Jan 31, 2017, 9:50 pm
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 traveler’s 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.
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 traveler’s 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.
Buy MO's at Post Office(2017-2018)[Gift Cards no Longer Allowed]
Apr 8, 2017, 5:18 pm
#466
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
Coin got bought out/shut down by Fitbit. Even the existing cards don't work anymore IIRC. There is another one called Plastc that is basically vaporware at this point. I think their site is still up (and the renderings of the product look amazing) but they got kinda jacked by the EMV adoption (it's basically impossible to make that type of product EMV compatible).
I've wondered myself about copying the mag strip from GCs to a real debit card. Seems like it should be possible but then again I've never been asked to show the card in my area (yet).
I've wondered myself about copying the mag strip from GCs to a real debit card. Seems like it should be possible but then again I've never been asked to show the card in my area (yet).
I've seen fairly cheap mag strip reader/writer kits for like $100 or less and it looks like they can write card numbers and expiration date and stuff like that... maybe I'll snag one, but boy that eats into my profits BIG TIME since I don't have a card that earns bonus in office stores or gas stations :P
Apr 9, 2017, 2:29 pm
#468
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: BOS
Programs: AA ExP || SPG Plt || Honors Diamond || UA Silver
Posts: 171
Apr 9, 2017, 3:54 pm
#469
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
because of the weekend, give it until Tuesday and if it's not back to your GC, that's the time to call. Good luck!
Apr 9, 2017, 5:14 pm
#470
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: EWR
Programs: World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, UA Mileage Plus
Posts: 1,255
I'm sure this has been covered but there are 32 pages...
My local supermarket has started carrying $500 variable load Visa and MasterCard GCs as of this week. I had stopped paying attention because they were for the longest time only carrying variable load up to $200.
Can US Bank VGC or MCGC be liquidated at the PO? I know Vanilla can...as recently as yesterday I liquidated some...and Metabank can't...but my quick google search did not find in this thread US Bank brand cards.
My local supermarket has started carrying $500 variable load Visa and MasterCard GCs as of this week. I had stopped paying attention because they were for the longest time only carrying variable load up to $200.
Can US Bank VGC or MCGC be liquidated at the PO? I know Vanilla can...as recently as yesterday I liquidated some...and Metabank can't...but my quick google search did not find in this thread US Bank brand cards.
Apr 9, 2017, 6:47 pm
#471
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
just a word of caution if you have not read recent developments ~ a lot of USB MCGCs have been compromised still sold at stores. read the thread discussing USB GC problems to save you a lot of headaches.
you're welcome
Apr 10, 2017, 2:48 am
#474
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 90
Apr 10, 2017, 7:06 am
#475
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 3
yes and no, reports are 50/50 so try it yourself at YOUR PO.
just a word of caution if you have not read recent developments ~ a lot of USB MCGCs have been compromised still sold at stores. read the thread discussing USB GC problems to save you a lot of headaches.
you're welcome
just a word of caution if you have not read recent developments ~ a lot of USB MCGCs have been compromised still sold at stores. read the thread discussing USB GC problems to save you a lot of headaches.
you're welcome
Apr 10, 2017, 10:15 am
#476
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,438
The other day, I tried to buy a $1,000 MO and also a $500 on a separate transaction. I started with the $1,000, and the Clerk had no idea how to split the bill. I tried to tutor her, but she got angry, so I asked her to cancel it. Instead, I then asked for three different MOs for $498.80 each, and I need them rung up as separate orders.
First two went fine. Two different VGCs. On the third one, she was back to being angry and impatient. She rang up #3 , and I got to the point where I swiped VGC #3 and entered the PIN and she put the blank MO into the printer...THEN she asked me out of the blue "Are you paying for these on the same card?"
Kinda caught me off guard, so I answered: "It's my debit card."
"But have you been swiping the same card?"
I said "Yes," meaning that they are all from VGC brand.
She then went into her cash register and printed out some receipts. I had my own receipts from the 2 successful purchases in my hand, so she printed out her own copies. Glanced at them and said, "No, you used different cards. I'm canceling the transaction."
I started to play dumb, but instead made the decision to grab the 2 successful MOs and leave. The 3rd VGC still has $500 on it, so I know she didn't charge me.
I guess I could have answered, "No. They are 3 different debit cards from 3 different accounts" and I might have been okay. Honestly though, I thought she'd just complete the third transaction to get rid of me and call it a day. My own fault for letting her catch me off guard, and i stumbled.
And I still don't know why she was so angry to begin with. As if my requests were so much more difficult for her than dealing with old folks trying to mail gifts to their grandkids and taking an hour and a half of her time asking about tracking and confirmation.
First two went fine. Two different VGCs. On the third one, she was back to being angry and impatient. She rang up #3 , and I got to the point where I swiped VGC #3 and entered the PIN and she put the blank MO into the printer...THEN she asked me out of the blue "Are you paying for these on the same card?"
Kinda caught me off guard, so I answered: "It's my debit card."
"But have you been swiping the same card?"
I said "Yes," meaning that they are all from VGC brand.
She then went into her cash register and printed out some receipts. I had my own receipts from the 2 successful purchases in my hand, so she printed out her own copies. Glanced at them and said, "No, you used different cards. I'm canceling the transaction."
I started to play dumb, but instead made the decision to grab the 2 successful MOs and leave. The 3rd VGC still has $500 on it, so I know she didn't charge me.
I guess I could have answered, "No. They are 3 different debit cards from 3 different accounts" and I might have been okay. Honestly though, I thought she'd just complete the third transaction to get rid of me and call it a day. My own fault for letting her catch me off guard, and i stumbled.
And I still don't know why she was so angry to begin with. As if my requests were so much more difficult for her than dealing with old folks trying to mail gifts to their grandkids and taking an hour and a half of her time asking about tracking and confirmation.
Apr 10, 2017, 10:27 am
#477
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: SFO
Programs: United Gold (frmer. 1k and GS), AAdvantage Platinum, Alaska MVP Gold, HHonors Gold
Posts: 200
Apr 10, 2017, 10:47 am
#479
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,438
But when you're doing separate transactions, you're essentially doing one swipe per purchase, and I didn't think it was anything wrong.
Apr 10, 2017, 11:20 am
#480
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
I'm in L.A. My thinking is that "multiple swipes" applies to the SAME purchase. That is, one purchase, spread out over multiple swipes. I can see why that may raise flags.
But when you're doing separate transactions, you're essentially doing one swipe per purchase, and I didn't think it was anything wrong.
But when you're doing separate transactions, you're essentially doing one swipe per purchase, and I didn't think it was anything wrong.
I suspect it's the odd amount that is a little more of a tip off IN ADDITION to the 2 or 3+ cards.
If you did two random numbers it might look a little more "normal".