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Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)

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)

Old Sep 18, 2019, 8:28 am
  #1171  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by coolguy100
so it is WM/MG joint ban.
ummmmm ... it's a MG ban - see how it says MG, no, CF - yes .......
beast7276 is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 9:01 am
  #1172  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,322
@buckeyeJalen -- Welcome to the game. First thing you need to know: Ask n MSers a question, you will likely get at least n+1 answers.

IMHO -- There are many variables that will impact your particular experiences, most of which are discussed ad nauseum above. My own approach over the years has been to be pleasant, (mostly) transparent and ultimately to be perceived as a "nice" customer. For me, under the current corporate rules, this translates to:

1. Generally limiting myself to 1x $999 MO per visit, plus 1 BP transaction per visit if available.
2. Never trying to fake a response to "show me the card" situations.
3. If asked my purpose, I say something like "getting FF points" without going into detail.
4. Be polite: "how's your day going?," "thanks for helping me with this," etc.

FWIW, I don't avoid split tender except where necessary, e.g., some store level rule limit of 1 swipe per transaction.
Finally, someone doing $8k per single visit will eventually burn that location. Sooner or later, it will get burned.
tuphat is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 1:29 pm
  #1173  
soy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,651
Have WM always had ability to scan Drivers Licence?

Previously when asked for ID during MO, they would go through an lengthy typing exercise entering data. Today for the first time ever, the CSR scanned the barcode (CVS style).
This was for a $499 MO, so was just the random algorithm picking me out.

However if they have this tech, it would be pretty simple for them to apply it across the board to track heavy hitters more closely
soy is online now  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 2:26 pm
  #1174  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,291
Originally Posted by soy
Have WM always had ability to scan Drivers Licence?

Previously when asked for ID during MO, they would go through an lengthy typing exercise entering data. Today for the first time ever, the CSR scanned the barcode (CVS style).
This was for a $499 MO, so was just the random algorithm picking me out.

However if they have this tech, it would be pretty simple for them to apply it across the board to track heavy hitters more closely
The ability started a few months ago, however they apparently need special scanners to do it. My store had their scanners updated a few weeks ago (they now have a green patch on them).
danpeake is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 3:58 pm
  #1175  
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Southern California
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Posts: 763
For another data point, today was the first time I got rejected as well. I have been going pretty hard with 4 X $999.12 with Simon VGC's and didn't have any problems until today when it seems I'm now blocked. Will try tomorrow for just one for $999 and hopefully it will go through with no ID required.
saint is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 6:21 pm
  #1176  
 
Join Date: May 2019
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 25
My ID was also blocked. It's now very annoying when I was trying to buy $499 and randomly the system promptly for ID. Should I give them ID and let them spend time type everything in but eventually tell me they are sorry, or should I just decline the request and walk out of the store?
greatpaul is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 6:28 pm
  #1177  
ogg
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 317
Originally Posted by greatpaul
My ID was also blocked. It's now very annoying when I was trying to buy $499 and randomly the system promptly for ID. Should I give them ID and let them spend time type everything in but eventually tell me they are sorry, or should I just decline the request and walk out of the store?
I give the ID but also say that the transaction probably wont go through because there's some problem with my ID in the MG system. I think it looks suspicious if I cancel a transaction myself when ID is requested. Handling it this way, I can try again any time with the same CSR at the same store, even a few minutes later. "Must be a system glitch. I'll do some shopping and come back later."
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ogg is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 6:32 pm
  #1178  
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: PHL (kinda, no airport is really close)
Programs: AA Exp, but not sure for how long. Enterprise Platinum woo-hoo!
Posts: 4,546
To answer a number of posts above, MS is the ultimate YMMV exercise, especially at WM.

In my local area, I have one WM that will let me do almost anything I want. One CSR will let me do multiple batches of MOs. No limit on BP's. (Note that I am referring to the CSR's, not system limitations. The hard-coded limits, like $8K/mo per 24 hours, 4 swipes per transaction, 5 BP per account number per 30 days, all apply.) Most I've ever done in one trip is $17.5K.

Other WM is tolerant but at some point around $3K they log me in what they call the "Patriot Book." So I keep that one to occasional $2K MO trips.

I spend a lot of time in Vegas but haven't found a WM there that will take gift cards.

I was in Seattle and tried 3 WM's. Two accepted GC's, one didn't.

You'd think a huge company like WM, with a massive footprint in financial services, would be uniform company-wide. Not even close.
redtop43 is offline  
Old Sep 18, 2019, 7:40 pm
  #1179  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 766
Yep, I'm banned too. This is a big deal. Can't help but note the temporal relationship to Simon. I really ramped up after that. I've done about $30k per mo in either mo or billpay for years, but was probably pushing $40k with Simon. Have to reevaluate and curious if this is permanent.
THEsocalledfan is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2019, 8:48 am
  #1180  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 595
Originally Posted by redtop43
I spend a lot of time in Vegas but haven't found a WM there that will take gift cards.
Then you haven't looked very hard. I've found several over the past couple years on my 2x yearly trips. Although I will say on my most recent trip, in June, I was shot down a couple times.

I've had very good luck at Smiths.
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Last edited by shadow520; Sep 19, 2019 at 8:58 am
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Old Sep 19, 2019, 10:02 am
  #1181  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,921
So you guys travel to Vegas to visit Walmart. Sounds like a good time!
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Old Sep 19, 2019, 11:18 am
  #1182  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,493
Originally Posted by TTT103
So you guys travel to Vegas to visit Walmart. Sounds like a good time!
The last thing I want to think about in Vegas is to MS at a WM. Also the WMs in Vegas suck since they are very sensitive to GCs.
Joonydell likes this.
ericdabbs is online now  
Old Sep 19, 2019, 11:29 am
  #1183  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by THEsocalledfan
Yep, I'm banned too. This is a big deal. Can't help but note the temporal relationship to Simon. I really ramped up after that. I've done about $30k per mo in either mo or billpay for years, but was probably pushing $40k with Simon. Have to reevaluate and curious if this is permanent.
so folks who accelerate get banned. Maintaining steady speed either low or high are ok? so Social mobility is not allowed.

Last edited by coolguy100; Sep 19, 2019 at 11:43 am
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Old Sep 19, 2019, 11:42 am
  #1184  
ogg
 
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 317
Originally Posted by coolguy100
so folks who accelerate get banned. Maintaining steady speed either low or high are ok?
No one knows the reason(s) for the ID ban. Everyone is just guessing, and none of the guesses IMHO match the posted ban reports. Since we don't know what causes the ban, we don't know how to avoid it either.
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Old Sep 19, 2019, 11:50 am
  #1185  
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 3,493
Originally Posted by coolguy100
so folks who accelerate get banned. Maintaining steady speed either low or high are ok? so Social mobility is not allowed.
If you say so. I don't think that is how it works because at this point once something like this gets started it will only be a slippery slope. It has only gotten worse at WM over the years with now requiring KYC information now to $1K when used to be $3K which are federal rules. People who are still "alive" for MOs will be on pins and needles wondering what the threshold is to avoid being banned. Its the same idea about those that still have alive Serve/BB cards thinking that if they play it slow they will never get banned. Playing it slow may not always be a great strategy.
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