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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 May 19, 2019, 5:17 am
  #616  
 
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NY
Posts: 523
Originally Posted by Carl Christensen

on the WM suspicious activity report there is a line to check if the customer “brings gifts or bribes” to the money center csr
Also, gifts will not prevent a csr from turning you away after an audit...trust me
FrankMS is offline  
Old May 19, 2019, 11:42 am
  #617  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 271
Originally Posted by FrankMS
Also, gifts will not prevent a csr from turning you away after an audit...trust me
Yup, no matter how nice the csrs, managers, store managers etc were. Once audited, it's dead.
randomdude is offline  
Old May 19, 2019, 11:45 am
  #618  
 
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 271
Originally Posted by atc1
My 1st time experience...was a little different than in the Wiki.

Tried to swipe 4 times with one transaction. The cashier said the software will not allow a 4th swipe. Had to cancel and start all over.
Told cashier the amount of MO and wanted to pay with three (3) cards at $xxx each. She said go ahead with 1st swipe. Did not have the option to select "debit". Entered my PIN. The software asked if I wanted cash bacK? I selected "no". All three swipes went OK and I paid the $0.88 for the MO in cash.

Did the cashier screw something up when she advised me the software would not allow a 4th swipe?
4 swipe on your first trial is not really wise. A lot of things can go wrong, and you won't have the experience to deal with (timeout, no more ink, freeze etc). Start with 1, show your face more often, then slowly increase.
Registers are able to accept 4 swipes.
randomdude is offline  
Old May 19, 2019, 12:36 pm
  #619  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,422
Originally Posted by randomdude
4 swipe on your first trial is not really wise. A lot of things can go wrong, and you won't have the experience to deal with (timeout, no more ink, freeze etc). Start with 1, show your face more often, then slowly increase.
Registers are able to accept 4 swipes.
Just because registers are able to accept 4 swipes doesn't mean you will be able to do so. The actual number allowed depends on the store policy followed by the CSR policy. Some may let you swipe 4 times, other will not. I have been to WMs that allow 4 on one day and none on another. There seems to be no one policy fits all.
radonc1 is offline  
Old May 19, 2019, 7:09 pm
  #620  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 889
Is the store manager > front end manager at WM? TIA!
wyogold is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 12:25 pm
  #621  
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Delta DM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,492
Originally Posted by Carl Christensen

on the WM suspicious activity report there is a line to check if the customer “brings gifts or bribes” to the money center csr
Since I like to give gifts but don't want to reduce my MS margins, I created a lovely basket made out of used VGCs and gave it to my favorite WM cashier last week. She put it on display behind the customer service counter, in fact right next to the MG machine.
Billy Mumphrey is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 12:46 pm
  #622  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
Originally Posted by Billy Mumphrey
Since I like to give gifts but don't want to reduce my MS margins, I created a lovely basket made out of used VGCs and gave it to my favorite WM cashier last week. She put it on display behind the customer service counter, in fact right next to the MG machine.
haha, seriously? for me, i own a restaurant, so a sample here & there to the friendly CSRs was no big deal
danhouston is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 5:51 pm
  #623  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 581
I went to a WM I've been to before to do my first 2K transaction since they changed the drivers license rules. Here's what happened, if anybody can give me thoughts on it?

First started transaction fine, swiped drivers license (so first swipe ever), cashier that just got there said something was wrong, other cashier told her register wasn't working for money orders, so she took me on her register instead.

Transaction started normally. On my 2nd card, I got an error saying wrong pin. I tried my other 2 cards, and got the same error a total of 4 times. Finished up on a real debit card. Receipt showed error f9 each time.

Went to a different supermarked and successfully cashed out the other 3 cards.

Only other thing of note is maybe 7 years ago walmart did get my drivers license number that they were going to put in their book.
zeppoloveskafka is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 5:53 pm
  #624  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 3
Originally Posted by waygora
I am back to being banned three weeks later. The weird thing is, it's the same cashier as when I was banned last time. I haven't had her since that other time... I have a feeling she may just be doing something wrong. Going to go back later today after she shift is over.
Curious if you had better luck with a different cashier? I waited a couple weeks, went back and still banned but same cashier as the first time I got the ban. Tried again later with a passport (different address) and still banned but again, same cashier. Can't seem to miss that guy
Dcflyer8 is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 6:35 pm
  #625  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,293
Originally Posted by zeppoloveskafka
I went to a WM I've been to before to do my first 2K transaction since they changed the drivers license rules. Here's what happened, if anybody can give me thoughts on it?

