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Old Feb 26, 2023, 11:17 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: lowkeyflyer
Carried forward from 2019-2022 thread

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 in the 2019-2022 thread and add a data point with details. USB and GD gift cards do not seem to be affected.

Prior threads can be found here:
2019-2022: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manu...19-2022-a.html
Prior to 2019: 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.

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 (2022-24)

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Old Apr 17, 2022, 7:38 pm
  #271  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: N/A
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by ricohitman
Adding a DP. It seems the 4118 cards are being specifically targetted by hackers. The one I have a claim open for is 4118. These are mainly sold by walgreens and cvs. Be careful out there folks.
Can you explain what you mean by 4118? how can we check if the vgc first 4 #'s start with 4118 if we have to buy it first?
helpboo is offline  
Old Apr 17, 2022, 8:15 pm
  #272  
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 4,477
Originally Posted by helpboo
Can you return back in line and buy another $395 MO after the first transaction until done with MS? Do banks even allow that many money orders to be deposited? In order to avoid having a bank shutting you down by closing your account, should these money orders be cashed out for cash and not deposit money in the checking? Im afraid account closure means keeping money.
Originally Posted by helpboo
Can you explain what you mean by 4118? how can we check if the vgc first 4 #'s start with 4118 if we have to buy it first?
All those issues are best addressed in the following thread, and preferably one at a time: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manu...19-2021-a.html
MaxVO is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 12:45 pm
  #273  
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 12
New here, wondering if this will work

Greetings, I’m new to the ms fourm and recently bought a Mastercard gc. Specifically from Amazon here’s the name

($100 Mastercard Gift Card (plus $5.95 Purchase Fee)

I was just wondering if this will work. I know visa gift cards are way better for this but I didn’t really have a clue so I just bought this based on the issuer instead which is metabank. As of writing this I will be heading to WM a little later and trying it out for the first time but wanted to see if this card was suitable. My Walmart has western union btw
Awp0 is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 2:44 pm
  #274  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EWR
Posts: 884
Originally Posted by ricohitman
Adding a DP. It seems the 4118 cards are being specifically targetted by hackers. The one I have a claim open for is 4118. These are mainly sold by walgreens and cvs. Be careful out there folks.
How did your claim end up? I had 2, both on 4097 cards. They "decided in my favor" but shorted me on the value and have as of yet, ignored my requests for clarification.
Bigzamboni is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 5:00 pm
  #275  
 
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 684
Originally Posted by Awp0
Greetings, I’m new to the ms fourm and recently bought a Mastercard gc. Specifically from Amazon here’s the name

($100 Mastercard Gift Card (plus $5.95 Purchase Fee)

I was just wondering if this will work. I know visa gift cards are way better for this but I didn’t really have a clue so I just bought this based on the issuer instead which is metabank. As of writing this I will be heading to WM a little later and trying it out for the first time but wanted to see if this card was suitable. My Walmart has western union btw

I am not sure if the Amazon MC works at WM or not, but your cost for MS is too high.
liw5215 is online now  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 7:11 pm
  #276  
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by liw5215
I am not sure if the Amazon MC works at WM or not, but your cost for MS is too high.
Ok, I haven’t tried yet but I bought another one from target and it’s a visa gc issued from metabank and serviced my incommn. First 4 digits are 4097
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Old Apr 18, 2022, 7:19 pm
  #277  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,832
Originally Posted by Awp0
Ok, I haven’t tried yet but I bought another one from target and it’s a visa gc issued from metabank and serviced my incommn. First 4 digits are 4097
And does the activation fee far outweigh the value of the miles you are earning?
Steve in Olympia is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 7:25 pm
  #278  
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Posts: 12
Originally Posted by Steve in Olympia
And does the activation fee far outweigh the value of the miles you are earning?
We’ll sort of. I get 5% back either way which pays for activation fee.

This was honestly just a test run if I’m being honest. I’ve never done this before so I figured if I just test it out to see if it works past >99$ swipe limit .

Also I’m not losing money at all because I know someone who wants to buy the cards from me.

I’m going to try it tomorrow on my off day at my local WM, I’ll update you guys with details. Im from NY Long Island btw
Awp0 is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 7:50 pm
  #279  
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 129
We are all looking forward to hearing about it
Tectomoc is offline  
Old Apr 18, 2022, 9:05 pm
  #280  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,832
Originally Posted by Awp0
We’ll sort of. I get 5% back either way which pays for activation fee.

This was honestly just a test run if I’m being honest. I’ve never done this before so I figured if I just test it out to see if it works past >99$ swipe limit .

Also I’m not losing money at all because I know someone who wants to buy the cards from me.

I’m going to try it tomorrow on my off day at my local WM, I’ll update you guys with details. Im from NY Long Island btw
If the best outcome for you is “not losing money,” then you are missing the point of MS. Itemize the full cost of the transaction (including activation fees, money order fees, etc.), and then compare that to the value of the mileage points or cashback received from your credit card.

if you are only breaking even, then it is a big waste of time.
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Steve in Olympia is offline  
Old Apr 19, 2022, 1:27 am
  #281  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Arizona
Posts: 87
If you are testing it and just getting your feet wet, it’s not a big waste of time. Better to find out a $100 card works or not versus a $500 card, imo.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 7:48 am
  #282  
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Originally Posted by Awp0
I’ll update you guys with details. Im from NY Long Island btw
I hope you're from Suffolk and not Nassau, Ive had problems in the past in Nassau its just as bad as NYC
craz is offline  
Old Apr 19, 2022, 10:07 am
  #283  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,832
Originally Posted by TucsonJohn
If you are testing it and just getting your feet wet, it’s not a big waste of time. Better to find out a $100 card works or not versus a $500 card, imo.
It would be a lot more useful to find out if a $500 card works. If you hope to build a MS career based on $100 cards, you are a true glutton for punishment.
Steve in Olympia is offline  
Old Apr 19, 2022, 10:52 am
  #284  
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Arizona
Posts: 87
Originally Posted by Steve in Olympia
It would be a lot more useful to find out if a $500 card works. If you hope to build a MS career based on $100 cards, you are a true glutton for punishment.
Lot less stressful if it doesn’t work and you don’t know any other options but regular spend. And maybe having to explain to player 2. 🙄 But agree it’s not a good option to stick with small denomination cards.
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Old Apr 19, 2022, 1:06 pm
  #285  
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Originally Posted by TucsonJohn
Lot less stressful if it doesn’t work and you don’t know any other options but regular spend. And maybe having to explain to player 2. 🙄 But agree it’s not a good option to stick with small denomination cards.
the only exception I can think of is some lower denominations fee costs less, so if a person buys a low fee card and finds getting MOs isnt their thing, then its less money down the drain. Yea it can be used for reg Spend, but when I remove the cats where I earn bonus pts and where theres purchase protection there isnt many things left day to day. But if a person wouldnt have a problem unloading it on everyday Spend then I agree get the $500
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