Confirming the 1hr delay for WM vanillas

When buying $500 Incomm VGC at WM, do they check ID and CC have the same name ? I will be the one buying the VGC, but the CC is under wife's name. She is not able to get to this and isn't happy about the work that needs to be done to enjoy the points, so I am doing the heavy lifting. Want to get this spend out of the way. We have about $522 left to spend, I can buy the VGC at WM using her card and she can spend on whatever else she needs elsewhere. Please let me know. Thx.

You can buy it at the SC.

No, they usually don't check ID.

In an effort to standardize the thread titles for better readability and searchability, could a mod please rename this thread to:

"Buying VGC/MCGC at WM"

Paging tcook052

I've started buying the WM Vanilla VGCs after my usual ones issued by US Bank went up to a $6.95 fee in recent months.

I've had issues after setting the PIN online (and via a phone call) where the VGC gets marked for fraud and can't be used without the fraud hold to be removed after another phone call. Very frustrating when trying to get MOs and the card doesn't work.

I'm curious why some are comfortable with "select any 4 digit PIN at first use" that comes with these cards.

What if I'm unable to totally liquidate after 1 hour of waiting? What if the MO machine is down for the day and I've got to wait to liquidate later?

I've had some NASTY fraud with US Bank VGCs in the past where the PIN was set to the last 4 digits of the card, and one would need to change the PIN ASAP to prevent fraud. I would think "select any 4 digit PIN at first use" would also be ripe for fraud if someone had the 16 digits and I hadn't used the card yet. What am I missing on this?

While the changing of the PIN and having the card not work has been a major headache to get fixed on a follow-up call with a CSR (waits can be LONG!), it is better than filling out paperwork like I had to do with USB once my VGC got liquidated by a fraudster who simply used the last 4 digits or any digits, for that matter.

Just curious on best practices to use these without getting scammed if I cannot use it right away.

Best practice is liquidate within a few days and don't set any pin beforehand.

The newer packing on US Bank VGC have done wonder, I haven't come across any report of fraud with those. Same with Vanilla packing, its very hard to temper with the barcode.

This. I never purchase unless I can liquidate within 24hrs. Always just enter the same 4 random numbers for a pin. Works perfectly.

can someone explain, why it is hard to tamper with vannis? I know they have the bar code inside and half outside but I am not sure how that makes it tamper proof. if someone were to slide a different card inside and you missed to feel /see the difference in the packaging, after all scamsters are no rookies. They analyzed from all angles.

I assume in the scenario you gave the outside of the package wouldn't match the inside and the card would not validate and thus not active.

The two halves of the barcode would be different so don't think it would even scan

Barcode is divided into halve. Part of barcode is on the packaging, and the other part is on the card itself. You need both in order for the card to scan. They would have to copy a valid barcode then recreate a packaging with half of a barcode, and a laser engraved barcode on a another card for the other half. Make it all align nicely, and make sure it doesn't look like its been temper with. Doubt it can be easily done.

Upon further research, they actually received a patent for this barcode design.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...300486039.html