TheChallenge

Sorry about the delay, but here's what went on with the phone calls.

I called in on my card first, and got not much further than anyone else did. The front line agent simply stated my account was closed due to activity that was concerning on the card, and that while I could use the card to spend the remaining balance, I can't load anything else. I tried pushing on finding out what the concerning activity was, but the representative didn't budge beyond saying what I did violated the T&C's. I asked which specific T&C I breached, but he couldn't say, he just referred me to call back on Monday during regular business hours if I wanted to speak to someone who might be able to assist me in finding out which T&C I supposedly violated. I then hung up.

About thirty minutes later my girlfriend called in. She asked why her account was closed, and was given a similar response, "Your activity was concerning and irregular based upon the intended primary use of the card. Your violation of the T&C's caused compliance to deem your account eligible for closure, which it was." She too asked what specifically she did wrong, but the front line CSR wouldn't budge, she then asked to speak to a supervisor.

The supervisor came on a few minutes later, and immediately started out by stating everything the CSR had said. She then tried to plead her case with the supervisor saying how little she loaded onto and used the card. The supervisor then said that her $900 load was actually fairly large in the way of accounts that have been shut down. The supervisor told her that this morning she talked with multiple people who were shut down for account loads of less than $550. She never mentioned anything else about any other reasons for closures, and started to say there wasn't anything else she could do or explain. My girlfriend than told supervisor #1 "Fine, I'd like to speak to your supervisor than." Supervisor #1 was a little taken aback by the request, and tried stating that it may be a while before that would be possible, but my gf stated that would be fine. She reassured supervisor #1 that she appreciated the help, but wanted an answer.

About fifteen minutes later supervisor #2 comes on the line, and asks to be filled in on what's going on. After my gf is done telling him of the situation his first question is "Do you mind me asking, why did you continue to load more funds onto a card you still had plenty of funds on?" He was referring to the first $200 gc load after the initial $500 gc load. My girlfriend stated she had been paid and loaded additional money onto the card. He discussed how he didn't understand why she felt the need to load additional money on the card, once, let alone two separate times, when there was still a balance she wasn't spending. From the way the guy made it sound this was the cause for closure, I'm guessing loading funds while you still have on your card what GB deems plenty to cover your current expenditures. If this is the case they are definitely going after the lowest rungs of the under banked, those who spend their checking accounts down to nothing and wait for their next check (or direct deposit) for a reload. Supervisor #2 stated there was not much else he could do, but a call back in the morning to the compliance department might provide further answers if she still wanted to discuss the matter further. That was the end of the call.

I'd say this GreenDot product is basically living up to the reputation of all their other products.

pier11

@TheChallenge,
thanks for posting. Great to have more inside on the matter.

Sounds pretty rediculous that GB/GDot wants to control how individual operates his/her account (load first and spend later or do so in smaller cycles), even under 1K balance. ... And especially allow itself close account. What a nonsense!

Artemk

+1, thanks for your post.

Well, my hopes are pretty low right now for this way of liquidating. I don't feel like trying to avoid creating patterns that nobody knows about. Will use it without any changes on my part - if I get shut down - so be it.

BTW, I was shutdown from GD Prepaid with under $1,000 loaded, so I am a bit surprised by GB account still works.

PS. (5 minutes later) - My account is closed. $6,700 loaded in first statement, another $4K since then. This was fun experience, especially with $100 cards from OM.

Time to move on.

MDWCommuter

+1 - thank you @TheChallenge for sharing your conversations.

GB/GD has shown their real selves in these shutdowns. They want poor and/or financially inexperienced customers - people who can be had over and over again for fees. And if you show even a moderate amount of savviness, you're shown the door.

Look, in this game you have to be willing to get a little dirty. We ride lines everyday. But these people really make me feel filthy for even having dealt with them, and I regret sharing my personal information with them. My SO's card is in the mail. Think I'll close it without even using it beyond taking out the $50. I now know where my line is, and they are on the other side of it.

Again I'll say - contrast their behavior with Amex and Bluebird.

TheChallenge

I also thought that it was ridiculous, that's why I have no intention on attempting to get her account reopened. It'd be a waste of time.

