I could definitely think of better things to do in Vegas than visit 8 different WMs

Different strokes for different folks

Three cards got hung up at WM this week and were placed on "hold" by PW/Incomm. Three in one week was a first for me. All three were from separate purchases and subsequent transactions. All three need to be replaced. Good grief!

Pathward/InComm Vanilla from grocery store that did not go through with either Pay1040 or ACI. Last year they did. Called the number on back, was able to get to the refund portion of the conversation rather quickly for what I was expecting. They did not ask me to email in front and back of cards with receipts as they have for others in past. They simply took down my mailing info and said 3 weeks turn time. We shall see how this goes.

I would be very very surprised if you get anything back in 3 weeks or 3 years
Classic blow off tactic of the rep.

If you want your money faster, I would call back and "check" on your refund.
"Oh! We're sorry Mr, Delta Neutral28. We don't have any record of a refund request for you"

Radon, what is the wait time after Kroger Pathward Visa purchase before purchasing a MO?

I should be good. This is the third time I've called in in the past 12 months, prior two went fine. Once you repeatedly ask for a refund the process speeds up. They try to get you to make the charge over the phone so they can monitor which I know in advance, so I have it tee'd up, then it obviously declines and then I ask for refund once they see it didn't go through from my good faith effort. I have a case number and the cards are showing as closed to charges online, so this is exactly what happened the prior two times when they mailed a check. I feel like we need a thread specifically dedicated to $500 gift cards (Visa/MC), all of the banks, all of the servicers, and where they all work and don't work both in store and online. And then in what amounts. The soup de jour from InComm reps over the phone (obviously none of them have any idea what they are talking about) is that "you need to make sure the places online you shop are allowing you to enter the 3 digit security code." I haven't purchased onlie where it didn't force you to enter the 3 digit code in years. I also got hit with "disconnect from your wifi and use your mobile data to make the charge this will help" which was comical.

A fourth card was placed on hold this morning within a week. I'm on a roll. It seems that FedEx is no longer an option for replacements. They all seem to come via USPS.

My 2 in the past 12 months have both been USPS

Mine had generally been FedEx, with an occasional USPS, but now they all seem to be USPS. It generally only takes a couple of days longer, so not a big deal, but is interesting that they cut back, given the $7.95 fees they now charge for the cards.

Express shipping is offered sometimes, but rarely these days. They actually charge $8.95 in some stores like tom thumb/market street.

Do replacement cards work for full $500 swipes?

Purchased two tampered cards, $8.95 fees. guess nice, premium packaging now comes pre-tampered?

Any sign of tampering?

I think the new design is utterly stupid. It did nothing to prevent a bad guy to check balance after some time when it is already activated.

IME, yes