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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.

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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)

Old Apr 25, 2019, 11:04 am
  #511  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: The World!!!
Programs: Some of them not all ...
Posts: 1,532
Originally Posted by randomdude
Just wanted to point out that it has nothing to do with csrs, managers or regional managers. Once moneygram pays them a visit, it's game over.
Good to have 7 different Wallys in the area I travel to (from airport to houses of family/work). My chances of all of them being burned by Money Gram are quite slim, specialy after the bellow question I asked to the Managers and CSRs.
I asked them how many MO from the many they sell a day are done with Debit Cards that have NO Chip. The answer shocked me: "You are the only one left using Swipe + PIN, everyone else in the last month on all 3 Wallys I frequent the most down there, sell ALL MO either in cash or Chip + PIN Debit Card transactions"
That has to mean something
carlitos is offline  
Old Apr 25, 2019, 8:33 pm
  #512  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Those claiming to be banned:

did u do Billpay? If yes, how many bp accts? Can u get a screenshot? Do MO at multiple WM per day with ID?
Chelski is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 7:53 am
  #513  
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 40
Originally Posted by Chelski

thats a glitch that occurs when not done in correct order.. some csrs wont process others no its a non issue
Interesting. It was a different CSR than usual, perhaps I will try again and not just scratch this one out. Thanks.
ohyonghao is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 8:07 am
  #514  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by Chelski
Those claiming to be banned:

did u do Billpay? If yes, how many bp accts? Can u get a screenshot? Do MO at multiple WM per day with ID?
BP=check free
MO=MG
beast7276 is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 9:38 am
  #515  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by beast7276

BP=check free
MO=MG
where are they done? Think
Chelski is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 9:40 am
  #516  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by beast7276

BP=check free
MO=MG
To me, BP is MG, i only BP amex cards.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 11:08 am
  #517  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 766
Okay, couple points here:

1. If you are keeping you purchases under $1000, DON'T post it is BAU. We know that; that is not the issue.
2. Second, let's keep the "I told you so" stuff to a minimum. While it is true this could put some in a tricky spot, many have racked up millions of miles/points with variations of these techniques....
3. Let keep focused on if this is "real" or not. If it happened to you, please post, tell exactly what happened and what your typical patterns are, velocity, etc.

For myself, I ran about $36K through early in the month. My last Wally trip was 4/20/19 and I typically liquidate about $2K a time, but sometimes more if they let me. Not banned yet, but have not tried since 4/20 to buy over $1K. (I've been knocking out $800 all week thanks to an office supply store.....)
cuthroat and Tectomoc like this.
THEsocalledfan is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 12:02 pm
  #518  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 198
Originally Posted by Chelski

where are they done? Think
lol
Chelski likes this.
beast7276 is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 12:57 pm
  #519  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: DL, WoH
Posts: 1,253
Originally Posted by alanisrox69
IMHO, anyone doing multiple swipes, multiple MOs, or ".12" cent amounts is just asking for trouble. Go in, get a $499 MO with one swipe, no ID, and move onto another store, or go to same store another day. Done. Fly under the radar. Use the remaining 12 cent balance at the grocery store where it auto drains.
Aww, that's cute.
ricohitman is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 1:11 pm
  #520  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by coolguy100
To me, BP is MG, i only BP amex cards.
most CSRs by me refer to CF/BPMG as BP. So yes the two are conflated.
ChrisFlyer66 likes this.
Chelski is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 2:25 pm
  #521  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 429
Originally Posted by Chelski
Those claiming to be banned:

did u do Billpay? If yes, how many bp accts? Can u get a screenshot? Do MO at multiple WM per day with ID?
For me, never done BP. Only 2K of MOs M-F. Banned as of Tuesday. But I went to another WM and bought 1k. They input my ID anyway (I guess they can if they want), and it went through fine. Not sure if that means I'm clear again to buy 2k.
waygora is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 3:13 pm
  #522  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CMH
Programs: W/+1: AS MVPG; IHG/Marriott Plat; Hilton/BW Diamond; Hertz Prez
Posts: 1,175
Question Wishful Thinking

Originally Posted by waygora
For me, never done BP. Only 2K of MOs M-F. Banned as of Tuesday. But I went to another WM and bought 1k. They input my ID anyway (I guess they can if they want), and it went through fine. Not sure if that means I'm clear again to buy 2k.
Anyone remember times when they couldn't buy mo's for a few days, then they could? I going out on a limb and guessing that WM did a sw update that screwed us accidentally. I predict all will be back to normal soon...I hope.
rxgeek is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 4:50 pm
  #523  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by waygora
For me, never done BP. Only 2K of MOs M-F. Banned as of Tuesday. But I went to another WM and bought 1k. They input my ID anyway (I guess they can if they want), and it went through fine. Not sure if that means I'm clear again to buy 2k.
thanks for the info. It could be store specific too. The board would light up like crazy if this is widespread.
Chelski is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2019, 9:45 am
  #524  
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 429
I have a feeling it may be just a bug. They were doing a software update last week and I have a feeling I was just caught up on it. A friend went yesterday and he said the WM computer auto input some of his ID information, so it looks like their system improved. I haven't been able to make it back yet, but I will this weekend.
waygora is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2019, 10:39 am
  #525  
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 14
Just tried again in a new WM for $1500 MO and still same denied message.
next I need to try my passport but suspect that might fail too since I used it 3-4 times in the past when I lost my DL with same address.
my spouse passport may work as it is still clean but address match may impact that too.
Shawnee is offline  

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