Metabank MasterCard Gift Cards from Giftcards.com

Can you buy money orders with a Metabank MasterCard gift card?

January 2, 2018

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Back in November, I shared that gift cards.com has increased ash back rates on Metabank MasterCard gift card purchases to 1.25%. If you think a 0.25% cash back increase isn’t significant, it actually saves you $6.25 on every $2,500 order. Until recently, I’d never purchased Metabank MasterCard gift cards before and wasn’t sure they were even PIN-enabeld.

Yes, there is a “Debit” label on the gift cards, but can you buy money orders with them? After putting it to the test myself, I would warn against purchasing Metabank MasterCard gift cards from giftcards.com.

As most of you know, Metabank Visa gift cards are pretty much foolproof if you’re looking for gift cards that can be used to buy money orders. They come with PIN numbers and when you swipe them at Walmart, they automatically get processed like debit cards. Easy, right?

“Change Payment”

The problem with MasterCard gift cards is that they get processed as credit cards. Most people deal with this by hitting the “change payment” button during the brief moment when it pops up on the PIN pad. Not all PIN pads will actually give you that option.

The cashiers at Walmart can’t change the payment from credit to debit, and since the registers are hard-coded to reject credit payments, you won’t be able to use Metabank MasterCard gift cards for money order purchases.

Of course, this is just my experience. When I tried to use a Metabank MasterCard gift card to pay for money orders at my local Walmart, the “change payment” option didn’t appear. I asked the cashier about it and she didn’t know what to do. There was no option on her end to change the payment type. So I was out of luck, unfortunately.

I have, in the past, seen the “change payment” option pop up at other Walmart stores. But those locations aren’t MS friendly. I’d hate to waste my time going back there to try this out, miss my chance by a split second, and essentially get blacklisted again.

Luckily, I have other ways to get rid of my Metabank MasterCard gift cards. But the reason I bring this up is that you should be aware of the possibility that you won’t be able to use Metabank MasterCard gift cards to buy money orders at Walmart.

This is really unfortunate because saving even ~$6 on a $2500 order stacks up. If you hit the monthly $30,000 limit, that’s a saving of over $70. Over the course of a year, that adds up to over $800. While the higher cash back rate is tempting, you may not be able to liquidate the gift cards at the end of the day.

I want to hear from you all. Have you tried to buy money orders with Metabank MasterCard gift cards? Have you had any issues with changing the payment type from credit to debit? Please share in the comment section.

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38 responses to “Can you buy money orders with a Metabank MasterCard gift card?”

Sexy_Kitten7

January 2, 2018

You can (always, IME) change payment by either clicking the Change button on the screen or pressing the physical red button. You only have 0-2 seconds to do this after swiping. IIRC you can do it immediately after swiping (don’t hit the red twice though bc that will actually void the trx). Then select the Debit screen button, no cash back, PIN.

I’d recommend trying the physical button method. It seems WM has a bunch of hardware/software updates so this may have changed. Good luck!

Reply
1. Sexy_Kitten7
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  P.S. It’s an art. If I’m rusty I’ll fail half the time (e.g. takes me 8 swipes to liquidate 4 cards). The register prints a small slip and you end up looking like an idiot. Even when I’m focused, I screw up once or twice. Just ask if you can try again.
  
  Reply
2. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  I tried the red button since there was no “Change” option. It still didn’t work. The only thing that happens is that I swipe my card, the signature screen pops up for about 3 seconds and then the transaction declines.
  
  Reply
  1. Sexy_Kitten7
    
    January 2, 2018
    
    Oh dear! And you hit the button immediately after swiping? I haven’t done any MCGC since August so that may a new roadblock!
    
    I’d recommend finding other Walmarts. Grocery stores will be a long slog.
    
    I just noticed you bought online. Not all Metas are created equal so these may be hardcoded by WM like vanillas. For example, Target Metas don’t work at the PO or WM!
    
    Reply
    1. Sexy_Kitten7
      
      January 2, 2018
      
      Edit: Just realized you’re talking about these new-fangled Meta MC, not the standard USB ones. Sorry if I came off condescending. I read the post as “I’ve never touched a MC before!”
      
      Reply
    2. Ariana Arghandewal
      
      January 2, 2018
      
      Yeah there’s that one WM where I have seen it pop up in the past. But I think I’ll give the “fourth swipe” technique a try. If that doesn’t work, it’s fine. I have other methods of liquidation.
      
      Reply
Eric

January 2, 2018

Follow

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Stoshbygosh

January 2, 2018

Are there any other outlets to MS the Meta MC?

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Ricardo

January 2, 2018

I think I know what is going on and have an answer for you. In my experience you can only use the mc cards as the 4th card in the transaction (when the cashier does not manually enter the amount). Use 3 visas cards, and use the 4th mc and the cancel button will appear. Also you can buy a mo as a single transaction (a $499.30 mo). Try it. Your welcome.

Reply
1. Jeffrey
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  This actually doesn’t solve the issue for me… I tried loading Metabank MC cards to a gobank account and thought this might help, but even trying to just load $500 didn’t actually succeed. So it may work sometimes, but it may be subject to the vagaries of the payment processing at any given Walmart just as much as the “change payment” button is.
  
  Reply
  1. Ozzi
    
    January 2, 2018
    
    In my case, it works 2 of 5 swipes. Sometimes the “button” is not even shown up.
    
