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Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)

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Old Jan 2, 2019, 9:51 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: danpeake
As of Nov 11, 2020, Meta gebits are getting declined when used for MO/BP purchases at MC/SD. New limit appears to be $99 per swipe with some metas at some stores. READ the posts below and add a data point with details. USB and GD gift cards do not seem to be affected.

This is the thread for 2019. The previous discussion can be found here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manu...rt-2018-a.html

New to MO: Read this entire Wiki (Click to open) and all posts for some tips before asking common questions. It is best to know what you are doing before you try.

Note: The policy for allowing gift cards as payment for money orders can be more restrictive with certain stores or certain clerks. Just because an employee says there's a new restrictive policy "for all Walmarts" means nothing. There are plenty of cases where the employee is incorrect and the new policy is only regional or store specific.

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Tested Gebit (gift debit) cards:
1. DO NOT WORK - Any Vanilla product affiliated with InComm or ITC Financial Services will not work for swipes over $49.99.
2. See above on Visas issued by MetaBank. New limit appears to be $99 per swipe with some metas at some stores. Follow the posts below for the latest information.
3. MC issued by US bank OR Metabank MC (Giftcards.com) can work, but you need to change payment type to debit before they enter the amount in the register. See below for details.
4. Gdot/sun work but take about an hour to activate.(VGC issued by Sunrise also limited to $99/swipe, same as Metabank issued cards, and Sunrise was available immediately).
5. USB work
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________
NEW Limits as of 11/18 - 8K with ID every 24 hours. ID required for MO over 1K.

Some tips for starting out:

All WM registers allow 4 debit swipes per transaction, but YMMV per store and cashier. Refer to cards as Debit cards.

Start slow and buy one MO with one Gebit to see how it works. Refer to cards as Debit, only this community calls them Gebits. Your store or cashier may have rules that other stores do not have, only allowing one swipe per trans or up to 4 swipes per trans. Read all the tips below and all the posts below before trying more advanced transactions. NO variety or design of VISA or MC Gebit's will ever auto-drain at Walmart so always tell them the amount you want to pay per card. Fee: 1K MO or less is usually 88 cents each, but ask or check the wall. Subtract the fee from the total or pay in cash. If a store says "no", thank them and try again another day with a different clerk.


Helpful details and tips for advanced transactions:

1. Cost:
1K MO fee is usually $1 each(Some states limit MO total to 750 or 950 and may have a different fee). Subtract fee from your total or pay in cash. Can buy two 1K MO in one transaction with 4 swipes for $1 x 2 in most states. NO variety or design of VISA or MC Gebit's will ever auto-drain at Walmart so always tell them the amount you want to pay per card.

2. Split payment transactions: You cannot successfully swipe more than 4 cards in a single transaction. If the cashier screws up and enters $50.00 instead of $500.00 (thus making it impossible for 4 swipes to complete the transaction), the transaction will need to be canceled. The funds should return to your cards right away but may take 24 hours, so note the time and person helping you. When a transaction is canceled during the trans, the money returns to the cards. If canceled after, the cash reg drawer opens and they pay you back in cash.

3. Split payment: The amount of each swipe needs to be entered by the cashier. Ask to "split the payment by $$$". The Gebit must have current balance of that amount or more otherwise slip with Error 51 will print out. Warning: (YMMV) It appears (my experience on 3 occasions during prepaid card load and buying MO in 2 different WMs) that after the debit card was charged no cash could be credited back to the card. Cashier should issue cash back. Keep the slip and contact manager if in doubt. Remember date, time and register if no slip.

4. Bad Printer: IF, by chance, you've swiped your GCs successfully, a receipt prints but the MO doesn't, make sure to ask to see the receipt and check near the bottom IF it says CHANGE/REFUND with a negative sign before the amount of GCs you swiped, that means the cashier must give you cash refund. Cashier may have to call for the cash dept manager to verify the refund. Some stores may outright give your cash refund immediately while there are others that will ask you to come back. Think twice before you buy MOs while on vacation or when you're in unknown to you territories for issues like this.

5. Kiosk: Very few Kate's can sell money orders anymore.>>>>Sometime 2016, a lot of WM supercenters have done away with Kate (kiosks that allows loading of prepaids/sell $500 MOs). As of today, MOST, if not ALL WMs, have replaced this with the regular slim ATM to check balance/withdraw money. Kates are a distant and pleasant memory now.

6. MCGC liquidation- The cashier should
not enter the amount first. Technically they just can't hit enter after entering the amount. Let the CSR know you need to swipe first and switch the payment type to debit, then swipe and hit "Cancel" or "Change Payment" to select "Debit" on the screen, enter the pin and have them enter the amount.

7. SSN/ID entry - Any MO purchases in one transaction at or over $3K requires you to input your SSN. Any MO at or over $1K requires ID input (and ID requirement can also be forced by cashier at any amount).



Debit codes PDF
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/attac...0&d=1461170080

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Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)

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Old Nov 12, 2020, 12:11 pm
  #2656  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 550
Tried Sunrise VGC for MO purchase, asked for $100 on swipe one, it failed, then asked for $99 swipes, went through without issues.

