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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 Jan 23, 2021, 9:07 pm
  #3226  
soy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,683
Originally Posted by titanicMS
If MG is replaced by WU will their OS negatively affect our Gc liquidation to MO?
In my area WM are the only MG operator. Everyone else is WU.
The big advantage of WM was scale, so my main worry would be that WU are more sensitive to whales* and introduce limits that kill WU at all locations. Less choice is always a negative

*I am not a whale
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Old Jan 24, 2021, 2:23 am
  #3227  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by radonc1
I am told that some gas stations sell MOs.

I am looking but have yet to find one that allows me to use a debit card to fund such a purchase.

We have been hunting for the same... stopping at every blasted gas station large and small, excited to see new chains w/kioks setting up shot...not a single one accepting plastic for MO.
pixelrogue is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2021, 9:24 am
  #3228  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 226
Originally Posted by radonc1
Steve
Did you pay for the MO purchase fee separately or did you buy up to $500 MO with the fee added in?

And did you use cash or just swipe a second GC to make the payment? I have been thinking about doing the latter but am concerned about the CSR getting hinky when doing 2 swipes.
Similar question as I have noticed in other groceries (excluding Safeway, however including Safeway family brands) that the moment you hint at a second swipe the transaction is over. Someone starts to ask questions, wants to the see the card or starts asking co-workers. This has kept the MO purchases to a single transaction...which is a massive pia w/the time it takes to commute, park, often waiting in line or waiting for someone to show up.... need a better friendlier way.
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Old Jan 24, 2021, 9:35 am
  #3229  
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Hyatt 10+ BadgeMarriott 10+ Badge
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Originally Posted by pixelrogue
Similar question as I have noticed in other groceries (excluding Safeway, however including Safeway family brands) that the moment you hint at a second swipe the transaction is over. Someone starts to ask questions, wants to the see the card or starts asking co-workers. This has kept the MO purchases to a single transaction...which is a massive pia w/the time it takes to commute, park, often waiting in line or waiting for someone to show up.... need a better friendlier way.
True, but....
cruisr likes this.
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Old Jan 24, 2021, 1:30 pm
  #3230  
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: Krisflyer, hyatt GP
Posts: 186
Friendliest manager at my local store (he knows what we are doing), told me a story:
a guy came n trying to get money order $2900 with multiple swipes that day. The new manager who helped him feeling uncomfortable n the guy starts arguing n getting rude to the manager.
the manager escalates to the store director n now the bridge burned.
moral of story: when the manager / cashier declines, just say sorry, thanks n leave! Dont make any scene.
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Old Jan 24, 2021, 2:08 pm
  #3231  
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: SAN
Posts: 1,306
Originally Posted by Bidu
moral of story: when the manager / cashier declines, just say sorry, thanks n leave! Dont make any scene.
On the flip side, be nice, start slow and build relationships. Two grocery chains I frequent now have a cash/ATM policy on GC purchases. But I have been going there so long they still let me use my credit cards (and my wife’s) to purchase.

TD
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Last edited by Traveler Dave; Jan 24, 2021 at 2:15 pm
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Old Jan 24, 2021, 2:22 pm
  #3232  
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 28
Kindness

you catch more flies with honey.

That happened to one of my super friendly Walmart’s. I still need to take a moment and meet with store manager and try to smooth things out. It only takes one rude, selfish, and entitled person to ruin a good thing.

Originally Posted by Traveler Dave
On the flip side, be nice, start slow and build relationships. Two grocery chains I frequent now have a cash/ATM policy on GC purchases. But I have been going there so long they still let me use my credit cards (and my wife’s) to purchase.

TD
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titanicMS is offline  
Old Jan 24, 2021, 6:26 pm
  #3233  
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 60
MB VGC $99 limit is across the board or area specific? In my Area i dont get USB VGC (No kroger.) So wanted to check what is the best way to liquidate 500? Safeway in my area said only cash for mo.
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Old Jan 25, 2021, 6:30 am
  #3234  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,936
Originally Posted by slickdude1234
MB VGC $99 limit is across the board or area specific? In my Area i dont get USB VGC (No kroger.) So wanted to check what is the best way to liquidate 500? Safeway in my area said only cash for mo.
It's unfortunately across the board, unless for some reason a particular WM did not yet receive the software update, which is highly doubtful at this juncture.
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Old Jan 25, 2021, 12:40 pm
  #3235  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 683
Not a huge change but WM MO fee went from 88 cents to $1 even in my area (DFW).
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Old Jan 25, 2021, 2:07 pm
  #3236  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: N/A
Posts: 403
Originally Posted by slickdude1234
Safeway in my area said only cash for mo.
Same. Trying to find the back-up location and still yet to find it.
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Old Jan 25, 2021, 3:55 pm
  #3237  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: North Texas
Programs: SWA A-List, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 188
Originally Posted by knopfler
Not a huge change but WM MO fee went from 88 cents to $1 even in my area (DFW).
the hits just keep on coming lol
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Old Jan 25, 2021, 9:47 pm
  #3238  
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 29
Originally Posted by TyPo311
the hits just keep on coming lol
Hudson in Aliens said it best, "Game over man, game over"
t0dd0 is offline  
Old Jan 25, 2021, 11:11 pm
  #3239  
ogg
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 317
An added cost of 12 cents on each $1000.00 money order increases your liquidating costs to a tenth of a percent from .088%. Is that really a game killer for anyone? Geez.
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Old Jan 25, 2021, 11:27 pm
  #3240  
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Programs: Delta Diamond (MM) | Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 158
Originally Posted by TyPo311
the hits just keep on coming lol
Originally Posted by ogg
An added cost of 12 cents on each $1000.00 money order increases your liquidating costs to a tenth of a percent from .088%. Is that really a game killer for anyone? Geez.
I think it's more about the totality of everything that's come at us recently... (MB VGCs at $99 max, WM memos that looked 'doomsday-ish', etc.) The extra .12 will cost me about $40 more annually but I probably do a bit more volume than the average MSer (but I'm no shark, either..)

-b.
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