Date Received: 2019-10-10
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Problem using the card to withdraw money from an ATM
Consumer Complaint: On XX/XX/XXXX my childs XXXX posted to the card. I paid my light bill. Then 2 days later I tried to purchase something at a store and it declined it. It wasn't but an 8 dollar purchase and I knew I had over XXXX on there. So I called to check the balance and I entered in the last 4 of my card number like it asked. Only this time instead of asking for my pin it asked for my 16 digit card number or social security number. I enter that in and it puts me on hold. And automated voice tells me high call volumes and wait time is over 45 minutes. I wait on hold for an hour and 20 minutes then the phone goes silent and im disconnected. Im raging mad now so I call back. Same scenario, I wait and wait for over an hour and phone goes silent and it hangs up. I have done this every single day, at different hours of the day with this card company Direct Express. I have not yet, after a week, gotten to speak to anyone on the phone. They are holding my money and my info hostage and not giving any of their card holders much info. I have XXXX this issue and its happening to soo many people. Some are being evicted and some are getting lights cut off bc they rely on this money. I'm lucky enough I have some money to back me up but all those others lives tossed upside down because of this company. I'm also sending this to the news crews around here. I have filed a complaint with the XXXX. I can't log into my online account. It says those credentials aren't correct when I know they are. This isn't just an uh oh they get to ignore us all problem. I need answers and I need my money.
Company Response:
State: LA
Zip: 71220
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-10
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-09
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Subissue: Card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase or transfer
Consumer Complaint: At XXXX XX/XX/XXXXon XXXX XX/XX/XXXX 2019, I went to an ATM to withdrawal money to pay rent. The machine sounded like it was counting money. The door never opened to receive the money, and then it said transaction canceled. I went into the bank that then informed me I needed to contact card issuer. The ATM ate my money. I went directly home. checked my Direct Express account and {$360.00} had been removed - {$360.00} I was trying to get and a {$4.00} fee I am not supposed to be charged because this is the first withdrawal of the calendar month. At exactly XXXX I began trying to call the number on back of the card. For the next XXXX hours I tried over and over again. Called the number, then entered information just to be told I needed to call back because they were busy. 67 times I did this before I got through. Then the representative got all my information again, and stated she needed to forward me to an escalated dispute department. I was then promptly disconnected. I tried calling again 42 times before they closed and never got a person again. Next morning, I began at XX/XX/XXXX on the dot. This time it took 119 tries before getting a live person. They took down my information, and said they would send me a packet to fill out that needed returned within 10 days from the time of the call. Gave me a fax number ( which was wrong and I wrote it down twice ). I still haven't received the packet. I mailed my story in detail to the XXXX XXXX office. I will do it again tomorrow. I tried faxing only to find they gave me the wrong fax. This time it took me 94 calls to get a live person. I had to give them all of my information again just to get a fax number. Double check. Sent fax. This time it went through. I am still waiting for this packet which I will both mail and fax. Along with another detailed letter. This would be absolutely laughable if it wasn't so horrific. I have seen this has happened before. Disputes should never take this long or be this complicated. I have to pay rent. It took my entire XXXX payment. It can take up to 45 days to get the money back, and that is if they find I was not at fault. Direct Express is a ripoff and steals from the most vulnerable. To switch to another direct deposit, I can't simply call because this is Direct Express. I have to go to an office that is over an hour away. I am completely 100 % home bound.
Company Response:
State: OR
Zip: 978XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-09
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-07
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Problem making or receiving payments
Consumer Complaint: Comerica banks direct Express card for ssi benefits is impossible to get ahold of a lice person for the last 3 days I cant. I been on hold over 2 hrs just to be hung up on eventually after no help. I've tried every Avenue through the service. Its saying my pin is lost and my card # invalid, all false. I can not use my card it's not working I cant see a balance, nothing, ssi says it's the cards fault. My rent is due. I'm gon na be homeless.
Company Response:
State: FL
Zip: 33068
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-07
Issue: Other transaction problem
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: Social Security benefit for my mother who has XXXX 's was sent to a prepaid company called Direct Express. They don't have any people to talk to and automated service does not recognize her social security number. I'm allowed to call on her behalf as her Registered payee. I can not get any answers from this company or social security regarding where her benefits payment is. I am a young person who works in finance and can not make sense of this. It seems likely this method of transaction is defrauding many elderly people and this company is likely committing large scale elder abuse.
