Wal-Mart Money Cards

[brokenomore]

I need to delay filing Chapter 7 for around a month, but currently have a judgement, and am keeping my bank account balance low in case they would garnish it. (I have a writ of garnishment that I just received and must answer).

But I need to use a debit card sometimes, and was thinking about the Wal-Mart Money cards.

They can be charged and used like a debit card, but I think they need the ss number, so could they track one of these cards down, and would they bother? It would only be a couple hundred dollars, but I don't want to risk anything at this point.

[AngelinaCat]

I have not used a Wal-Mart money card myself, but I did watch the customer in line ahead of me once.

He wanted to purchase a WM money card with a value of $10.00 on it to use for gas later. He handed the clerk a ten dollar bill. She charged the card, put the money in her till, and handed him the card. Transaction closed.

Wal-Mart clerks deal with large amounts of money every day, so larger amounts on the card shouldn't be a problem. If there are any questions, you can talk to their Customer Service reps.

[brokenomore]

I think you have to call in to activate the card, and then they want all the personal info.

[AngelinaCat]

That wasn't the impression I got when I watched this transaction. But it was only for $10.00.

I did use a couple of pre-paid $10.00 cards from Chevron that were gifts. All I did was stick them in the card reader at the pump, and I was good to pump. Again, they were small amounts.

[Dst1]

That wasn't the impression I got when I watched this transaction. But it was only for $10.00.

I did use a couple of pre-paid $10.00 cards from Chevron that were gifts. All I did was stick them in the card reader at the pump, and I was good to pump. Again, they were small amounts.

You're confused. Wal-mart sells many different types of cards. The one the OP is talking about does in fact need to be charged and it costs $3 just to issue the card. The one you get from the cashier is a temporary card and they mail you the real one in the mail.

As for the SS# they do indeed require it but you can just lie. It's our infamous PATRIOT ACT that requires it, not Wal-Mart itself. They don't care.

If you don't want to lie you can also go with the visa gift cards. Thet don't require any personal information BUT the fees are much higher.

[wantout]

You're confused. Wal-mart sells many different types of cards. The one the OP is talking about does in fact need to be charged and it costs $3 just to issue the card. The one you get from the cashier is a temporary card and they mail you the real one in the mail.

As for the SS# they do indeed require it but you can just lie. It's our infamous PATRIOT ACT that requires it, not Wal-Mart itself. They don't care.

If you don't want to lie you can also go with the visa gift cards. Thet don't require any personal information BUT the fees are much higher.

That wasn't the impression I got when I watched this transaction. But it was only for $10.00.

I did use a couple of pre-paid $10.00 cards from Chevron that were gifts. All I did was stick them in the card reader at the pump, and I was good to pump. Again, they were small amounts.

It was probably a wal mart shopping/gift card.

No fee, you put money on it and spend it down then add to it whenever you want to, thing is it is only good at walmart and murphys gas stations on walmart property.

[pcn]

Wal-Mart Money Card (Visa) costs $3 to buy and $3 each time you "reload" it. When you buy the first one they give you generic one. You fill out the paperwork (or online) and then they send you a personalized one that looks just like a Visa card. When you use it it functions just like a credit card. You get a PIN so you can get cash back. My concern when I got one was that it is through GE and you do have to supply a SS #. We have/had significant debt with GE, but no worries yet. (Had our 341 last week)

[brokenomore]

Is there any way one of these cards could be garnished?

[liz417]

While going through our BK, knowing we were struggling to make ends, my MIL would send us $100 Walmart Visa Cards (so sweet of her ). There was a $4.95 "activation fee" she paid for when she purchased the card and we could use it anywhere that took Visa logo. FYI: these "disposable credit cards" are NOT ACCEPTED at gas stations!! We never had to give a SS# or any personal info.

[AngelinaCat]

As I said in my earlier post, I have never purchased a Wal-Mart card; I observed someone who did. From what I witnessed, I inferred that there would not be any kind of activation fee or whatever--that the person could go use the card in any way he wished, which in this case appeared to be intended for a future use at a Murphys pump.

In the other case, I was given two Chevron gift cards for $10.00 each, and I had no problem with putting each one into the card reader and then pumping the dollar limit on the card. Perhaps they had been activated before they were given to me? I don't know.

The only problem I had trying to use them was finding a Chevron station that sold diesel fuel--I was driving the diesel car at the time.

[ForwardBound]

Wal-Mart Money Card (Visa) costs $3 to buy and $3 each time you "reload" it. When you buy the first one they give you generic one. You fill out the paperwork (or online) and then they send you a personalized one that looks just like a Visa card. When you use it it functions just like a credit card. You get a PIN so you can get cash back. My concern when I got one was that it is through GE and you do have to supply a SS #. We have/had significant debt with GE, but no worries yet. (Had our 341 last week)

Same concern here, we included GEMB in our BK. We needed the card prior to filing. When we saw how much personal info was required, our daughter did the online activation in her name and with her info. No problems at all.

[brokenomore]

Is there any possibilty the funds in one of these cards could be garnished because of a judgement?

[Dst1]

What they garnish is wages. If you use these cards to hide your wages then it is legally possible for them to take that money.

But it's not bloodly likely.

[brokenomore]

They garnish bank accounts too. I have to keep funds out of my account or they could disappear. But I don't have use of my debit card while I'm doing this. I just want to make sure they couldn't somehow have access to the funds in these cards.

[AngelinaCat]

If you are concerned about garnishment of wages, then you will need to look at intercepting the wages BEFORE they hit anything with your name on it, and we cannot comment on that. Hiding wages is fraud.

Please ask no further questions on the subject. Talk to your attorney instead. That is my best advice.

Thank you