There are numerous reasons why Walmart may decline to cash your check. While Walmart allows consumers to cash their checks, it also tends to be very strict with the kinds of checks that are accepted for its check-cashing services as check fraud is constantly an issue.
Note that your local Walmart will cash different types of checks, but you need to visit the Walmart money center during regular store hours. Walmart cash centers will cash personal checks and other types of checks up to the Walmart check cashing limits.
Consumers with properly endorsed (signed) 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 asked to provide your Social Security number for additional identity verification.
Note that your Social Security verification will be securely stored, and will not be needed for subsequent visits to a Walmart MoneyCenter for check-cashing purposes. Also note that checks cashed at Walmart are also subject to fees, depending on the check amount.
They also uphold limits on check-cashing depending on the time of year. From May to December, Walmart will cash checks of up to $5,000. Starting in January, Walmart increases its check-cashing limit to $7,500 until the end of April.
Top 10 Possible Reasons Walmart Didn’t Cash your Check
There are numerous reasons why Walmart may decline to cash your check. The top 10 possible reasons include;
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You Have the Wrong Check
Just as was noted above, Walmart allows consumers to cash their checks, but it also tends to be very strict with the kinds of checks they accept. Walmart will not cash any of the following check types:
- Checks with multiple payees
- Post-dated checks
- Starter checks
- Handwritten checks
- MoneyGram money orders not issued at Walmart
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Lack of History on File
For individuals who barely write checks — or have never used one before — the check verification services used by Walmart may flag you as a risk. Truth be told, there is little that can be done in this situation, especially while still in a Walmart shop.
Note that when you don’t have a successful history or make payments via check, there won’t be any history for retailers to use when verifying if you are trustworthy and that your check will be good. This risk factor can only be remedied by creating a successful history yourself.
If you have no history of using checks, this can be done by using a check for less expensive purchases first to establish a positive history.
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Fraud
This is another very important factor that may affect the chances of your check being accepted at Walmart. Aside from your previous uses of checks, the check verification services used by Walmart (Certegy and Telecheck) will also look at the history of fraudulent reports associated with your accounts as well — even if you are the one who reported the fraud.
If your account(s) has a history of fraudulent reports, checkbook thefts, etc., these check verification may flag you as a high-risk check-writer and Walmart may deny your payment.
For instance, if your checkbook was stolen and you reported a range of check numbers to the bank so they would know not to honor those check numbers. A fraud report to your bank may have been submitted to these check verification services also.
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Inadequate Identification
To cash a check at Walmart, you will be asked to provide a valid form of identification. Walmart requires two forms of identification to cash a check. At least one of them will need to have a photo.
Note that the person is expected to have a valid driver’s license or ID issued by the state of residence to cash pre-printed checks, tax refund checks, cashier’s checks, and any other kind of check. For payroll checks, retirement checks, social security checks, and other types, Walmart will work with a government ID that has a photo of the bearer.
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Previous (Negative) History With Certegy or Telecheck
This is one of the most common reasons why your check may not be cashed at a Walmart store. Note that customers who have a negative history with Certegy or Telecheck or have already been flagged as high-risk will most likely have a check denied by Walmart. This is most often attributed to the check-writer.
If you have a history of writing bad checks (writing a check with insufficient funds available) or have attempted to “float” a check in the past more than once (you write a check expecting funds to drop in your account before it’s cashed), then the check verification services used bill flag your account as high-risk and deny your check. Even if these infractions have been settled, this can still heavily affect you.
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Unpaid Debts
Additionally, if you have a negative history with financial institutions, your check can be declined at Walmart stores. Have it in mind that this could be a result of numerous unpaid debts in the past including unpaid bank accounts closed with negative amounts.
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Human Error
As we all know, humans aren’t perfect beings and a check being declined at Walmart may be a result of human error. The cashiers you meet at Walmart cash centers tend to handle transactions and customers all day and a mistake or two is inevitable at some point.
It might be that the cashier accidentally keyed in the wrong information in Certegy’s POS device. Aside from the POS, other information may have been entered into the system incorrectly. Also note there is a possibility that your identity may have been confused with someone else’s, especially if you have a similar name and address, etc.
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Additional Risk Factors
Although noted as one of the most frustrating reasons why a check can be declined, especially since Telecheck and Certegy’s proprietary risk models are not publicly known, other factors may affect decisions that you don’t know about. Note that this may include everything Telecheck or Certegy’s models leverage to evaluate the riskiness of a translation and is not necessarily based on your payment history.
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Stale Checks
Also, note that some checks come with notices that they will become void after a certain period of time. Once that date has passed, these checks are referred to as stale dated. Walmart has a strict policy of 180 days for allowing checks and their issue date.
It simply means that Walmart will only cash checks dated within the last 180 days. However, if the check is good for one year, there is a good chance that the check will be cashed. It is always advisable that you only visit Walmart with checks that are within six months old.
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Above Limit Check
Have it in mind that Walmart will not cash checks over $5,000 from May to December. Howbeit, during the months of January through April, these limits are increased temporarily to $7,500 to accommodate the larger checks that customers might bring in as a result of their tax refunds.
Conclusion
Walmart offers a check-cashing alternative that is cheaper than banks and even cheaper than mom-and-pop check-cashing stores. However, note there are numerous reasons why they may decline your check. The only way to get to the bottom of why your check was declined is to ask the help desk of Walmart and get a better idea of what caused the decline.