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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 Jul 5, 2019, 6:15 pm
  #826  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 161
Originally Posted by in4tar
I am kind of curious - even if WM or MG doesn't shut down someone who is doing 240k/month in money orders, wouldn't your bank/CU shut you down (or at least investigate) when you are depositing that amount in MOs? Even if you split it, let's say, between 5 different banks/CUs, still - it's 40k+ in monthly deposits of MOs...
I deposit 40-50k/week into my bank's ATM. I've never actually been inside a branch.
shipitkthx is offline  
Old Jul 5, 2019, 6:15 pm
  #827  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
Originally Posted by Chelski

Simon mall is the cheapest place in town to buy gc’s with an Amex
not sure why this was suggested; felt that u already know SM is a trouble with Amex
benny08 and cuthroat like this.
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Old Jul 6, 2019, 10:12 am
  #828  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by TalkingPoint
I have been doing over $240k/mo by using different IDs. You could also find CSRs who are ok with doing extra $1000 MOs. It really doesn't take any extra time to do $1000s instead of $2000s because of how slow the ID process is, but generally it's easier to just do an additional ID. I've also noticed when they spell my name wrong that doesn't count toward my limit the first time. Perks of having unusual spelling. While it hasn't happened yet, I assume MG will eventually start banning the same way WU does.
how do you use "different ID" My WM have all the same people working there no matter what time or day I go. Sounds like fraud to me, or the reps are accepting gifts from you. Dont know how you get away with it. Probably will end bad for all of us..even the ones who follow the rules. Thanks.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2019, 10:20 am
  #829  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by wyogold
It is two jobs at that level. Mind numbing jobs with a decent pay, that's for sure. To each their own i guess. I'll just go for the low hanging fruit and happily travel in f with my regular day job that has benefits and feels at least somewhat fulfilling. Personally i like to feel like I'm doing something with my life other than buying money orders
I concur.. have F/T job with full benefits. Like you said..WM is a drag all the time. But I hit 2 WM at 8AM and really quite empty. Even on July 3 and 5th..empty that hour. Will not attempt after 9am..ever..Im happy doing 30k yearly net.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2019, 10:27 am
  #830  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by rcw70
Some weirdness last two times at my WM. On a split payment order, the money orders started printing before I entered the PIN on the final payment. On the screen and receipt the last payment shows as having been processed as Visa, not Debit - the last payment actually came out on a separate receipt both times. So I am now wondering if I try a CC for the last payment will it go through? Mind you the whole MO situation seems to be precarious so probably won't try that and risk call attention to it. Or maybe it is an attempted reconfiguration to block VGCs. Or a cashier training issue.
same thing happened to me in 2 WM in CT. Never entered pin on last swipe, even tho screen stated to enter pin. Receipt had correct card #. I did call for balance and it was zero..Weird.
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2019, 10:33 am
  #831  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 299
Originally Posted by TalkingPoint


You can do unlimited $1000s or simply use multiple IDs.
again this method will ruin it for the good ones. CSR are not allowed to do unlimited 1k MO. You are asking them to break the WM rules. You think I would ask a rep to do this unlimited times? What do you do?? Go in and out in 1 trip? Or spend your days in WM parking lots? Geez!!!
barrytuneup is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2019, 12:16 pm
  #832  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
bought 8k Mos the past 24 hours with my DL...tried to use my passport the first time to buy another 2k, I provided different address from my DL when asked, then the csr told my the daily MO limit has been reached. not sure how the system figures out it is a same person.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2019, 12:38 pm
  #833  
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Originally Posted by coolguy100
bought 8k Mos the past 24 hours with my DL...tried to use my passport the first time to buy another 2k, I provided different address from my DL when asked, then the csr told my the daily MO limit has been reached. not sure how the system figures out it is a same person.
Birth Date and Name? Aint they the same on both DL and Passport? Unless one is falsified,
Happy is offline  
Old Jul 6, 2019, 1:48 pm
  #834  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by Happy
Birth Date and Name? Aint they the same on both DL and Passport? Unless one is falsified,
well, I don't think my name/birth date combination is unique
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Old Jul 6, 2019, 2:04 pm
  #835  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
Originally Posted by coolguy100
well, I don't think my name/birth date combination is unique
In that case you screwed all your namesakes out of their daily share of WM MOs.
MaxVO is offline  
Old Jul 7, 2019, 8:29 pm
  #836  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
I tried my green card with different address and walmart cash register says I have reached my daily 8k limit using DL. so DL/passport/green card with different addresses combined has daily 8k limit, not 8k*3. darn it.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Jul 7, 2019, 9:30 pm
  #837  
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,762
Originally Posted by coolguy100
I tried my green card with different address and walmart cash register says I have reached my daily 8k limit using DL. so DL/passport/green card with different addresses combined has daily 8k limit, not 8k*3. darn it.
Should have realized when the passport trick not working, that there are common denominators used by the system to check who you are - name and DOB, so basic and so obvious, because these 2 pieces of information cannot be faked, else you really break the law,,, just sayin.
Happy is offline  
Old Jul 7, 2019, 9:45 pm
  #838  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by Happy
Should have realized when the passport trick not working, that there are common denominators used by the system to check who you are - name and DOB, so basic and so obvious, because these 2 pieces of information cannot be faked, else you really break the law,,, just sayin.
I think name/DOB/location is used by walmart/MG to track. I know a guy using 2 DLs from two states does 8k*2 MOs daily.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Jul 7, 2019, 9:52 pm
  #839  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 889
Originally Posted by coolguy100
I think name/DOB/location is used by walmart/MG to track. I know a guy using 2 DLs from two states does 8k*2 MOs daily.
His dob is different in different states? How does that make sense?
wyogold is offline  
Old Jul 7, 2019, 10:04 pm
  #840  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by wyogold
His dob is different in different states? How does that make sense?
Walmart system might think they are 2 different persons with identical name/DOB.
Happy likes this.
coolguy100 is offline  


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