chatgpt

looks like the new version of kroger USB VGC (with $6.95 fee) card numbers are still sequential, not randomized like other VGCs, so it is still prone to fraudulent activities. a thief can just pick one up and easily guess the next several card numbers.

jcallows

[QUOTE=Lovelabs2;35134279]So I did finally get a response from US Bank about two weeks after I filed a complaint with the CFPB. US Bank acknowledged they were contacted by the AG and the CFPB. They also said the documents I submitted to the CFPB did prove I am the rightful owner of my 3 gift cards that totaled $1500 so they had to re-activate them. Now, the documents I submitted to the CFPB are the same exact documents I submitted to US Bank several times over the course of a month. Each time US Bank claimed they were unreadable and refused to re-activate my cards. It wasn't until US Bank became aware that a neutral 3rd party (CFPB) got a copy of these documents that US Bank finally conceded they were indeed readable and finally re-activated my cards.

Here are a couple things I learned. The AG office in California is fairly useless, although at least they did respond to me and contact US Bank, I give them that. So the effectiveness of the AG office depends on the state. But of course no harm in contacting them anyway. The national CFPB is more effective. If it wasn't for the CFPB, US Bank would've successfully stolen my money. But knock on wood because US Bank can still re-de-activate my cards at will.

US Bank is slime. It's a large, long-running institution that you'd think would put a priority on protecting its reputation but it doesn't. Instead it'll come up with dubious reasons to take money from you and even out right steal from you because it thinks it can. It's scary to think US Bank can de-activate your gift cards at will and force you to contact a government agency in order to re-activate them. $1500 isn't a lot to US Bank. But if a large, established institution like US Bank tries to steal it from you, how can you trust banking with them?

I'm still waiting for the replacement card for my last gift card. I got a letter from US Bank a few weeks ago stating a replacement card has been sent. So they promised. But so far nothing. I'll wait another week or so before I contact the CFPB about this.

Thanks to the CFPB, I'm relieved I got back my $1500. I'm thankful for that. But it would've been nice if US Bank added another couple hundred dollars for the time and effort wasted. But of course they didn't.

Lovelabs2

Very happy for you…yes CFPB will get results and yes US Bank is a slime bank. Now….STOP buying USB cards…more problems than they are worth…unless you are a masochist! 😂

lowkeyflyer

Is there any activation period or waiting period upon purchasing the card?

Also, will it work for a full $500 swipe immediately on the variable GC?

And finally does the last 4 of card for initial pin still work?

dalmore62

No waiting period unlike Vanilla, buy and use right away.

The new packaging (where there’s like a hologram on the bar code instead of it being covered) already has a preset pin inside the packaging so that’s what you need to use. If it’s the old packaging with the peel off paper then last 4 is the pin.

jcallows

So US Bank finally sent me the remaining $500 it owed me. US Bank didn't send the money on a replacement card as it had stated it would do but instead loaded the money onto another card it had sent earlier. It took two months, several phone calls, and painstaking preparation and submission of documents, but I finally got the remaining $500. US Bank still has the power to de-activate any card at will so I'm crossing my fingers my cards stay valid until I'm done with them.

lowkeyflyer

Thanks. I tried last 4 as the pin and got a debit not available at WM for Discover and a $499 MO. Then I called the 888 853 9536 number to change the pin and still got the same error. Any ideas?

dalmore62

I don’t use USB that much but looks like in your area they won’t work at WM just like my area. Did it used to work before and now it’s not? Can you try a grocery store and see if it works there? If anything give it a day or two to try again, thought I saw somewhere that it might activate a fraud lock and usually works the following day (don’t quote me on this last part about the fraud lock).

lowkeyflyer

Haven't tried USB before and I'm just going solely off FT datapoints (note the Walmart MO thread wiki says that USB works).

I was already stuck with the crappy MB BHN VGCs so I figured it couldn't get much worse.

dalmore62

Then idk what to say, the USB ones don’t work in my area at WM but may not be the case in other cities or states.

lowkeyflyer

Guess I'm on the hunt for InComms now

berombeu

Check Samsclubs at least in my state, they sell Secured Spend VGC for $4.88 fee.

lowkeyflyer

Do they require membership for it?

churns

I won't be buying US Bank gift cards anymore after reading this thread.

I filed a complaint with CFPB because the website for card not working did not let me upload documents.

Is the fax number 844-241-1886?

jcallows

US Bank has a few fax numbers. They'll give you one to fax your documents to when you call them.