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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 Feb 5, 2019, 10:59 am
  #226  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: New York, NY, USA
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Originally Posted by RedSun
WM system shows the VGC or OVGC as "credit" not "debit". I think this may have something to do with the Vanilla reload which was very popular before. I'm not sure since I was not part of it. I'm not sure how the $50 thing works.
Here is a historical article from 2014:

The Points Guy - Vanilla Cards
Magic Pickles is offline  
Old Feb 5, 2019, 11:15 am
  #227  
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Originally Posted by Magic Pickles


Here is a historical article from 2014:

The Points Guy - Vanilla Cards
Not this one. There is a Vanilla branded reloadable card, similar to BB/Serve. I think it was made to be loaded with the VGC at DG or FD etc.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 7:56 pm
  #228  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
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I love the Midwest.
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 6:22 am
  #229  
soy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Bought a MO this morning just after store opened for $999.
System asked for ID, so had to give my DL. This is the first time that I've had to give an ID for a sub $1k MO. The CSR seemed surprised and took a second to compute what was needed, but seems as if the ID trigger point may have dropped.
Anyone else see this?
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 6:30 am
  #230  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by soy
Bought a MO this morning just after store opened for $999.
System asked for ID, so had to give my DL. This is the first time that I've had to give an ID for a sub $1k MO. The CSR seemed surprised and took a second to compute what was needed, but seems as if the ID trigger point may have dropped.
Anyone else see this?
I got carded at one store, but the store a few miles away did not. Same day, same amount.
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 7:46 am
  #231  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 43
Last night I went to my extremely friendly WM and multiple CSRs said they were told by Corp to no longer accept VGC for MO or BB/Serve loads...I said okay and went on my merry way. These are employees whom I've known the better part of 8-10 months and we actually sit there and talk for awhile assuming there is no line behind me.

Went to another WM after friendly WM turned me away and a CSR who had split payments in the past for me said only 1 swipe per transaction.

Went back to second store from yesterday this morning on the way to work. CSR had no issue loading Serve for $1500 and making a 999.12 MO.

It'll be interesting to see what a different CSR says when I go back to my super friendly store Sat morning. I basically know all the employees in the Money Center and they know whats happening. But its not encouraging when multiple CSR's said they cant anymore.

For what its worth, I'm in SE MI and run probably 25-30k through there a month between BB/Serve/MO. So its not a crazy amount.
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 8:28 am
  #232  
 
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Originally Posted by BSpatula31
Last night I went to my extremely friendly WM and multiple CSRs said they were told by Corp to no longer accept VGC for MO or BB/Serve loads...I said okay and went on my merry way.

I'm in SE MI and run probably 25-30k through there a month between BB/Serve/MO. So its not a crazy amount.
I assume that the location you are in is either small city/town or rural. If that is the case, then pumping $25-30K worth of VGCs and MOs/Serve payments a month is probably a very significant amount of activity, especially if they know it is a single person doing it.

I look at my activity. (I am no big MSer). I spread $6-12K/mo over a 5 county area of about 8 WMs, thereby ensuring that each store only sees me several times a month and only for low amounts per month ($800-2000). I also am in the Midwest rural/small city region.
I get a glassy-eyed look from CSRs if I want to do $2000 of MOs in 4 swipes. For them, that may represent a month's salary. I have been turned down for trying to purchase that much in MOs.

So I am not surprised that you are getting blow-back. You may want to temper your purchases or spread your WM net out to lower your exposure. Just a suggestion
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 8:39 am
  #233  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 43
Originally Posted by radonc1
I assume that the location you are in is either small city/town or rural. If that is the case, then pumping $25-30K worth of VGCs and MOs/Serve payments a month is probably a very significant amount of activity, especially if they know it is a single person doing it.

I look at my activity. (I am no big MSer). I spread $6-12K/mo over a 5 county area of about 8 WMs, thereby ensuring that each store only sees me several times a month and only for low amounts per month ($800-2000). I also am in the Midwest rural/small city region.
I get a glassy-eyed look from CSRs if I want to do $2000 of MOs in 4 swipes. For them, that may represent a month's salary. I have been turned down for trying to purchase that much in MOs.

