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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 Jun 21, 2019, 7:02 pm
  #721  
 
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Originally Posted by Mamibear
This is a big NO, NO when dealing with WM personnel. As much as possible BEST to avoid getting a Front End or any of the Yellow Vested managers involved. You may not be aware but once you try to reason with them and say you were successful in doing something they do not allow, you flagged yourself. These personnel will talk and tell cashiers at MoneyCenter or Customers Service booth to BOLO (be on lookout) for you. It is best to lay low for several days, if not weeks at such location and allow things to cool off.

It has been told time and again, the best approach when getting rejected is just say thank you and leave quietly; feel free to come back later and test a different cashier to see if "policy" is not enforced. If every cashier enforces policy, it's time to buy MOs somewhere else.
At my WM, even the Yellow Vests know me by name; one of them waited on me today, doing 2 MO's and 5 Billpays. I know that someday there will arise in Egypt a Pharaoh who knew not Joseph, but for the time I'm as happy as a Gecko with an unlimited advertising budget.
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Old Jun 21, 2019, 7:15 pm
  #722  
 
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Agree with Mamibear. Never argue, always be polite, stay under the radar.

LaxJumbo simply hit a bump in the MS road. MSing is very much like California freeways. There are lots of potholes.

Admit when you're defeated because you shall live to MS another day. With experience, if you learn from those unsuccessful attempts, they will happen less often.
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Old Jun 21, 2019, 9:46 pm
  #723  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Originally Posted by LaxJumbo
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.

Anyone have any similar issues?

We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.

Thanks.
If the CSR tells you that your attempted transaction violates their policies, arguing with them will only worsen the situation. The more you argue, the more they are likely to remember you the next time you visit the store. Arguing to the point that the manager has to get involved is extremely unwise. And telling them that you had violated this policy “merely a week ago” is a really bad idea. The manager will now go looking for the CSR who sold you that MO last week. You have likely burned that WM for yourself and everybody else.

The first time the CSR said “no” you should have said “thank you” and left quietly.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 11:21 am
  #724  
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Today when visiting a local WM, the rep at MC said the store is clamping down on gift card usage. They check for card with bank names. They also enter DL info for MO at $995.....
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 4:21 pm
  #725  
 
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Originally Posted by RedSun
Today when visiting a local WM, the rep at MC said the store is clamping down on gift card usage. They check for card with bank names. They also enter DL info for MO at $995.....
Waiting for more DP'S
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 5:21 pm
  #726  
 
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I was at WM this morning, and it was business as usual.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 5:44 pm
  #727  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Originally Posted by briang191
Waiting for more DP'S
What’s the point of waiting on DPs? It’s always a YMMV depending on location, store, and the CSR. Even then it can change from one day to the next.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 5:55 pm
  #728  
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It is a local store thing. I go to that store from time to time. It just gets more and more difficult now. The good thing is that I see my activities slow down quite a bit 2nd half of the year.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 6:46 pm
  #729  
 
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Originally Posted by Clueless12


What’s the point of waiting on DPs? It’s always a YMMV depending on location, store, and the CSR. Even then it can change from one day to the next.

Hmm was the ID REQUIRED for more then 1K YMMV?
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 6:58 pm
  #730  
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Originally Posted by briang191
Hmm was the ID REQUIRED for more then 1K YMMV?
This is less than $1k. The screen prompted something and the guy asked for DL and entered the info into computer. I do not care since I normally do not do MOs.
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Old Jun 23, 2019, 10:29 pm
  #731  
 
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ID for MOs <$1k is well documented in this thread. Peeps can wait for dp’s but everything is already out there from ymmv to actual corporate policy.
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Old Jun 24, 2019, 5:35 am
  #732  
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Originally Posted by Chelski
ID for MOs <$1k is well documented in this thread. Peeps can wait for dp’s but everything is already out there from ymmv to actual corporate policy.
I would not say "ID for MOs <$1k is well documented". Last time I bought the same amount from the same store and same person. No ID required at all. This store has low profile and is not close to highway or so.

This is the first time I was asked for ID for MO < $1k. It is a computer system thing, not a pure store thing. This change is recent.
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Old Jun 24, 2019, 11:14 am
  #733  
 
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Originally Posted by RedSun
I would not say "ID for MOs <$1k is well documented". Last time I bought the same amount from the same store and same person. No ID required at all. This store has low profile and is not close to highway or so.

This is the first time I was asked for ID for MO < $1k. It is a computer system thing, not a pure store thing. This change is recent.
It is not recent; it was mentioned a few months ago that ~ 10% of transactions under $1k get prompted for ID.
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Old Jun 24, 2019, 11:16 am
  #734  
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Originally Posted by Magic Pickles

It is not recent; it was mentioned a few months ago that ~ 10% of transactions under $1k get prompted for ID.
Clearly this is new and recent at this store and at that terminal....
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Old Jun 24, 2019, 2:15 pm
  #735  
 
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Originally Posted by Magic Pickles


It is not recent; it was mentioned a few months ago that ~ 10% of transactions under $1k get prompted for ID.
Originally Posted by RedSun
Clearly this is new and recent at this store and at that terminal....
magic pickles is correct. Just coz it’s never flagged you doesn’t mean it wasn’t implemented.. these are corporate system standards. Go back and see if the system flags you. Also any csr can easily state the system popped up saying to get id w/ w/out any prompt.. it’s part of the kyc training
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