First started transaction fine, swiped drivers license (so first swipe ever), cashier that just got there said something was wrong, other cashier told her register wasn't working for money orders, so she took me on her register instead.

Transaction started normally. On my 2nd card, I got an error saying wrong pin. I tried my other 2 cards, and got the same error a total of 4 times. Finished up on a real debit card. Receipt showed error f9 each time.

Went to a different supermarked and successfully cashed out the other 3 cards.

Only other thing of note is maybe 7 years ago walmart did get my drivers license number that they were going to put in their book.
This doesn't comport with any WM experience. I think you went really wrong. To start, you don't "swipe" the drivers license. And if you enter a pin wrong, that doesn't count as one of the four swipes.
danpeake is offline  
Old May 20, 2019, 7:33 pm
  #626  
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 581
Originally Posted by danpeake
This doesn't comport with any WM experience. I think you went really wrong. To start, you don't "swipe" the drivers license. And if you enter a pin wrong, that doesn't count as one of the four swipes.
Right, I guess she entered the drivers license instead of swiping. Wasn't paying a ton of attention to that.
There was never an issue with me going over the 4 swipes. I'm 100% positive I did not enter my pin wrong each time even though that was the error message given. I haven't been to this walmart a lot, but I have worked with the cashier before and she seemed knowledgable.

I assume this is...
A. Related to them entering my drivers license twice in a row because it was on a second machine
B. Related to some sort of weird previous ban based on them recording my info many years ago. But this is not what it shows up as for people that are banned?
C. Something random
D. Something I need to do different when buying 2K instead of 1K that I don't know about?
zeppoloveskafka is offline  
Old May 21, 2019, 8:54 am
  #627  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 14
Originally Posted by Dcflyer8


Curious if you had better luck with a different cashier? I waited a couple weeks, went back and still banned but same cashier as the first time I got the ban. Tried again later with a passport (different address) and still banned but again, same cashier. Can't seem to miss that guy
I tried again yesterday when I was at a remote walmart and still got the same 'tell politely that the transaction can not be completed....' message. So looks like it is a permanent ban for me. I was going to try passport but based on your message, my passport may be banned too. I am still going to try that in another different walmart.
It is surprising that only 4-5 people here got banned and none of us are that big hitters.
Shawnee is offline  
Old May 21, 2019, 9:58 am
  #628  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,293
I may have gotten banned but I'm not sure it's exactly what happened.

CSR this morning was telling me how this other guy who comes in was banned (we're pretty friendly and she knows the deal, etc.) After typing in all my info in she says "Oh, you're banned too."

I peered over at the screen and there was a red bar at the top that I thought said something like "System down" or similar and the screen itself asked if the transaction should be completed. I couldn't really read it but I was looking for the "Please tell customer politely..." language but I didn't see that.

So, I'm hoping their "customer check" system was just down but I'm not sure.
danpeake is offline  
Old May 21, 2019, 10:02 am
  #629  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,422
Originally Posted by Shawnee
I tried again yesterday when I was at a remote walmart and still got the same 'tell politely that the transaction can not be completed....' message. So looks like it is a permanent ban for me. I was going to try passport but based on your message, my passport may be banned too. I am still going to try that in another different walmart.
It is surprising that only 4-5 people here got banned and none of us are that big hitters.
I have not had to present a DL for MOs less than $900. Without a DL, there is no way for WM to identify you.
So why don't you drop your MO purchase to less than $900 and buy smaller denomination MOs. Sometimes I have to buy $400 MOs because the WM will only allow 2 swipes. It does increase my cost by $0.88 but it beats not having a place to liquidate my GC's.
radonc1 is offline  
Old May 21, 2019, 1:54 pm
  #630  
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,322
From WM website --

Can I get a refund for my money order if I no longer need it?
If the money order is not damaged or altered, please visit your local Walmart store with your original sales receipt to obtain a refund.

Wonder what would happen if someone showed up with a fist/bucket/truck full of MOs and wanted their money back?
tuphat is offline  


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