So I am not surprised that you are getting blow-back. You may want to temper your purchases or spread your WM net out to lower your exposure. Just a suggestion
I wouldn't say small rural. The city its in has a population of over 100k and a whole metro area is over 4 million. I agree that spreading it out is probably better, but Ive never gotten pushback the last 8-10 months. They all know its a miles and points thing.
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 9:53 am
  #234  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by soy
Bought a MO this morning just after store opened for $999.
System asked for ID, so had to give my DL. This is the first time that I've had to give an ID for a sub $1k MO. The CSR seemed surprised and took a second to compute what was needed, but seems as if the ID trigger point may have dropped.
Anyone else see this?
10.83% chance of being randomly selected for ID with MO’s below $1k. Used to only be a 1/4 percent.

cSR Shouldn’t be surprised if stayed awake during training and read docs...
Chelski is offline  
Old Feb 7, 2019, 9:55 am
  #235  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by radonc1
I assume that the location you are in is either small city/town or rural. If that is the case, then pumping $25-30K worth of VGCs and MOs/Serve payments a month is probably a very significant amount of activity, especially if they know it is a single person doing it.

I look at my activity. (I am no big MSer). I spread $6-12K/mo over a 5 county area of about 8 WMs, thereby ensuring that each store only sees me several times a month and only for low amounts per month ($800-2000). I also am in the Midwest rural/small city region.
I get a glassy-eyed look from CSRs if I want to do $2000 of MOs in 4 swipes. For them, that may represent a month's salary. I have been turned down for trying to purchase that much in MOs.

So I am not surprised that you are getting blow-back. You may want to temper your purchases or spread your WM net out to lower your exposure. Just a suggestion
I miss doing $30-40k mo and $10k BP in a single visit
Chelski is offline  
Old Feb 7, 2019, 12:04 pm
  #236  
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 30
Originally Posted by BSpatula31
Last night I went to my extremely friendly WM and multiple CSRs said they were told by Corp to no longer accept VGC for MO or BB/Serve loads...I said okay and went on my merry way. These are employees whom I've known the better part of 8-10 months and we actually sit there and talk for awhile assuming there is no line behind me.

Went to another WM after friendly WM turned me away and a CSR who had split payments in the past for me said only 1 swipe per transaction.

Went back to second store from yesterday this morning on the way to work. CSR had no issue loading Serve for $1500 and making a 999.12 MO.

It'll be interesting to see what a different CSR says when I go back to my super friendly store Sat morning. I basically know all the employees in the Money Center and they know whats happening. But its not encouraging when multiple CSR's said they cant anymore.

For what its worth, I'm in SE MI and run probably 25-30k through there a month between BB/Serve/MO. So its not a crazy amount.
Did you ask either "who at corp" or "why"? Asking for additional info would be helpful.
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 12:43 pm
  #237  
 
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 43
Originally Posted by thedealkiller
Did you ask either "who at corp" or "why"? Asking for additional info would be helpful.
They simply said store management was told by corp not to accept GC as forms of payment for Serve/BB/MO. Maybe they said something else and they misinterpreted.

I'll be back first thing on Sat when I know a different friendly is working. If that is infact the case, they would know about it as well.

We will see...But I didnt have any issues with a different WM this morning.
BSpatula31 is offline  
Old Feb 7, 2019, 5:06 pm
  #238  
c2d
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: BOS / BWI
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Posts: 237
I haven't done much MS in the past, only the BB/redbird when that was a easy. I wanted to get started a little now to meet MSR for the c@p1 miles card, so I did a little test run at my local WM to buy a MO (I had a $500 metabank visa GC that I had bought from Giant). At the WM money center, as soon as I said I wanted to buy a MO for $499.12, the CSR was like "you can't use a GC to buy MO". lol. I got to start looking at some WMs outside the city I guess. Any other places I should try out?
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Old Feb 7, 2019, 5:43 pm
  #239  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,828
Originally Posted by thedealkiller
Did you ask either "who at corp" or "why"? Asking for additional info would be helpful.
Asking the CSR for information that they are very unlikely to have is likely to be counterproductive. In most cases, it will be viewed as confrontational.

Stay under the radar and move on. Your only comment should be "Thank you."
Steve in Olympia is offline  
Old Feb 7, 2019, 6:48 pm
  #240  
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
Originally Posted by c2d
I haven't done much MS in the past, only the BB/redbird when that was a easy. I wanted to get started a little now to meet MSR for the c@p1 miles card, so I did a little test run at my local WM to buy a MO (I had a $500 metabank visa GC that I had bought from Giant). At the WM money center, as soon as I said I wanted to buy a MO for $499.12, the CSR was like "you can't use a GC to buy MO". lol. I got to start looking at some WMs outside the city I guess. Any other places I should try out?
Its a tell imo asking for a $499.12 I ask for either a $499 even and use the rest later on when buying something in a store, or $498.nn (where nn is any odd amount eg .93 it makes it appear that its a legit MO Im getting and then the rest when making a real purchase) Other then a Wally I get the 1st MO for $499 and the 2nd for say $499.10 as long as the fee is <$1
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