Jan 2, 2019, 9:51 am
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.
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
Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)
Dec 17, 2020, 5:52 pm
#3046
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
My one and the only store (Neighborhood Market) told me tonight the Dec 19 stop. Hard stop. Cashier said he could not help me after tonight on this because if he "was caught on CCTV he would lose his job." Store manager is a super cool guy never minds the moderate MS since it is only one mo per day. He happened to walk back from the floor, cashier immediately reported, pointing to the screen, said, I told the customer on this corporate new policy. So yes, the screen can show what cards are used. Actually grocery stores' can too. All it needs is the BIN which tells what card it is.
Dec 17, 2020, 5:58 pm
#3047
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,322
Why is there a separate thread devoted to the 12/19 memo? Why hasn't it been combined with this thread?
Dec 17, 2020, 9:45 pm
#3048
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
I think this WM MO thing is totally out of control. After the MC terminal was re-programmed and Meta GC disabled, folks tried really hard to swipe $99 multiple times. So WM decided to pull the trigger and kill this for all. Now the herds will go to other WM lanes to kill other things. Then WM will be totally dead soon. The yellow wasps will all over the places.
What is the next to die?
What is the next to die?
Dec 17, 2020, 10:15 pm
#3049
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,507
I think this WM MO thing is totally out of control. After the MC terminal was re-programmed and Meta GC disabled, folks tried really hard to swipe $99 multiple times. So WM decided to pull the trigger and kill this for all. Now the herds will go to other WM lanes to kill other things. Then WM will be totally dead soon. The yellow wasps will all over the places.
What is the next to die?
What is the next to die?
Dec 17, 2020, 10:21 pm
#3050
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
That is how it works. You should know that by now. I used to think that if I did my part and didn't hit it hard that it will somehow preserve the longevity of that MS avenue (ex: USPS MOs, Target Amex US Buxx, etc) but nope....it didn't matter. At the end I was kicking myself for not doing more volume. At this point you mind as well hit it hard with whatever avenues are available and get those points.
But remember the points do not come free. First it takes time. Any shut-down will hurt financial standing too. Also the Covid virus etc. Gas and vehicle costs. So what do we gain to get a $99 (or 2, 3) MO to make a trip 30 miles away?
It is just me. Maybe a few others. I know people can do whatever they want....
Last edited by RedSun; Dec 17, 2020 at 10:27 pm
Dec 17, 2020, 11:31 pm
#3051
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 129
I've said it before, I'll say it again: trying to pace things makes no sense. Doing 1 or 2 swipes when you could do 4, or whatever. Doesn't matter. Same thing applies to getting shutdown for volume. If you can run 4k a day, and you only run 2k a day, you need things to last twice as long (and do twice as many trips) as the person who is maxing things out. I know some people aren't comfortable getting in big, that's totally understandable. But doing more volume in a shorter period of time is more effective than pacing things and hoping for the best. Someone who ran 8k a day through walmart for a year is in much better shape than someone who ran 1k a day through walmart for 8 years.
Edit: this doesn't just go for buying MOs. Someone who was pacing themselves got punished when Amex stopped giving points for Simon. Someone who was pacing themselves got punished when GCM/GC dot com stopped giving portal cashback. These were all limited opportunities and no amount of "taking things slow" would have made a difference.
Edit 2: Obviously, different logic applies for things like MS unicorns where doing high volume might actually endanger something sweet. But when it comes to very public offers and MS methods, just go for it.
Edit: this doesn't just go for buying MOs. Someone who was pacing themselves got punished when Amex stopped giving points for Simon. Someone who was pacing themselves got punished when GCM/GC dot com stopped giving portal cashback. These were all limited opportunities and no amount of "taking things slow" would have made a difference.
Edit 2: Obviously, different logic applies for things like MS unicorns where doing high volume might actually endanger something sweet. But when it comes to very public offers and MS methods, just go for it.
Dec 18, 2020, 6:39 am
#3052
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
We all do things the way we do on our own, individually. So just do not generalize and say what is the right or wrong way to do things. I'll try to avoid doing this too. So I only say what I do....
Dec 18, 2020, 8:54 pm
#3053
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 175
SoCal Pre-D-Day
Had a handful of US Bank $500 gebits from the ongoing Chase grocery spend bonuses and one Metabank $200 gebit from a recent Staples or OD special. Drove to the Santa Clarita Valley in the late morning and started working my way back to LA hitting every WM (and Albertsons) along the 5, except Burbank which is always a zoo and was prone to reject gebits pre-memo — four SCs and one NM to be exact. Only one swipe per store (my usual policy since I’ve found it tough to do multiples for awhile here). Wasn’t asked to see my card once. No mention of a new policy on the way. No signage to be seen. Fingers crossed this remains the case.
Last edited by strummerjones; Dec 18, 2020 at 9:03 pm
Dec 18, 2020, 9:05 pm
#3054
Join Date: Dec 2020
Programs: Delta Diamond (MM) | Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 158
You're lucky to have USB GCs available at a store categorized as grocery. Which place is it?
Had a handful of US Bank $500 gebits from the ongoing Chase grocery spend bonuses and one Metabank $200 gebit from a recent Staples or OD special. Drove to the Santa Clarita Valley in the late morning and started working my way back to LA hitting every WM (and Albertsons) along the 5, except Burbank which is always a zoo and was prone to reject gebits pre-memo — four SCs and one NM to be exact. Only one swipe per store (my usual policy since I’ve found it tough to do multiples for awhile here). Wasn’t asked to see my card once. Fingers crossed this remains the case.
Dec 19, 2020, 8:42 am
#3055
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 375
D-Day
The cashier today allowed me to buy a $999.12 MO with two debit swipes of $500 each.
Dec 19, 2020, 10:56 am
#3056
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 276
Went to two friendly Walmart pre 12/19. First Walmart immediately asked to see my card when I said I want to do 4 swipes. 
Had no issue at the second Walmart. I guess it’s YMMV for now depending on the location or the cashier.
Had no issue at the second Walmart. I guess it’s YMMV for now depending on the location or the cashier.
Dec 19, 2020, 4:30 pm
#3058
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: IHG, Hilton diamond (IHG match) SPG gold
Posts: 105
Bau today at friendly MC 4 swipes
Dec 19, 2020, 5:28 pm
#3059
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: JRF
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,784
I think it's safe to say just like every prediction that came before, the memo was a dud. If you weren't having a hard time at Walmart before, you're not going to now. And if you've stopped visiting the money center altogether because of swipe problems with Metas, you won't even notice the difference.
Dec 19, 2020, 5:34 pm
#3060
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 83
Money Center in Hawaii allowed me to do multi-swipe today.