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Walmart Preferred Moneycard (GreenDot) Shutdowns

Walmart Preferred Moneycard (GreenDot) Shutdowns

Old Nov 25, 2013, 8:45 am
  #1  
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Walmart Preferred Moneycard (GreenDot) Shutdowns

Just an FYI and a request for info on similar experiences from others.

I decided to pick up a WM Preferred Money card the other week as an alternative outlet for liquidating GCs at WM. The preferred card is nice since it has no monthly fees if you load at least $500 a month.

I purchased it at the checkout counter using a $100 GC as payment. I put $94 on the card as it had a $6 fee - to make an even $100.

I activated the card later that night at home online and everything seemed to be fine - they were supposed to be sending me a permanent card.

I was going out of town this week for the rest of the month, and I didn't think I was going to get the permanent card before I left. As I didn't want to pay the monthly fee, I wanted to load more money on the card before I left.

I took the temp card back to WM and tried to load $500 on it from a GC. The transaction seemed to go through properly, but then spit out a declined message. I decided to load directly from my bank debit account, but the same thing happened. To make sure the cashier wasn't doing something wrong, I went to the MoneyCenter and they also had the same result loading from my bank card.

Last night I checked my account online and it wouldn't allow me to access all parts of my account page - telling me I needed to call in. This morning I called in and was given automated messages stating that my card was closed after a review of my account and all I could do was press '*' to acknowledge this and access the funds that were on my card.

There was no way for me to get in touch with a human. All I could do was send an online form - which I will wait to hear back from.

I know that people have had accounts closed before by GreenDot - but this seems awfully quick.

The only GD product I have or have ever used is GoBank - and my account with them their appears to still be in good standing.

Does anyone have similar experience and/or know if there is any recourse? My hope is I get to speak with a human at some point and simply please my case. I think the only suspicious thing that I did was try to load it with a GC on the first attempt - but I don't think GD knows what method you use to load it when you do it at a WM (meaning they don't know if the debit is a true debit or a GC). Or, just the fact that I tried to do a $500 load (?).

I guess this may not be news to anyone familiar with GD shutdowns, and I don't know if the WM card is somehow more finicky than the others...
BenH is offline  
Old Nov 25, 2013, 10:49 am
  #2  
 
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Originally Posted by BenH
I think the only suspicious thing that I did was try to load it with a GC on the first attempt - but I don't think GD knows what method you use to load it when you do it at a WM (meaning they don't know if the debit is a true debit or a GC). Or, just the fact that I tried to do a $500 load (?)
GD network is one of the backends of WM's Rapid Reload system. (Which is used, I believe, when one load its prepaid at WM).

So It's hard to say if a tender (a payment method) is propagated to GD or not.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 10:58 am
  #3  
 
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I was shut down after only a few thousand in load and spend, and all spend was at WM. It's ridiculous.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 11:10 am
  #4  
 
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Same here, Close to $3000 load and bill pay out. Got shutdown. Still have $15 left wonder how to get it out.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 11:20 am
  #5  
jk2
 
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I bought a temp card at WM as well. I knew that I would have a little success with it since my GoBank account was closed a few months ago. I setup my account online and even setup a PIN. Then next day I could not access my online account. When I called I was automatically transferred to agent who told me that "due to unusual activity" (note: I didn't even use a card) they suspended my account and needed more information - copy of SSN, DL. I sent it next day and after 2 days when I called I wasn't transferred to a specialist, but rather greeted by "your account is closed" message. I was able to connect to an agent, who didn't have a clue why my account was closed, but rather suggested that my identity didn't pass their system's security or something. Anyway, since I had a PIN on that temp card, I was able to liquidate it by buying a MO at WM.

What a waste.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 12:34 pm
  #6  
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@jk2 - your situation sounds most like mine - with the exception that you had already had your GoBank closed. I hadn't had any bad run-ins yet with GD/GB.

How much did you put on your intial temp card? I assume that you were unable to add anything else to it?

As for the others with negative experience's posted so far...yeah it seems I have heard a lot of stories like these (~$3K load shut down), but I hadn't heard much like what has happened to me (and jk2) which is basically shut down on first attempted load after opening card!
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 1:16 pm
  #7  
jk2
 
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Originally Posted by BenH
@jk2 - your situation sounds most like mine - with the exception that you had already had your GoBank closed. I hadn't had any bad run-ins yet with GD/GB.

How much did you put on your intial temp card? I assume that you were unable to add anything else to it?

As for the others with negative experience's posted so far...yeah it seems I have heard a lot of stories like these (~$3K load shut down), but I hadn't heard much like what has happened to me (and jk2) which is basically shut down on first attempted load after opening card!
I put $500 on the temp card. I didn't load it since only personalized card can be reloaded.