Company Response:
State: NY
Zip: 11106
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-08
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-06
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Subissue: Card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase or transfer
Consumer Complaint: There were 5 purchases that show up on my statement that i did not approve. I called US DIRECT EXPRESS over ten times before i was able to get threw. i was on hold for 45 minutes, talk to a customer service agent for 5 minutes, then was told to hold while he transferred me to the dispute department. I was on hold for 2 hours before i finally gave up. Worse company every. I dont know why ssa would use this company
Company Response:
State: UT
Zip: 84067
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-05
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Problem with direct deposit
Consumer Complaint: I am XXXXyrs old and I receive social security every month on the XX/XX/XXXX of the month because I have XXXX XXXX I use direct express to receive my money every month an I have used direct express for about 6 yrs or so well this month on XX/XX/2019 I went to pay a bill and my card was declined so I called direct express an it said we are experiencing high call volume please stay on the line or if I was expecting a payment an did not receive it to call my payee witch would be the social security administration everything was fine with them my money was posted like normal. They wanted me to try to get in touch with directexpress I waited for 3 hours on hold just to get hung up on an here it is XX/XX/XXXX an still can't get in touch with directexpress an still no money I depend on that money that is the only income I receive because of my XXXX an I have bills to pay and I think there's definitely something strange happening so I read some other people 's review 's an comments about direct express an some people were saying they got a whole month of their income an could never get it an was getting a lawyer I could never afford a lawyer an this is not right by no means I can't eat or pay my bills I sure hope I can get my social security money soon I have nothing thanks
Company Response:
State: IN
Zip: 471XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-04
Issue: Unexpected or other fees
Subissue:
Consumer Complaint: I receive my SSA benefits on a Direct Express Mastercard. On XX/XX/2019 fraudulent charges were made totaling {$170.00}. I immediately contacted Direct Express =found out charges where from XXXX XXXXXXXX and XXXX XXXX, which I did not authorize. Card was cancelled and a new one was issued which costs another {$13.00}. Was transferred to the Fraud Dept. Filled out the fraud form and mailed it as I was directed. On XXXX XX/XX/2019 received letter the funds were reissued to my card which they were. Thought everything was fine. On XXXX XX/XX/2019 the {$170.00} was removed from my new issued card. Immediately called the Fraud Dept of Direct Express. Was told that nothing could be done because the investigation was closed and not ruled in my favor. I have never received any information of why these charges were not fraudulent. I requested a number for XXXX XXXX stuff. The number given would not go through. XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX which wasn't surprising. I also requested to speak to the Fraud investigator who ruled not in my favor. Of course, the agent did not know who it was. I have called repeatedly for days trying to get a rep but now automated message saying my account is not available. To call back at a later date. What I am getting from this is Direct Express or Comerica Bank have no intention of reimbursing my {$170.00} or notifying me of what this XXXX XXXX is. Is there anyway you can help me? How many other elderly I am XXXX, have been ripped off this way? Thank you so much.
Company Response:
State: NC
Zip: 285XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-07
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-03
Issue: Trouble using the card
Subissue: Problem with direct deposit
Consumer Complaint: I tried to charge a bill using my direct Express card and it wouldn't go through, so I went to my direct Express account and it said that my card is under fraud suspension, and everytime I call the direct Express 1-800 number and type in my card info and my social it says they don't have info about my card. I've been trying to talk to a representative for XXXX days literally and I yet to get hold of someone ... this is ridiculous.
Company Response:
State: AL
Zip: 35215
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with explanation
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-03
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Subissue: Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card
Consumer Complaint: I have a direct Express card which had my Social Security benefits on it and I lost my wallet with the card in it. Fraudulent purchases were made after I reported the loss to the police and I began the fraud investigation process with them inXX/XX/XXXX. I filled out and returned the paperwork via fax on XX/XX/XXXX, and again on XX/XX/XXXX. No one ever responded to me and I had to sit on hold for hours literally to talk to a real person. Once I got a real person but he put me on hold and the call was disconnected. I have followed up via fax in XXXX and XXXX of this year and again received no response. I reported Direct Express to the XXXX and they told me that because Direct Express is affiliated with a government agency, they could not help me. I have made it this far without my money but I want justice. They are taking people 's money and there is no easy way to contact them.
Company Response:
State: OR
Zip: 974XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-10-03
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A
Date Received: 2019-10-03
Issue: Managing an account
Subissue: Problem accessing account
Consumer Complaint: I get my child support from XXXX on a Direct Express card. This month I can't access anything. They say my card is invalid. I try to use my Social # and they say it's invalid. No one will answer the phone. I've tried numerous times, for more than 45 min., no one answers. I called Social Security and they say I have to talk to Direct Express. I've called every affiliated company and they all say contact Direct Express. Please help me.
Company Response:
State: WV
Zip: 256XX
Submitted Via: Web
Date Sent: 2019-11-05
Company Response to Consumer: Closed with monetary relief
Timely Response: Yes
Consumer Disputed: N/A