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Buy MO's at Post Office(2017-2018)[Gift Cards no Longer Allowed]

Old Jan 31, 2017, 9:50 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: shdflyer
11/3/17: The vast majority of popular prepaid debit cards are now blocked via a register hardcode at most locations.

This is the thread for 2017. The previous discussion can be found here.

Newbies: READ for days and learn before trying. It is best to know what you are doing, so start slow. Refer to cards as "Debit" not gc.

"Money orders can be purchased at any Post Office location.
Pay for your money order with cash, debit card, or travelers checks."

Fees:
$0.01 to $500.00: $1.20
$500.01 to $1,000.00: $1.60

Most post offices allow split payment (multiple debit cards) for one money order up to a max of $1000.

Example of how to split payment:

1. "One MO please for $998.40. Id like to pay with 2 debit cards, $500 on each."
2. Swipe first card and enter pin.
3. Remind teller that its "$500 on that card". They will change the amount on their screen to $500. Transaction goes through and a small receipt prints.
4. Swipe 2nd card, enter pin.
5. Done.

Note: If you encounter a problem with the second card and have to cancel the transaction, it can be very difficult to recover your funds on the first card. Always have a back-up payment method available (bank debit card or cash).

GC Information: The fine print on the back of the package shows the bank issuer. Don't buy GCs with tampered packaging and always use cards ASAP.

Visa OneVanilla and Vanilla GC issued by Bancorp work at PO.

Visa/MC Gift Cards issued by MetaBank have not had any success at MOST USPS anywhere in the country since around September 2016.
These will NOT work if the clerk uses a touchscreen
These MAY work, and often do, at small, rural post offices where clerks do not have touch screens.

Visa Gift Cards from Walmart issued by Green Dot have stopped working for MO purchases for some.

GAME MOSTLY OVER, MOST USPO are HARD CODED to NOT ACCEPT NON BANK DEBIT CARDS
Exception seems to be small, rural post offices where clerks do not use touch screens.
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Buy MO's at Post Office(2017-2018)[Gift Cards no Longer Allowed]

Old Apr 5, 2017, 2:11 pm
  #436  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 284
Just did first trial run of OV VCG --> USPS PO. Got the VGC no prob. But when I went to PO and said I wanted to pay with debit, the first thing she said was "sure, let me see your debit card please." She asked out loud to herself whether there was a bank logo. At first she was like "yes, this is fine...oh wait, it says gift card. sorry, you can't use this." Said thank you and left.

Trekked to another PO in my area. Said I'd like to buy MO, paying with debit. Her first question is "what bank is the card associated with?" I get flustered and say Citi (the bank of my real debit card). But sensing that she may very well ask to see the card next, I say "you know what? let me give Citi a quick call before we put this through, just to confirm I have the funds available." I then made my way to the exit.

What a complete and utter failure. Is this normal? Is it always this difficult?
brody24 is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2017, 3:15 pm
  #437  
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: LAX, SNA
Posts: 359
Originally Posted by brody24
Just did first trial run of OV VCG --> USPS PO. Got the VGC no prob. But when I went to PO and said I wanted to pay with debit, the first thing she said was "sure, let me see your debit card please." She asked out loud to herself whether there was a bank logo. At first she was like "yes, this is fine...oh wait, it says gift card. sorry, you can't use this." Said thank you and left.

Trekked to another PO in my area. Said I'd like to buy MO, paying with debit. Her first question is "what bank is the card associated with?" I get flustered and say Citi (the bank of my real debit card). But sensing that she may very well ask to see the card next, I say "you know what? let me give Citi a quick call before we put this through, just to confirm I have the funds available." I then made my way to the exit.

What a complete and utter failure. Is this normal? Is it always this difficult?
Where are you located? Multiple POs in my area have recently told me they received notification not to accept GCs and are now checking the card before processing it. I've had no issues in the past. I don't known if this is nationwide or not.
dogbyte is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2017, 3:19 pm
  #438  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 284
Originally Posted by dogbyte
Where are you located? Multiple POs in my area have recently told me they received notification not to accept GCs and are now checking the card before processing it. I've had no issues in the past. I don't known if this is nationwide or not.
NY area. Sounds totally consistent with what I heard today. First woman made clear she was looking for bank logo when checking card. Second woman at different USPS just asked me what bank it was. Had a strong feeling she would ask to see it if I said, Citi, Chase, etc. So I talked my way out of the interaction. Afraid that POs across NY received the same directive.

Last edited by brody24; Apr 5, 2017 at 3:47 pm
brody24 is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2017, 4:00 pm
  #439  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
Originally Posted by brody24
Just did first trial run of OV VCG --> USPS PO. Got the VGC no prob. But when I went to PO and said I wanted to pay with debit, the first thing she said was "sure, let me see your debit card please." She asked out loud to herself whether there was a bank logo. At first she was like "yes, this is fine...oh wait, it says gift card. sorry, you can't use this." Said thank you and left.

Trekked to another PO in my area. Said I'd like to buy MO, paying with debit. Her first question is "what bank is the card associated with?" I get flustered and say Citi (the bank of my real debit card). But sensing that she may very well ask to see the card next, I say "you know what? let me give Citi a quick call before we put this through, just to confirm I have the funds available." I then made my way to the exit.

