Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs > Manufactured Spending
Reload this Page >

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.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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

​​​​​











Print Wikipost

Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)

Old Mar 1, 2019, 11:17 am
  #301  
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by BLoch12
Metabank MC require the same process as US bank MC. I was failing miserably at a wally register the other day before realizing I'd grabbed a stack of a few MCGC rather than my usual VGC. Have em hold off on amount, swipe, hit the change payment when it shows, then proceed as usual
How did the CSR take it when you asked to do those specific steps? Were they sketched out that you knew the process so well?

Also I would like to clarify the steps. Ask for Serve load, have them swipe the Serve card on their terminal. Then BEFORE you tell them the amount, ask to swipe your card first and etc?
bambino444 is offline  
Old Mar 1, 2019, 11:27 am
  #302  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by bambino444
How did the CSR take it when you asked to do those specific steps? Were they sketched out that you knew the process so well?

Also I would like to clarify the steps. Ask for Serve load, have them swipe the Serve card on their terminal. Then BEFORE you tell them the amount, ask to swipe your card first and etc?
it'll vary with each csr. some decide/get nervous they don't like it and won't allow the transaction. I've had csr's try to say I had bad cards. it can be hard to get some of them to slow down and not hit enter. just go with the flow.

ID under $1,000 total (MO + fees) is a 10.6% chance based on WMTs KYC policy. CSRs can also require ID for any transaction. I've had $500 MOs with ID and next day same CSR didn't ID me even after saying ur a reg so I need to enter. Maybe csr id'd me coz of 10.6% random ID check or maybe coz being reg. It's semantics so long as I can buy.
Chelski is offline  
Old Mar 1, 2019, 11:44 am
  #303  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,293
Originally Posted by bambino444
How did the CSR take it when you asked to do those specific steps? Were they sketched out that you knew the process so well?

Also I would like to clarify the steps. Ask for Serve load, have them swipe the Serve card on their terminal. Then BEFORE you tell them the amount, ask to swipe your card first and etc?
I just say "How about I try to swipe it first."
danpeake is offline  
Old Mar 1, 2019, 11:34 pm
  #304  
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by cajunguy
Something weird happened today. I stopped by my go-to WM to unload 2 $500 VGC. She started to type in my details from my DL. I swiped my 1st card and it came up with the message about it being a credit card. I asked to swipe again as I could change the payment type on my side, I selected Debit but still no go. She said it's coming up as a credit card, not debit.

I then drove over to a Neighborhood WM and asked to have a $495 MO. The clerk there asked "Just the one today?" Um, ok. It swiped with no problems.

I'm thinking the clerk at my first stop did something on her screen when entering in the amount to reflect a credit card.

While it's no big deal, I can still use the balance on other things at a grocery store I was concerned about the first stop WM.
I experienced something similar. Was buying a 999.12 MO and swiped my first VGC but the transaction kept declining after I asked to try again. I did not think to try the cancel button, as usually that is only necessary for Mastercard transactions. I called up and they had placed a 24 hour hold on the card due to multiple failed transactions. Will try the MGC strat and hopefully it works.

Hopefully this is not indicative of VGC’s being run as credit as well now.
Preston Cain is offline  
Old Mar 3, 2019, 7:53 am
  #305  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Florida
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy platinum
Posts: 89
DP: was in Walmart yesterday and CSM in money center said MoneyGram is pulling out of all Walmarts. She said she was closing in 16 days. no bill pay either. I'm in Palm Beach County. Has anyone else heard that or can confirm in south Florida? ( tia.
reubenfairbird is offline  
Old Mar 3, 2019, 8:19 am
  #306  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Originally Posted by reubenfairbird
DP: was in Walmart yesterday and CSM in money center said MoneyGram is pulling out of all Walmarts. She said she was closing in 16 days. no bill pay either. I'm in Palm Beach County. Has anyone else heard that or can confirm in south Florida? ( tia.
Then most likely WU will step in, although I prefer the larger size of MG MOs, which has happened with a WC supermkt chain (could be the chain did the switch on their own). Wally wont go w/o a means to transfer money and MOs goes with that
craz is offline  
Old Mar 3, 2019, 5:00 pm
  #307  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,423
No way will WM go without an option for MOs. Many of their client base (not MSers) need access to MOs and they will want to be sure they keep that business from going somewhere else.
cruisr is offline  
Old Mar 3, 2019, 6:36 pm
  #308  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by reubenfairbird
DP: was in Walmart yesterday and CSM in money center said MoneyGram is pulling out of all Walmarts. She said she was closing in 16 days. no bill pay either. I'm in Palm Beach County. Has anyone else heard that or can confirm in south Florida? ( tia.
sounds legit
danpeake and anonymous99 like this.
beast7276 is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 12:08 pm
  #309  
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: World of Hyatt Globalist; American Airlines Platinum; IHG Platinum; Marriott Gold
Posts: 42
Wouldn't it be the case that they would have something to do as soon as MG pulls out (like switch from MG to WU overnight)? Additionally, they just updated all of their systems; it seems unlikely that they would let something pull out like that so soon after updating their systems.

But that's just my opinion. I'm not an expert on this stuff.
LocoBigH is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 12:45 pm
  #310  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,469
I sense there are a lot of whiny frightened customers here. Most likely a change at WM will play out similarly to the Target's exit from the MS business. The mad herd will stampede to alternative sources of MO's, and the entire habitat will shut down for many months to come.
MaxVO is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 1:57 pm
  #311  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by beast7276

sounds legit
the effective date of mg outta wm is 2/29/2019. Confirmed
anonymous99 likes this.
Chelski is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 2:05 pm
  #312  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 889
Originally Posted by Chelski

the effective date of mg outta wm is 2/29/2019. Confirmed
Wot? Serious reports only svp...
wyogold is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 2:18 pm
  #313  
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 77
Originally Posted by Chelski

the effective date of mg outta wm is 2/29/2019. Confirmed
haha. that's quite a leap!
daddyo_daddyo is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 2:21 pm
  #314  
 
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 4
Haha 2/29! The number of people falling for this stuff out there, it’s like a second April fools day!
Preston Cain is offline  
Old Mar 4, 2019, 3:23 pm
  #315  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Originally Posted by Chelski

the effective date of mg outta wm is 2/29/2019. Confirmed
In my neck of the woods we have slightly more time, its been confirmed in writing that my Wallys will lose MG on 4/32/2019
craz is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.