I'd say everyone's best strategy with this would be to simply hit-and-run the GB card as much as you can in a one month period. If I could go back, I'd hit our cards with an obscene amount, something like $50-75k+ each in one month. I'm normally an advocate for slow and steady wins in the end, I personally am still milking opportunities that died off for others years ago, but with GreenDot it seems everyone is going to be closed sooner rather than later.

At some point, GreenDot will have closed down and banned the majority of the United States from using their products. It sounds like they have an absolutely brilliant long-term growth business model going for them.

TheDapperDon

I think the info posted above is vital. I logged onto my account, and it looks like my statement is in the process of generating. I bp to 0 before I load. I'm thinking that is a way to stay under their radar.

Artemk

Good luck

vagrants

Thanks, TheChallenge. I gave them too much credit. What a disappointment this product turned out to be.

Maybe 3 - 6 months later, after several rounds more of shutdown reports, I may open for the SOs...maybe never.

Good luck to members who still have accounts open. Hope if you switch to load-spend-load-spend now, they are forgiving enough to let the accounts open (I doubt anybody wanna take this route).

Oh, yes, I'm gonna be using ATM with min withdraw/transaction for the balance remaining in my account. I love to annoy the hell out in this case.

cashback

I hope load $2500 then pay $2500 meets their needs lol... I doubt it... Still open! *knocks on wood*

ctbarron

My activity has been low (GC problems) in the 3 weeks I've had this open, but coincidently my pattern was load-spend-load-spend with only a day or two in between load and spend. I mixed in a couple of low dollar swipes as well. I'm surprised this is a pattern GB likes - I figured they made money off of people carrying balances and wouldn't mind this.

I'm going to try the load once a week and then bill pay quickly approach and see what happens. If it gets closed anyhow, so be it.

oneworld82

So far:

Month 1 - 64.50 opening load with MoneyPak
Month 2 - 2k load via 4 GC. Linked my account to Chase as bank account and did three CC payments that way. They post as "fund reversal" on the transaction activity list. Using the card for gas, dining, etc. Next statement closes in 3 weeks... I will limit my reloads for now.

Do account usually get closed after statement close?

vagrants

Nice! I'll look forward to your report at the end of this month since you now have 2 statements.

Great! We'll get a data, how many and/or how much of the load-spend pattern we can do in a month or week. And, how much of spend is expected from the load, etc., etc.

With the exception of TheChallenger, many were killed at the end of a month (established from MP abuse) after 2 statements (established from load abuse).

KYBOSH: I'm curious since you seemed you wanted to add data to the Wiki. Are you open or closed? Tell us things

oneworld82

I am open. I just want to make sure I do not get closed Also, has anyone else tried to add gobank as bank account to their credit card provider instead of using cc bill pay?

Also, killed at the end of the month means after statement close?

thanks!

pier11

in wiki above

vagrants

Just to clarify, since you started abusing (assuming began in May), you had 2 statements and survived the purge or you were abusing well before? I went back to my data. On my 1st statement cycle, I was kind of fitting with the load-spend...although super low:

05/10 FRI CARDTRONICS CCS *****, 00000 | Cash Withdrawal -$160.00
05/08 WED WAL-MART #???? *****, 00000 | Purchase - Grocery Stores -$50.00
05/08 WED FUND TRANSFER FR Deposit +$114.53
04/29 MON WAL WAL-MART SUPER ??? *****, 00000 | Purchase - Grocery Stores -$51.90
04/22 MON FUND TRANSFER FR Deposit +$150.00
04/15 MON FUND TRANSFER FR Deposit +$50.00
04/15 MON ONLINE PMT- BillPay -$50.00

And, on the 2nd & 3rd statement cycle, I went crazy. I was shutdown in the middle of 3rd statement cycle. So, really, it took me only 1 statement cycle since I started abusing before 'I closed my Account'. On my Excel, I recorded month-month instead of the statement-statement, so I might have confused myself when analyzed and reported. And, I didn't log anything on the Excel for the 1st statement, so I don't know if these deposits of mine were GC loads. But, I didn't report the confirmation of WM load until May 17th, they probably weren't.

Is your spending pattern load-spend (ACH pull in your situation...this is the critical part for me since nobody else has that much ACH pull!)? This is gonna establish how it's gonna go out really doesn't matter (my conclusion so far).