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Buying Money Orders at Walmart (2019 - 2022)

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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)

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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 2:58 pm
  #3436  
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 67
Originally Posted by History05
I found some at the 7-11 across the street from me this morning. Do these activate right away, or is there a time delay before they can be used like some other cards?
they activate immediately.
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Old Mar 4, 2021 | 6:55 pm
  #3437  
 
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Originally Posted by TTT103
In my situation, I was doing $2K just about every other day for quite some time in a single WM. I then went to a second WM, and while I never tried two transactions at different stores in a 24 hour period, I was shut down shortly thereafter. I also would do $3K on a few occasions right before they blocked me. It was either the multiple stores, frequency, or the $3K. I never could figure it out.

As was suggested, I am going to try my DL again to see if the block was lifted. It's been over a year since I last tried. I have not been venturing out much due to COVID, as I'm not as invincible as some people. However, I just received my second shot, and am getting the itch to get back out there more frequently.
I'd be curious to hear what happens when you try again with your DL. I'm guessing you hit the year maximum over an actual ban.

As far as the rolling 24-hour maximum, it is part of WM's WAN and all MC/CS registers are updated as to your activity. The only time I hit other stores is if I'm not working with a friendly at my main location (e.g., not wanting to try 3 x 4 swipe transactions).

-b.
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Old Mar 5, 2021 | 5:47 am
  #3438  
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Originally Posted by Carrisco
I'd be curious to hear what happens when you try again with your DL. I'm guessing you hit the year maximum over an actual ban.

As far as the rolling 24-hour maximum, it is part of WM's WAN and all MC/CS registers are updated as to your activity. The only time I hit other stores is if I'm not working with a friendly at my main location (e.g., not wanting to try 3 x 4 swipe transactions).

-b.
Perhaps you should read the "Are you banned at Wal Mart" thread to answer some of your questions.

You could also post questions related to this topic there, to obtain more precise information
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Old Mar 6, 2021 | 10:55 am
  #3439  
 
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Anyone having issues with ssvgc at WM? Kept declining the transaction. Online balance shows the right amount
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Old Mar 6, 2021 | 12:08 pm
  #3440  
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Originally Posted by slickdude1234
Anyone having issues with ssvgc at WM? Kept declining the transaction. Online balance shows the right amount
I had declined transactions at 2 WM. At my goto store the girl said the system was down but she'll let me try if I wanted. 1st swipe Meta VGC declined, 2nd swipe GreenDot VGC declined, 3rd swipe Wells Fargo debit card declined. This was at 7am PST and 7:20 PST.
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Old Mar 6, 2021 | 1:23 pm
  #3441  
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Originally Posted by cuthroat
I had declined transactions at 2 WM. At my goto store the girl said the system was down but she'll let me try if I wanted. 1st swipe Meta VGC declined, 2nd swipe GreenDot VGC declined, 3rd swipe Wells Fargo debit card declined. This was at 7am PST and 7:20 PST.
Where did you try the meta visa? Cashier or MC?
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Old Mar 6, 2021 | 1:50 pm
  #3442  
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Originally Posted by ricohitman
Where did you try the meta visa? Cashier or MC?
MC
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Old Mar 6, 2021 | 2:18 pm
  #3443  
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Originally Posted by slickdude1234
Anyone having issues with ssvgc at WM? Kept declining the transaction. Online balance shows the right amount
BAU at WM in my area with SSVGCs for MO and BB loads. I did have one give the "Debit not authorized" print out, but it worked on the second attempt.
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Old Mar 7, 2021 | 11:11 am
  #3444  
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BAU at my goto this morning. Funny thing happened this morning at my #4 WM which I haven't been to in a month or so (because their MO machine is always broke, so they say) Upon walking up to the money center the girl says "We all had a talk with management and you and your friends can only buy MO's/Serve loads/Bill Pay's up to $300 total".

Me: My friends?
Her: Yeah, your friends that do what you do.
Me: I don't know who your talking about.
Her: Yeah, Ok
Me: I'm here to make a withdrawal.
Then she starts talking about the weather and how she can't wait until covid is over to be able to go to the movies again.
Me: ???

It's new rules every time I stop by this location and to think this use to be my #1 WM about 2 years ago.
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Old Mar 7, 2021 | 1:30 pm
  #3445  
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Originally Posted by cuthroat
BAU at my goto this morning. Funny thing happened this morning at my #4 WM which I haven't been to in a month or so (because their MO machine is always broke, so they say) Upon walking up to the money center the girl says "We all had a talk with management and you and your friends can only buy MO's/Serve loads/Bill Pay's up to $300 total".

Me: My friends?
Her: Yeah, your friends that do what you do.
Me: I don't know who your talking about.
Her: Yeah, Ok
Me: I'm here to make a withdrawal.
Then she starts talking about the weather and how she can't wait until covid is over to be able to go to the movies again.
Me: ???

It's new rules every time I stop by this location and to think this use to be my #1 WM about 2 years ago.
Welcome to the wacky world of Walmart (or WWW). In this world, repetitive activity attracts attention and if it doesn't make sense to the CSRs who serve you (and your "friends"), then new "rules" get implemented that will impede your affairs, if they so choose to do so. (Fortunately, not all stores behave in this manner).

You can safely say that Walmart #4 is burned. Depending on how fast the staff turnover is, you are going to have to wait until the old crew goes and the new crew has forgotten about your previous history.

Unfortunately, your "friends" will continue to try and utilize this store, with the outcome being that no one will be able to use it.

I burned one WM in exactly the same fashion. Too much of the same thing that didn't make sense to the CSR. It took more than a year to bring it back on line (in a limited 2 swipe fashion).

This is exactly why I try to limit similar repetitive activities with the same CSRs at the same store. So far (after the first failure), so good.
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Old Mar 9, 2021 | 6:33 pm
  #3446  
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Apologies for losing track of the bidding, could someone clarify for this senile person (me) the following scenario:

In possession of 4 $200 VGCs issued by MB and purchased at Staples. Assuming WM CSR is agreeable to charging each card for $199 per swipe, will WM POS allow me to buy a single $795 MO using these cards?

Thanks.
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Old Mar 9, 2021 | 6:41 pm
  #3447  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Baltimore, MD
Posts: 19
$99 per swipe for MB cards, the max you can buy is $396 and you can pay MO fee with cash.
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Old Mar 10, 2021 | 9:38 pm
  #3448  
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
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Originally Posted by bmorehokie
$99 per swipe for MB cards, the max you can buy is $396 and you can pay MO fee with cash.
i had no problem today at my local WM turning four $200 Metabank Groceries Everywhere Cards into a single $800 MO.
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Steve in Olympia is offline  
Old Mar 11, 2021 | 4:38 am
  #3449  
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Originally Posted by Steve in Olympia
i had no problem today at my local WM turning four $200 Metabank Groceries Everywhere Cards into a single $800 MO.
Standard Visa Metas still don't work at the MC. Tried a BB load with one and got the usual denial.

Went to the cashier and it worked fine.

Huge PIA
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Old Mar 11, 2021 | 10:59 am
  #3450  
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Originally Posted by radonc1
Standard Visa Metas still don't work at the MC. Tried a BB load with one and got the usual denial.

Went to the cashier and it worked fine.

Huge PIA
Tell me about it. Too much work to do big volume. I'm down to $10k per month through Simon because I can liquidate that volume (20 $500's through local grocery stores) without extra trips, but the inability to use my 3 local WMs is a killer.
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