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Why Walmart Won’t Cash Your Paycheck

FT Contributor
An image of the exterior of a Walmart.

Sometimes, Walmart declines the opportunity to cash a check because of insufficient bank funds, an unacceptable check type, or because the check exceeds the maximum acceptable check amount. In other cases, a check verification company will advise Walmart against cashing a check, often because of a customer’s mixed credit history or other perceivable risks.

If you’re continually unable to cash a paycheck, you could be headed for financial hardship as expenses build. Consumers without an effective method to cash paychecks can also experience embarrassment, budgeting issues, desperation, and even voided checks.

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Walmart Check Cashing Policy

Walmart maintains a straightforward check-cashing policy. Consumers who have endorsed (signed) their checks can take them to any cashier — or the MoneyCenter service desk — along with their legal ID.

If this is your first time cashing a check at Walmart, you may also be required to provide your Social Security number for additional identity verification. Social Security verification will be securely stored, and will not be required during subsequent visits to a Walmart MoneyCenter for check-cashing purposes.

Checks cashed at Walmart are also subject to fees, depending on the check amount. These fees include:

  • $4 for checks up to $1,000;
  • $6 for two-party personal checks up to $200;
  • $8 for checks above $1,000.

Walmart also upholds limits on check-cashing depending on the time of year. From May to December, Walmart will cash checks of up to $5,000. Beginning in January, Walmart increases its check-cashing limit to $7,500 until the end of April.

What Types of Checks Does Walmart Cash?

Walmart will cash several different check types, as long as customers provide sufficient identification and meet check amount standards. Check types cashable at Walmart include:

  • Payroll checks;
  • Pre-printed checks;
  • Tax checks;
  • Cashiers checks;
  • MoneyGram money orders;
  • Two-party personal checks;
  • Government checks;
  • 401(k) or retirement disbursement checks;
  • Insurance settlement checks.

Walmart is also the only place that cashes payroll checks, making it a popular destination for individuals without a bank account looking to cash a paycheck.

While Walmart will cash a wide variety of checks, not every check type is covered under their MoneyCenter policies. Walmart will not cash any of the following check types:

  • Checks with multiple payees;
  • Post-dated checks;
  • Non-MoneyGram money orders;
  • Handwritten checks;
  • MoneyGram money orders not issued at Walmart.

While writing a check made out to cash can be useful, Walmart may not cash them. Contact your local Walmart’s MoneyCenter, for more information on their acceptance of checks made out to cash.

What Companies Does Walmart Use to Verify Checks?

Walmart employs the use of a few different companies — TeleCheck and Certegy — to help verify checks. These companies will help to validate customer information and check legitimacy, also identifying consumers who might pose a potential risk during the check verification process.

TeleCheck

For almost 40 years, TeleCheck has helped streamline the check approval process and verify customer checks for retailers like Walmart. TeleCheck specializes in instant customer risk analysis, helping Walmart maintain a safe check acceptance process.

Through TeleCheck, Walmart can accept, verify, and cash checks as fast as they can accept cash and credit card payments. TeleCheck runs checks against their system, offering near-instant recommendations to Walmart on whether to accept the customer’s check.

Suggestions from TeleCheck to retailers like Walmart are based on TeleCheck’s proprietary algorithm. If TeleCheck declines a customer’s check, it’s likely because that consumer’s checking history, check-writing history, or purchase type is suspect.

Account fraud, including a history of identity theft, could also influence TeleCheck’s recommendations.

Customers who believe that TeleCheck inaccurately refused a check should pursue the issue directly with TeleCheck. If you have recently had a check declined by TeleCheck at Walmart, providing the decline code to TeleCheck can help you take steps toward disputing errors and clearing your reputation. 

Certegy

Offering up-to-date verification, check guarantees, and risk analysis to companies like Walmart, Certegy helps retailers accept checks from reputed customers and fight potential check fraud.

No retailer can judge a check simply by looking at it. That’s why Certegy helps cross-reference checks with customer information and context, to allow for informed decisions that protect both customer and retailer safety.

Certegy gathers and uses a wide range of data, which is useful to Walmart in deciding whether to accept or reject each check.

Certegy keeps its decision-making algorithm a secret, to protect its methods for determining check quality. Depending on the circumstances, Certegy can deny checks because of insufficient bank account funds, poor customer checking records, or even a history of identity fraud.

If you want to check your status with Certegy, request a free denied check report — legally available to you through the Fair Credit Reporting Act every 12 months.

To receive their report, customers should call Certegy customer service at 1-800-237-3826 or submit a request in writing to the following address:

Certegy Check Services, Inc.
Attn: CFDR Request
P.O. Box 30046
Tampa, FL 33630-3046

This information can also be faxed to 727-570-7936. If you’re looking to dispute your findings, it’s important to issue a written dispute to the address above or call Certegy customer service for the next steps in clearing your financial reputation.

How to Cash a Check at Walmart

Eligible customers will find it easy to cash a check at Walmart. In a few simple steps, customers can trade their paycheck for hard-earned cash, at any local Walmart:

  • Visit any cashier or MoneyCenter in-store at your local Walmart.
  • Offer your endorsed check to the cashier or MoneyCenter attendant, along with any required identification.
  • Pay the associated check-cashing fee.
  • Earn cash immediately after approval.

Qualified customers can experience no-hassle check-cashing services at their local Walmart. After following the above steps, you’ll be able to cash your paycheck — or other accepted check type — in minutes, for a fast turnaround that allows you to spend your money as you want.


Image Source: https://depositphotos.com/

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