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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 Nov 27, 2019, 1:54 pm
  #1651  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,463
Originally Posted by worldtravels
... The CSR then proceeded to type in a bunch of information, on more than one screen. then the manager came over a couple of times, and typed in some answers.
...
So was this a SAR?
It was not SAR. Sounds like a typical sequence to force an ID check, when one is not otherwise needed. It's a long process and often freezes the terminal -- which requires a manager's override. Some yellow vests feel they need that extra excitement in their lives.
MaxVO is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2019, 5:04 pm
  #1652  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: MSP
Programs: DL, BA, AA
Posts: 270
Yes, that sounds like exactly what happened. A sequence to force an ID check. Never happened before. An overzealous manager. Well, I'd much rather have that than a complete denial since I don't exceed limits.

Thanks for that.
worldtravels is offline  
Old Nov 27, 2019, 5:16 pm
  #1653  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: MSP
Programs: DL, BA, AA
Posts: 270
Originally Posted by MaxVO
It was not SAR. Sounds like a typical sequence to force an ID check, when one is not otherwise needed. It's a long process and often freezes the terminal -- which requires a manager's override. Some yellow vests feel they need that extra excitement in their lives.
Yes, that sounds like exactly what happened. A sequence to force an ID check. Never happened before. An overzealous manager. Well, I'd much rather have that than a complete denial since I don't exceed limits.

Thanks for that.
worldtravels is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2019, 3:32 pm
  #1654  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
66 - will be relevant soon
Chelski is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2019, 4:17 pm
  #1655  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 239
Originally Posted by Chelski
66 - will be relevant soon
What does that mean?
History05 is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2019, 6:26 pm
  #1656  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,463
Originally Posted by History05
What does that mean?
The literal meaning is the poster has no news that are relevant now.
MaxVO is offline  
Old Nov 28, 2019, 9:29 pm
  #1657  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
WM supercenters customer service closed at 5:30pm today....caused some MO business interruption...not ideal.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Nov 29, 2019, 12:18 am
  #1658  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Once upon a time...
Posts: 863
Originally Posted by coolguy100
WM supercenters customer service closed at 5:30pm today....caused some MO business interruption...not ideal.
Did you really have the expectation that it would be BAU today? Come on, it's Thanksgiving. I was out of town and hit 3 WM and felt lucky to be have one open MC at 1pm.
veeRob is offline  
Old Nov 30, 2019, 12:26 am
  #1659  
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 1,727
Originally Posted by History05
What does that mean?
66 66 66 oh the possibilities.. kind of like Heinz and their 57
Chelski is offline  
Old Nov 30, 2019, 11:05 am
  #1660  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Northeastern United States
Posts: 588
Originally Posted by Chelski
66 66 66 oh the possibilities.. kind of like Heinz and their 57
Or Baskin Robbins and their 31!
Chelski likes this.
Prometheus77 is offline  
Old Nov 30, 2019, 12:59 pm
  #1661  
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Hilton Diamond, Marriott/SPG Platinum
Posts: 496
Originally Posted by Chelski
66 66 66 oh the possibilities.. kind of like Heinz and their 57
hi, sent you a private message...not sure if you have received it. thanks.
coolguy100 is offline  
Old Nov 30, 2019, 3:05 pm
  #1662  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: S.E. Pennsylvania
Programs: SPG, SW Air, AA, all of'em!
Posts: 239
More esoteric chat?

Are you referring to Bank Rejection Code 66 And Reason: "Card acceptor call acquirer security"?

If so, who is the acceptor, and who is the acquirer?

I do not see WM doing any work to pick up the phone. They do not even like to answer customer calls inbound, let alone call anyone outside the store.

WM Corporate will likely let the POS be the traffic cop for anything serious.
fletchbo is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2019, 10:33 am
  #1663  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 80
I went to the Walmart near me that I can depend on. I've been going there for many years with no hiccups. I did get shut down by have been going $1,000 since.

But on Sunday, Dec 1st, the clerk told me that their manager told them no more gift cards for money orders at all anymore. They knew what I was doing as they were ok with it for many years. I asked them since when and they said since Thanksgiving.

Wondering if this is happening to others.
swhang is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2019, 10:44 am
  #1664  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,374
Originally Posted by swhang
I went to the Walmart near me that I can depend on. I've been going there for many years with no hiccups. I did get shut down by have been going $1,000 since.

But on Sunday, Dec 1st, the clerk told me that their manager told them no more gift cards for money orders at all anymore. They knew what I was doing as they were ok with it for many years. I asked them since when and they said since Thanksgiving.

Wondering if this is happening to others.
Should you be surprised.
You were banned for being a heavy hitter and apparently you used this WM for your activities. Therefore, you were both known to this WM as a heavy hitter and that you had been banned by MG

It does not take a great leap of logic to conclude that the manager of your store put two and two together and banned you from this particular store for any amount of MO purchases.

I suspect that if you go to some other WM location and purchase a MO for less than $1000, you will have no problem in obtaining it as long as the store is dong MOs with VGCs and that they don't ask for your ID

BTW, it would be helpful if you went to the "Are you banned at WM" thread and enter the particulars of what you were doing to get you banned? All DPs are valuable in this game.
radonc1 is offline  
Old Dec 2, 2019, 12:25 pm
  #1665  
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: JRF
Programs: AA Gold, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,779
Originally Posted by fletchbo
More esoteric chat?
The cloak and dagger types that talk in code are absolute cancer. Brings back memories of bank of the spook and all that garbage
msp3 is offline  

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