase (another red flag).
Also, traveling out of state and using cards for large purchases (or 500+) is another big potential red flag.
Any of these can usually can be cleared up with a simple phone call, but each can (not always, but can) throw a red flag [due to want can be considered unusual or suspicious spending patterns].
Apr 25, 2013, 1:31 am
#807
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: PHX & AGP
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 11,466
Apr 25, 2013, 8:56 am
#808
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 15
Some data points, today, I tried to load BB with meta bank gift cards at WM and get "Debit not approved" error. The gift card transaction log shows initial approval, and then a quick reversal.
I am afrad that WM/gift card providers have now caught up with BB loading, and explicitly reversing/denying the transaction.
I am afrad that WM/gift card providers have now caught up with BB loading, and explicitly reversing/denying the transaction.
Apr 25, 2013, 9:00 am
#809
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Long Beach
Programs: HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 1,171
Just went to WM to load some $200 Metabank Visa GC I got from Staples. This time, the Moneycenter was broken so I went to a cashier to load my BB. However, I didn't have the guts to load all five cards. I was afraid that the cashier would ask why I'm using five different debit cards to load my BB so I only loaded one card at two separate cashiers. For those of you who load multiple cards always the same cashier, do they ever give you funny looks or ask you suspicious questions? I know some of you will say that you want to load $1000 with five separate cards-- Have you ever had any problems from this?
Apr 25, 2013, 9:26 am
#810
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 120
still, the whole thing made me wonder, which part prompted the register to give me cash? the fact that the original purchases were from two different cards? or the fact that I originally swiped the GC debit when purchasing? if anyone has any experience with this, please share, but i will be doing some testing on this for my own personal info.