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
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
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.
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
Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)
#706
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Andover, MA, 01810
Posts: 1,972
Think of it the opposite way...You've bought a money order for $490 with a $500 gift card, there's now a balance on the gift card depending on the fees for the money order you're left with about $9. Take that gift card and go to the supermarket, buy groceries and pay with the low balance gift card, the swipe will pull all the balance off the gift card and you'll then have to pay the rest for your groceries with another card or cash. The credit card reader will 'auto drain' or pull off the entire balance off the gift card.
#707
Join Date: May 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, UA, DL, NSA, CIA, MIB
Posts: 537
I explained how I do this. You do what you feel works best for you.
#708
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: LAX
Posts: 12
You might not know the entire balance, and you might also have 5+ cards in your wallet with low balances. Even when I tape a sticky the the cards with the balance, I sometimes spend some of it, and there's still some left, making the original note outdated. For this reason, autodrains are awesome.
#709
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Andover, MA, 01810
Posts: 1,972
You might not know the entire balance, and you might also have 5+ cards in your wallet with low balances. Even when I tape a sticky the the cards with the balance, I sometimes spend some of it, and there's still some left, making the original note outdated. For this reason, autodrains are awesome.
#710
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: Marriott/SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 887
No consistency about the ID presentation. Visited 2 locations today.
WM NM: MO for $999.12, no ID requested.
WM: MO for $999.12, was asked to hand my ID over which was entered into register.
WM NM: MO for $999.12, no ID requested.
WM: MO for $999.12, was asked to hand my ID over which was entered into register.
#711
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SoCal (ONT), PVD/BOS, JAX, RSW
Programs: AA/US PlatPro & 1.05MM, DL Plat (challenge), UA dirt
Posts: 3,189
As a relatively recent data point, one of my local WMs got in trouble by MG for too many people using GCs to purchase MOs. However, the YV has been allowing some of the regulars to unload to PayPal cash with the $3 waived. All in all, the loading part took 5 minutes (had to wait for the WM computers to recognize the 2D barcode that PayPal generated) and within in 15 minutes the money was ready to transfer into my Citi account.
#712
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 25
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
#714
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: w/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez; SG Silver
Posts: 1,188
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
#715
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 684
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
#716
Join Date: May 2014
Location: LAX
Programs: AA, UA, DL, NSA, CIA, MIB
Posts: 537
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
#717
Join Date: Jun 2019
Location: LAX
Posts: 12
Just tell them thanks, and try with another cashier later. Policies change and denials are part of the game.
#718
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 2,061
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Last edited by danhouston; Jun 21, 2019 at 2:43 pm
#719
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 3,688
It has been told time and again, the best approach when getting rejected is just say thank you and leave quietly; feel free to come back later and test a different cashier to see if "policy" is not enforced. If every cashier enforces policy, it's time to buy MOs somewhere else.
#720
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
We had a WM today state, "you must have your name on the debit card." The Gift Card had our name on it. We pointed that out. The cashier then said, "that is a gift card. We do not accept gift cards for money orders." We pointed out that merely a week ago, we had purchased a money order with the same type of debit card (from giftcardmall.com). The cashier refused. The manager refused.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
Anyone have any similar issues?
We were trying to purchase a money order for $1,976.
Thanks.
But as others have already said, once I get a "No", I simply walkout and say nothing and take a pic in my head of that csr that way when I come back and see them I simply turn around and walk out