    Reply
2. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  I will give that a shot. Thanks Ricardo!
  
  Reply
  1. Ricardo
    
    January 2, 2018
    
    Make sure they dont enter an amount like in the previous 3 cards. If it gives you the error, try again, swiping the card before they have a chance to enter the amount. Let me know it it works.
    
    Reply
Beach Miles

January 2, 2018

Any experience using for MO at grocery store like Kroger chain?

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1. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  Not on my end, since I don’t have those nearby.
  
  Reply
  1. thmock
    
    January 2, 2018
    
    In Cali, Ralph’s & Food 4 Less are part of the Kroger’s company.
    
    Reply
    1. TonyM
      
      January 3, 2018
      
      I’ve seen the Food 4 Less stores near me. They sell MOs?
      
      Reply
    2. Ariana Arghandewal
      
      January 3, 2018
      
      There are no Ralph’s in my area but I do think there’s a Food Maxx (which is the same as Food 4 Less, right?).
      
      Reply
2. Oleg
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  MC worked at a Kroger without any problem.
  
  Reply
  1. havai
    
    February 5, 2018
    
    +1 (has long matched my experience — MC GC works for buying mo’s at Kroger — and even re-loading pre-paid products like Account Now)
    
    One problem — mo purchases at Kroger are limited to $750. Does that match your area Oleg? Others?
    
    Reply
    1. Oleg
      
      February 5, 2018
      
      At my Kroger you can buy up to $3000 MO.
      If you are going to buy more than$3000 they request your drive license.
      
      I usually buy x2 $1000
      
      Reply
Jerry Mandel

January 2, 2018

I’m amused. There is NO place in the Dallas, Texas area that will sell money orders with gift-pin cards. Walmart is very inconsistent around the country. And again. When Kroger bought Ralph’s, it kept the locally familiar name “Ralph’s” on the stores.

Reply
1. Jeremy Cherry
  
  January 2, 2018
  
  Jerry. Why do they need to know its a “gift” card. I just say debit card and swipe. I’ve done approx 10k and never been any questions.
  
  Reply
  1. Jp
    
    January 2, 2018
    
    I write 500, with a magic marker, covering up the words “gift card”, just in case the cashier wants to take a peep at the debit card.
    
    Burying head in the sand?
    
    Reply
2. BAR
  
  January 3, 2018
  
  you may have to contact Travel Codex blogger tahsir21 to find out the WM in TX he goes to that sells up to $75000 (not a typo) to him and his friend(s). although I’m not sure if this still goes on when he had a brush with the cops one time. IINM, it was in the DFW area. Compared to other bloggers, tahsir replies to PMs when I clarified something with him in the past.
  
  Reply
3. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  January 3, 2018
  
  I hope you’re not getting carpel tunnel from copying/pasting this line into every blog’s comment section.
  
  Reply
Tom

January 3, 2018

I tried 5 times and bombed except for once where I caught the change payment button, but on selecting debit, it bombed 🙁 So paid the higher fee for a 500 max MO at the grocer. Certain Jewels (aka “da Jewels”) around Chicago will take debit, but most not. Albertsons owns Jewel, so maybe for you west coast folks?

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1. Sexy_Kitten7
  
  January 3, 2018
  
  Ah, if you managed to select debit and still failed that means it’s hard coded IME.
  
  Reply
2. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  January 3, 2018
  
  Out here I think Albertson’s switched back to Lucky’s. Hard to keep up with all these name changes.
  
  Reply
Gio5thDown

January 3, 2018

I was freaking out because same thing happened to me I tried to run 4 like I usually do for MB VGC at WM. You have to press cancel and the select payment type button will show up. I can only do one at a time but at least I know I can liquidate.

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PM

January 4, 2018

I know, its a noob question, looking for info how to liquidate Meta MCGC.

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1. Gio5thDown
  
  January 4, 2018
  
  You press cancel right after you swipe then the option for debit comes up
  
  Reply
barschools

January 5, 2018

I’ve ordered some MCGCs from giftcards.com and they’ve all worked for buying MOs at my go to Walmart using the cancel/ select payment type method. The only problem I’m having is that both Yazing and Topcashback are only paying 1% despite saying 1.25%. Has anyone actually been able to get the 1.25%?

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1. John
  
  January 13, 2019
  
  Sure wish I could figure it out. I can’t even get 4th swipe to work most of the time with the Meta MCs. Frustrating. Keep getting debit not available error which usually only happens if you are trying to charge more than the card holds.
  
  Reply
BAR

January 11, 2018

I got 1.25% from Yazing after I opened a ticket. I also have screenshot of the terms when I did the click-thru.

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1. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  January 13, 2018
  
  Glad it worked out!
  
  Reply
Park

January 28, 2018

Hello All, I am a relative newbie to MS, and 1st time here. Question is what mileage are you getting when you purchase those gift cards ? There were great deals on chase pay best buy 10X, but outside of those promotions, what do you use to buy GC ? is it worthwhile to do using 1:1 or 1.5 points per $ using freedom unlimited? I searched all over, but somehow never gotten the answer: if its a promotion, answer is obvious, but for regular MS what should we use ? thanks

Reply
1. Ariana Arghandewal
  
  February 5, 2018
  
  It can be, depending on how you redeem those miles. If you’re using them for premium travel, that can be especially worthwhile. But there are also ways to reduce the fees, which makes using cards that earn 1 mile per $1 spent worthwhile.
  
  Reply