Edit: code 56 on the declined $100 swipe.
DiMAn0684 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 12:30 pm
  #2657  
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 1
It is hard to say what is going on. Here is my dp: (loading bluebird)
Nov 10, metabank vgc $300 at walmart checkout, success
Nov 10, metabank vgc $200 at walmart customer service, success
Nov 12, metabank vgc $500 at walmart checkout, success
Nov 12, sunrise vgc $500 at walmart money center, failed (error 56)
Nov 12, sunrise vgc $300 at walmart money center, failed (error 56)
swhang and jn in ca like this.
Hans Gatrix is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 12:36 pm
  #2658  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: w/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez; SG Silver
Posts: 1,188
Originally Posted by josh1573
DP I wen to meijer today to test the 1k SMVGC and it worked in one transaction, since the fee is 65 cents per MO and the max amunt on their money orders is 500 I just asked for ono 500 and one 498.70.I'm planning to liquidate my remaining cards this way and wai to see what is next with wally..
I have $200 cards so $400 MO is my goal. Does Meijer allow >1 swipe per MO?

Last edited by rxgeek; Nov 12, 2020 at 1:29 pm Reason: store clarification
rxgeek is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 12:41 pm
  #2659  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northeastern United States
Posts: 597
Originally Posted by danhouston
heck, grocery stores will likely see more volumes for MOs; their MCs would have more cashiers watched with eagle eye
Already happening in my area. The local whale has all the S&Ss on high alert since he and his wife can't use WM anymore.
Prometheus77 is online now  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 12:52 pm
  #2660  
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Portsmouth, NH
Programs: AA EXP, MRT Lifetime Titanium Elite, UAL, DL, SPG
Posts: 40
Has anyone tried to load GoBank with Staples $200 meta vgc's yet at WM? For m.o.'s it seems like $99 per wipe is the max at WM using the same Staples $200 vgc's (or Simon's)?
jfks35 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 12:55 pm
  #2661  
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 20
Originally Posted by Hans Gatrix
It is hard to say what is going on. Here is my dp: (loading bluebird)
Nov 10, metabank vgc $300 at walmart checkout, success
Nov 10, metabank vgc $200 at walmart customer service, success
Nov 12, metabank vgc $500 at walmart checkout, success
Nov 12, sunrise vgc $500 at walmart money center, failed (error 56)
Nov 12, sunrise vgc $300 at walmart money center, failed (error 56)
i can deal with the doing $500 loads at the cashier if it’s proven to work. Will test out the cashier at a regular Walmart along with a neighborhood Walmart.
Liteweight13 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 1:50 pm
  #2662  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 76
What is the pin for the Staples 200$ VGC? I tried the last four digit but it did not work.
Originally Posted by radonc1
I was able to load in one swipe $200 on my BB using a single Staples $200 VGC last night. I will give it another try today, although I do not like to do multiple GC loads onto my BB due to rat infestation.
zyqnc is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 2:36 pm
  #2663  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: BOS
Posts: 550
Originally Posted by zyqnc
What is the pin for the Staples 200$ VGC? I tried the last four digit but it did not work.
Always been the last 4 for me.
DiMAn0684 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 3:02 pm
  #2664  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 76
I tried to load into BB/Gobank/MO at one of my favorites WM this afternoon. None of the 200$ Staples GC worked. I thought it was the PIN issue. Now I remembered that these cards were fine at Costco. Looks like these cards can not be used at WM money center, at least 200$ swipe does not work.
Originally Posted by DiMAn0684
Always been the last 4 for me.
zyqnc is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 3:22 pm
  #2665  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Midwest
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Marriott LT Titanium
Posts: 67
So far no cashier at meijer has been able to do split payment for me and therefore I'm inclined to believe that is only 1 swipe for money order. YMMV

Good Luck
josh1573 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 4:15 pm
  #2666  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: New York, NY, USA
Programs: UA 1K - 2.1MM, HH LT Diamond, IHG Diamond, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 766
Originally Posted by josh1573
So far no cashier at meijer has been able to do split payment for me and therefore I'm inclined to believe that is only 1 swipe for money order. YMMV

Good Luck
You don’t have to ask for split payment, as the cards can auto-drain. It’s been a long time, but I’ve done multiple swipes with auto-drain. Whether that clerk will do a double take will depend on the location.
Magic Pickles is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 5:20 pm
  #2667  
soy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,693
Looking to run multi-swipes at grocers is a sure fire way to burn down that avenue also
Will be glad to see the back of 2020

Last edited by soy; Nov 12, 2020 at 8:44 pm
soy is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 5:53 pm
  #2668  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,448
Originally Posted by Magic Pickles
You don’t have to ask for split payment, as the cards can auto-drain. It’s been a long time, but I’ve done multiple swipes with auto-drain. Whether that clerk will do a double take will depend on the location.
Are you saying that you don't have to announce to the CSR that you are using more than one GC to buy the MO.

IOW's I ask for a $400 MO and then just swipe 2 $200 GCs, that they will be auto drained without the CSR doing anything?
radonc1 is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 7:02 pm
  #2669  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 13
DP:

Nov. 11 at regular wm:
$600 load, w/ 2 $300 staples meta vgc at wm cashier--fail...tender not allowed
Different $300 staples meta vgc at wm cashier--fail....tender not allowed
different 599.98 MO W 2 $300 staples meta vgc at wmmc--fail ....error 56.
oppcost is offline  
Old Nov 12, 2020, 7:05 pm
  #2670  
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Metro ATL
Posts: 359
Tried several times over 2 days to load my GB with Staples $300 VGC at WM and declined immediately even before a prompt for PIN.
touristtrap is offline  


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