What a complete and utter failure. Is this normal? Is it always this difficult?
I don't know if it makes a difference, and at my post offices they haven't asked to see the card, but I let them start the transaction and they ask me the amount and stuff and then I get ready to use the pin pad and they say "That's debit, right?" and I say "yep" and slide it.

So maybe not tip them off up front that it's a card... maybe they get into a habit of just having someone slide the debit card and go when it asks for payment or maybe it's a pain to void them once it's been started so they'll verbally ask you to confirm but only ask to see the card if a manager is on site that day or if they've been recently told to via emails etc. Who knows...
acarney is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2017, 8:55 pm
  #440  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by brody24
NY area. Sounds totally consistent with what I heard today. First woman made clear she was looking for bank logo when checking card. Second woman at different USPS just asked me what bank it was. Had a strong feeling she would ask to see it if I said, Citi, Chase, etc. So I talked my way out of the interaction. Afraid that POs across NY received the same directive.

When you say NY area, are you referring to city? If so what POs have you tried?
darwinwins is offline  
Old Apr 5, 2017, 9:25 pm
  #441  
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 779
Originally Posted by acarney
I don't know if it makes a difference, and at my post offices they haven't asked to see the card, but I let them start the transaction and they ask me the amount and stuff and then I get ready to use the pin pad and they say "That's debit, right?" and I say "yep" and slide it.
And always use the palm method. Have your actual bank debit card ready to show when asked, but swipe your giftcard for payment.
gw14 is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 7:31 am
  #442  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: BOS, PVD, HYA
Programs: MR, TYP, AA, B6, DL, WN, HH, MB, 2V
Posts: 658
Originally Posted by gw14
And always use the palm method. Have your actual bank debit card ready to show when asked, but swipe your giftcard for payment.
Too true - MS occasionally equals sleight of hand
financialhippie is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 9:48 am
  #443  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 284
Originally Posted by gw14
And always use the palm method. Have your actual bank debit card ready to show when asked, but swipe your giftcard for payment.
One is black, the other is white. Maybe if they were the same color that could work.
brody24 is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 10:11 am
  #444  
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 714
I wouldn't even attempt to pull off a 'palm method' in my area. My main WF debit card is red which is glaringly different from the silver OVs. Maybe the payment terminals are different in some places but the ones nearby are open and on the counter so the po clerk can easily see what you're using.
diseased is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 10:20 am
  #445  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 284
Originally Posted by diseased
I wouldn't even attempt to pull off a 'palm method' in my area. My main WF debit card is red which is glaringly different from the silver OVs. Maybe the payment terminals are different in some places but the ones nearby are open and on the counter so the po clerk can easily see what you're using.
Yeah, I'm hesitant to even try this. I sort of draw the line at things that can openly be confirmed at deceit. Its one thing to go in with VGC, be asked to show it, and then say in a confused and slightly upset way "oh, I didn't realize you couldn't use this to get a MO. Thanks for letting me know. Have a nice day." With that, I can show my face in there again, maybe try and get a different agent. But its sort of another to get pegged for actually trying to swap the cards, where you are red-handed trying to deceive them.
brody24 is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 12:23 pm
  #446  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
Does anyone know what the CSR sees in their POS/screen after the card is swiped?

At my goto grocery store, they can see the name that is hard coded on thr magnetic stip on their POS. For GCs, they see its a GC, for real debits, they see your name.
lumangoy is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 12:24 pm
  #447  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,837
.....
lumangoy is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 12:54 pm
  #448  
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: DL Diamond, SPG/Marriott Plat, HH Diamond
Posts: 132
Had USB MCGC from Kroger get rejected at two different POs yesterday and today (by POS, not cashier). Possible new hard coding. Anyone had a similar experience?
pointchaser93 is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 1:01 pm
  #449  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Originally Posted by lumangoy
Does anyone know what the CSR sees in their POS/screen after the card is swiped?

At my goto grocery store, they can see the name that is hard coded on thr magnetic stip on their POS. For GCs, they see its a GC, for real debits, they see your name.
at my go-to co-op grocery store I don't think they see names on the GCs. I know this because there is one clerk who's always grumpy, if she saw names on her end when the GC is swiped, she would've yelled at me and rejected my GCs. She's always reluctant so the most swipes I do is two whereas for the rest, I can do 6 swipes with ease and small talk. If I can avoid MsGrumpy I do, but as long as she lets me buy $1K MO, I'll let her be.
Mamibear is offline  
Old Apr 6, 2017, 2:53 pm
  #450  
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
So please censor this if it gets into the "not allowed here" / "illegal" territory and I'll never mention it again.... but...

I've always wondered if you could buy a magnetic stripe reader/writer and then use either an old bank card (and hope they don't read the valid date to close, though seems risky) or use an actual bank card that is still valid but you closed the account on or something.

Then just clone the gift card info into your bank card before your trip to the PO.

Actually... even better. There are cards like "Coin" that allow you to store up to 7 or 8 card on it and then still use a traditional magnetic stripe to read it. I believe those you can even load new cards on via a smart phone app or something. Now of course those are a bit pricey and eat into profit ($100 or so) but I wonder if that would be valid enough for a post office clerk... as long as the point of sale doesn't say "gift card" during the swipe or something...
acarney is offline  

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