deker0

Well, it's your call on how much you want to help. Trust me when I tell you I have been reading and I do not want to screw up any working places. I think that's also part of the problem for a newbie like me - there's alot of conflicting info out there. Everyone says to "go read", "go research" and yet there's different people writing all different stuff. I can read a million things and get a million totally conflicting answers. It's really tough to get started when you hear different results from even the same stores.

But, I'm going to stick to one VGC and one MO from Wally always going forward. And again, to be completely up front: I was NOT trying to make any trouble at WM. I did not want to do a split transaction between 2 VGCs as I knew that would draw eyes on me. So, I was aiming for one VGC per MO. But now, I'll always only ask for one MO and go back for another one on a different day.

craz

you can also go back if you know for sure there was a shift change and get 2 the same day

I agree you can run into conflicting info, what I suggest is you do your homework and then PM or even on thread present what you read and know and explain what you feel is conflicting info and ask to be PMed or answered on thread if it wont reveal anything That way folks will see you are trying and did your homework and not simply looking to be spoon fed

But Im sure there are those out there that will beable to use more then 1 card per transaction but its far and few in between and out of the 2 dz locations I frequent on a reg basis theres only 1 where I can get away with it

If you stay in the game you will need a ton of patience and what worked today will be denied tomorrow and vice versa, just dont expect things to revert back to what once was, if anything the screws are getting tighter each and every day

ogg

I find it odd that doing split transactions at a WM is considered "getting away with" something. Yes, stores have different policies. But WM's national policy is to allow split transactions. Its software limits you to using 4 cards per transaction, but that's the only real limitation. The national policy also says that all money orders have to be done in one transaction, but it's never been made clear whether that means you can't do additional transactions throughout the day as long as other customers do their transactions between yours. In some stores, you can go in the morning and again in the afternoon. They're fine with it. In other stores, you can get back in line after a transaction and keep doing that, doing as many transactions as you like. And some stores and CSRs have no idea what the national policy is or just don't care. All the other stuff is regional policy, store policy, or random policy from random CSRs who are doing what others told them to do or just take a dislike to you for some reason.

I've never had a CSR ask to see the debit cards I'm using. I don't hide that I'm using prepaid debit cards. Some stores/CSRs allow it, some don't. Being deceptive by showing one card and swiping another is understandable but not a good idea since you'll eventually be caught doing that and the CSR will consider you suspicious. We're not criminals. Don't act like one.

craz

Im not sure if its MG or WM policy but at least 1 of them has it as no GCs to be used. There was a Wally that never cared about anything that was done till MG showed up and read them the riot act, and ever since if its not cash you have to show them the card being used and at times they will input it or watch you like a hawk. They didnt care so much that they would sell you the card that you would use to get the MO

So if you have a location that doesnt care , great you are in the vast minority of those who play this game and its a YMMV as it ever was but alot more restricted to most folks.

njdealguy

So went back to the same WM this morning and there was a different manager on staff and having shown her the receipt and this person immediately knew exactly what "CASH TEND" means and that there was a mistake made. So following suggestions on this forum about asking to review the video and cash register balance for the day, was quickly able to verify and gave me the cash back! Was in and out of there in less than 10 minutes. Thanks a lot to those on this forum who can advise on issues like this that isn't possible absolutely anywhere else!

radonc1

So this series of posts leads me to the following:
How likely is it that this WM will be interested in providing MOs for GCs in the future? And
Just think if njidealguy had been from out of town and had to return to that WM to get his refund.

There are lots of briars in this patch

ogg

No. WM has a rule that no WalMart gift cards can be used--but the terminal doesn't allow that anyway for billpay or MOs. Visa/MC prepaid gift cards with PIN numbers are debit cards and they can be used. Problem is that some CSRs/managers don't realize the e-mail about gift cards is talking about WalMart gift cards (good only at WalMart), not the Visa/MC debit gift cards (some also sold at WM).