I knew that I probably would not get a permanent card since this card is managed by GD and shutdown's message from GB was clear about future usage of GD's products.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 3:09 pm
  #8  
 
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I've already discussed this through PM with some, but I've had mine shutdown as well. I loaded $20 with cash, set up the temp card and requested the permanent, called in to activate the permanent but was told I had been flagged as a terrorist and my account was closed.

I have a GB but that account is active, so I have no idea what I did to warrant a shutdown (besides impure thoughts). $20 load with cash, that was it. Didn't try to reload, didn't try to liquidate the $20, no activity after the initial load.
I got my money back via check, plus the $6 fee, plus $6 for my trouble.

I was curious what happened so I contacted WM's twitter group. They've been looking into it for 3 weeks. Totally worthless.

I'll get off my soapbox now.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 3:37 pm
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May be they are thinking the underbanked can't have two accounts with them.

Actually having GoBank technically qualify one as banked and automatically disqualify from WM product for underbanked. lol
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 4:46 pm
  #10  
 
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My Walmart Preferred MoneyCard got shut down very quick. As a courtesy I was allowed to use the available funds. I used bill pay and closed the account. I received the bank check for remaining balance in 2 weeks. My other new GreenDot debit visa card was already closed when it reached my home. Seems like GreenDot will not issue me any more prepaid cards in future. Rude & strict. Warnings would have been better. Is there any way to get unbanned? But still my GoBank card is live.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 6:26 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by BBPlaya13
I've already discussed this through PM with some, but I've had mine shutdown as well. I loaded $20 with cash, set up the temp card and requested the permanent, called in to activate the permanent but was told I had been flagged as a terrorist and my account was closed.

I have a GB but that account is active, so I have no idea what I did to warrant a shutdown (besides impure thoughts). $20 load with cash, that was it. Didn't try to reload, didn't try to liquidate the $20, no activity after the initial load.
I got my money back via check, plus the $6 fee, plus $6 for my trouble.

I was curious what happened so I contacted WM's twitter group. They've been looking into it for 3 weeks. Totally worthless.

I'll get off my soapbox now.
If you can provide me any of the contact info you used I would appreciate it.
I feel they should also refund the $6 fee as basically they allowed me no use of the card.
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Old Nov 25, 2013, 7:44 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
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Walmart Preferred Moneycard (GreenDot) Shutdowns

The only person I spoke to was a supervisor at 866 946 2510, the number to activate the perm card.
In a very calm voice I asked if this was a scam to steal fees, that's how I got mine back.
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Old Dec 3, 2013, 2:26 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by BBPlaya13
The only person I spoke to was a supervisor at 866 946 2510, the number to activate the perm card.
In a very calm voice I asked if this was a scam to steal fees, that's how I got mine back.
I got a number for a resolutions line last week.
By the time I called yesterday, the $6 fee had been credited to my account already, but the card was still frozen (unload money only).

I was apparently talking with a supervisor in resolutions, but all he could tell me was that the account was shut down for "irregular load activity."

He asked me something about loading with MoneyPaks and if I had purchased the MPs that were used to load it.

I told him that I never attempted to load with MPs:

11/17 - Purchased card at WM register - loaded $94 with debit at POS.
11/17 - Activated card online with personal info
11/18 - Card frozen for "irregular load activity". At this point, I had not attempted to load anything other than the initial $94.
11/22 - Tried to load $500 from 2 different debit cards (including bank card), transactions wouldn't work.

So basically, they had shut my card down even prior to me doing anything at all except the initial load!

The guy wouldn't/couldn't provide any more information, just kept insisting that the card could be used to withdraw the money, but that I couldn't load anything else, or get another Green Dot card. Refused to provide any additional type of escalation, etc to allow me to get any more information.

My GB account is still active...loaded some money today on it...

What an effin joke of a company though.
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Old Dec 4, 2013, 9:18 am
  #14  
 
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I'm still following up with WM's twitter team. 31 days since I contacted them about the issue.
It may not be their problem/issue but a) they said they'd get me an answer and b) they're choosing to do business with GD
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Old Dec 4, 2013, 12:19 pm
  #15  
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I just got my Permanent card in the mail and was able to activate it - although most of the account functions are still locked.

I'm going to go withdraw the $100 on the card at a nearby ATM. I was going to just cancel the card after that...but not sure what I will do.

Usually I would raise a stink and do whatever was possible, but I fear risking my GoBank account. I think I will just let this one go, at least until there is a new GD product I can't do without.

Let me know if you get any resolution on your card.
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