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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 16, 2019, 7:07 am
  #121  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Programs: Diners Club
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by farwest101
I think it's just one of the many glitches in derelict WM coding/ancient cobbled-together systems. Fwiw, I read a blog from a year ago where someone said to change the pin on gcs.com MC and it would work. Sure enough, I changed pins and cards worked (I first swiped a non-pin-changed MC as a test and it failed). Don't have a clue why changing a pin would make a difference, but once I did, stopped getting 'Debit Not Available" errors.
Just FYI I found that mine are locked from bhn, awaiting a review to unlock. Not sure what I triggered
notalent is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 1:05 pm
  #122  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 3
US Bank vgc

Originally Posted by baseballfan88
I was at a Ralphs grocery store (Kroger) today and saw they sell Visa by US Bank gift cards. Do these work the same at WM for MO as the MCGC by US Bank? Anyone have any experience?
Those are all I use. I buy $500s from Kroger then take them to WM to make money orders. I just jot the pin on the back of the card on the signature strip.
teejaykoko is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 2:27 pm
  #123  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,322
Originally Posted by teejaykoko


Those are all I use. I buy $500s from Kroger then take them to WM to make money orders. I just jot the pin on the back of the card on the signature strip.
Funny, I do the exact opposite: buy GC at WM, liquidate via MO at Kroger. I don't like bothering w/ USB cards, copying the pre-assigned codes, etc. Also, the CS/MO line at my Kroger is usually shorter than the CS line at WM.
tuphat is offline  
Old Jan 16, 2019, 8:38 pm
  #124  
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Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: EWR/PHL/BWI
Posts: 4,412
Today tried to buy MO with VGC or OVGC. The system saw the card as "credit" card did not go through. Put in the Meta VGC and it worked fine. Just testing it.

The Money Center terminal and regular register are programmed differently.
RedSun is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 12:49 am
  #125  
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 970
Originally Posted by RedSun
Today tried to buy MO with VGC or OVGC. The system saw the card as "credit" card did not go through. Put in the Meta VGC and it worked fine. Just testing it.

The Money Center terminal and regular register are programmed differently.
OVGC hasn't worked at WM in years.
farwest101 is offline  
Old Jan 17, 2019, 11:36 am
  #126  
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, UA, DL, NSA, CIA, MIB
Posts: 537
Originally Posted by baseballfan88
I was at a Ralphs grocery store (Kroger) today and saw they sell Visa by US Bank gift cards. Do these work the same at WM for MO as the MCGC by US Bank? Anyone have any experience?
I used to do this method too. The problem came when after 4 GC from different Ralphs came up as tampered with and I had to then go through the process of having to call and claim fraud. While it always worked out the length of time to resolve it takes a long time, like 2 months.

Be careful with your Ralphs GCs. If you buy then, run outside and immediately call to change the pin in the hopes you still have the funds by the time you get to WM.
cajunguy is offline  
Old Jan 18, 2019, 11:16 pm
  #127  
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 109
Does Mastercard GC from metabank still work in Walmart? Never worked for me, sometimes I did not see the "change payment" button. A few times I saw it, but simply could not hit the button fast enough I guess.
adobe is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 3:43 am
  #128  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: VISA
Posts: 2
InComm VISA

I messed up and bought 4 $500 visas anyone know how to liquidate these the least expensive way.
knightxm is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 5:49 am
  #129  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: MSP
Programs: DL, BA, AA
Posts: 270
1) Find another store in your area
2) Pay bills (insurance, taxes, utilities, etc.)
3) Prepay bills
4) Buy items to sell on ebay or elsewhere
5) Use for all regular spend
worldtravels is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 9:07 am
  #130  
formerly willbbiddy
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 208
Random dp, I normally do small amounts and dump to bb, but my local WM in south GA had the MO machine down yesterday
BirdLawyer is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 12:26 pm
  #131  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
Originally Posted by knightxm
I messed up and bought 4 $500 visas anyone know how to liquidate these the least expensive way.
Apply for green Serve and/or BB accounts and load them with your vanilla Visas at WM for free. As of today, Jan 19, it is still working but this loophole can close at any time so register for S/BB now if you don't have those prepaid reloadables.

You can also load them to Serve (NOT BB) for free if you have DollarGen and/or FamilyDollar.
Mamibear is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 5:33 pm
  #132  
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: none
Posts: 106
Originally Posted by knightxm
I messed up and bought 4 $500 visas anyone know how to liquidate these the least expensive way.
One way to do it to buy money order from grocery store like publix or Kroger,buy $499 each money order 4 times or at 4 stores same day, $1 left should be enough for the money order fee. Make sure know your PIN number, normally is the last 4 of your gift card#. Then deposit the money order to your bank. Easy.
mySimon411 is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 5:40 pm
  #133  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 7
Question Walmart gift card fail

Hi,
I just found this message board today, and find the information provided absolutely interesting information, but being a total novice and beginner, I have to admit I’m a bit lost. I am very new to this whole hobby of manufactured spending and points with credit cards.

I purchased a $50 vanilla visa debit card at Speedway, setup a PIN but the transaction declined at Walmart to purchase a money order. I also tried to add the vanilla visa debit card to my Apple Pay account but that was unsuccessful also. (I just ended up purchasing a walmart gift card for $50 and used for some shopping, a total fail for my first time trying this)

Did I purchase the wrong debit card? Any recommendations or assistance you could provide would be great, or a link to the message board I should be reading.

I do apologize if my questions are overly basic and simplistic. I’m just learning about this whole process right now.

Thank you for your assistance and advice.

Rich
Rich824 is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 6:08 pm
  #134  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 213
Vanilla cards don’t work at Walmart.

read the wiki in this thread
alanisrox69 is offline  
Old Jan 19, 2019, 6:12 pm
  #135  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 7
Originally Posted by alanisrox69
Vanilla cards don’t work at Walmart.

read the wiki in this thread
Thank you, I must have missed that. I’ll read it now. Do you where i could purchase debit cards, with a credit card, to use at walmart? Thanks!
Rich824 is offline  


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