I used to buy 55 WM-brand Visa gift cards each day. One day a store got a memo saying the maximum purchase was $1000 for WM gift cards--and some CSRs thought it applied to those Visa GCs. Same problem.

ogg

Oh, and there are also store restrictions, often put into effect when MoneyGram does an audit and finds irregularities. Some stores in my area stopped allowing Visa GCs for money services transactions for three months following an audit--and then they were OK with those cards for bp/mos once more. Some stores, of course, decide that no Visa/MC gift cards can be accepted, sometimes because of fraud, sometimes because a-holes doing MS made a nuisance of themselves, sometimes because the lines get too long from MSers. You used to be able to complain to WM customer service corporate and have them talk to the store manager involved, but ultimately it's up to the store manager to set these rules regardless of national WM policy.

SideShowBob

On the plus side only half of the CSRs can actually read so you have a 50/50 shot of them not knowing about the rule.

craz

Whats MGs policy? I know WU has a rule against anything but a bank DC or ca$h, and like Wallys some supermkt chains are hit or miss
,
But you pretty much proved my point that unless you know for a fact that a Wally will allow split payments its best to assume they wont., and if the csr asks how many you want or is that the only one etc etc assume theres no way you will be getting any others at that time. The only place that will still allow me to do split payments wont allow any more after the # you told them you want

I err on the side of caution and since very few will allow split payments or me to get any more after the amount I originally said I wanted I assume it cant be done and dont bother, even if I have no plans to be back at that location as I dont want to mess anything up for those who use it as a reg place

jk2

I hope that WMgeddon will not happen soon. I usually split my activities between WM and Publix. One P store was so good, I always had good luck there with 2k MOs per visit. Last week I became careless or greedy, and stopped 2 times per day for this activity. One of my last visits was awkward - a guy who I know and who knows me had to get authorization from office to sell mo. I was given OK, but my next and last visit, a manager appeared and said some kind of nonsense that WU is sending them e-mails about not allowing split transactions and so forth. Manager told me he would follow up with me on this, but so far no calls from him. I guess I'm done in this location. I feel bad since it was really a gravy train. But may be I would get a green light back, who knows.

ogg

Why? I'd just assume that each store follows national policy. If a CSR refuses to allow a split, fine. But why assume otherwise and automatically make more work for yourself at a greater expense? All the CSR can do is say no. What's the harm?

craz

If enough folks ask everyday the csrs will get sick of it, no different then if everyone w/o status asks at the car counter if they can get a free upgrade. More important telling them you want to do split payments will alert almost all the csrs that you arent using a bank DC, thuslya greater chance you will walk out w/o even 1 MO. Heck up thread it seems both The Bay Area and San Diego are both DEAD for MOs. As I said out of close to 24 places only 1 allows split, its the odd place that does, and Im able to get a MO at some places that were off limits, since now its simply asking for 1 MO with 1 swipe and they do it w/o questioning me, when in the past if I mentioned split payments Id walk out empty handed

Now does that pertain to all locations , nope and you and some others may be very lucky that in their area its a free for all, but that I believe is the odd situation rather then the norm, and even if the policy didnt say what cards can or cant be used the csrs have it in their head probably from their higher ups at their location that anything but a bank DC is ILLEGAL. And nothing will change that. I once tried to reason with them how the guy in front of me that just sent a hand full cas$h to a few places is a better chance of illegal activity or not having had paid taxes then what I do. I might as well been talking to a dead person, no way would they see the ca$h person as up to no good while we were AOK, it will remain the complete opposite

So I try ad get the newbes to grasp whats what and over time as they get use to it they can decide for themselves what their comfort level is and how caution is the name of the game if you want to stay in the game.

Staples is the same many places its 1 VGC and only 1 per day, others its bau while others will allow 1 per shift, and 1 I went into told me it was per promo and wouldnt let me buy any more even thou it was a different day. I see it all as cost of doing business

So Im happy you can roll and do as you please its a far cry for me where Im based and where deker0 is based and they are in a worse spot then I am

luv2vacay

One of our local WM has a POS update that won't let you use GC for MO or loading to Serve/BB. You swipe, enter PIN and get tender not allowed or something. This happened back in April.

For some reason the other Wal-Mart (although I've not tried lately) lets them through, but that was as of May. That store may have gotten the same POS update since then.
Been going to DG instead to liquidate to Serve.
Metbank Visa GC.

tuphat

That's not nonsense, WU does monitor individual store/agent activity, and "suspicious" or "unusual" activity will trigger emails.