Consumer complaint received 2023-07-20
Company: Netspend Corporation
State: VA
Product: Checking or savings account
Sub-product: Checking account
Issue: Managing an account
Sub-issue: Problem using a debit or ATM card

Complaint:
I am a senior citizen who works part-time for a local employer in my community. My employer pays us bi-weekly through a checkcard/ATM card operated by SkyLight One. I used the account associated with my SkyLight ATM/checkcard as a form of savings or checking. I kept a high balance in the account. In early XXXX, near XXXX weekend, I received an email from " XXXX '' asking me to clarify a " problem '' with my account. I don't have an account with XXXX. So I called the phoned number provided in the email to report that I did not have an account with XXXX. The operator insisted that I owed money and she transferred me to a second operator to " address the debt issue. '' A man came on the phone and said that I didn't " owe money, but money was owed to me. '' And he asked for my email address, phone number, PIN number, and bank account number. Unfortunately, I thought this man was helping me, but he was committing identity theft and a crime against me. He kept me on the phone for most of the day and controlled my accounts and drained ALL the money from the two bank accounts in a matter of a few hours. 

The next day, the " operator '' called back to ask me which account I wanted the " repayment '' put into ; I directed him to my SkyLight One ATM account. The man took all the money left in the SkyLight ATM card. Later that night, I contacted my cousin to ask for help because I felt sick inside and realized I was the victim of a crime and I didn't know what to do to get my money back. She came over to my house and assisted me in calling the banks that I use to report the crime. XXXX XXXX responded IMMEDIATELY and within less than a week, they had conducted an investigation, identified that it was fraud, and returned the money I had in that account as well as closed all the accounts I had at their in bank in my name and opened new ones. 

In contrast, SkyLight One initially was empathetic to me being the victim of a crime. BUT, they reacted VERY SLOWLY. Said they would open an investigation, but it would take 10 days before I would have an answer. They assigned me a claim number during that call session. About ten days later, when I did not hear from SkyLight One, I called again to find out what was going on with their investigation. I was upset, and the problem was urgent because most of my lifesavings were in the SkyLight account. When I called back and gave them the claim no. they assigned, they said I hadn't filed a claim. I was shocked! I had filed a claim. I was so angry I hung up the phone on the SkyLight operator and called my cousin for help. She and I drafted a letter to SkyLight reporting what happened and asking that they open an investigation to the fraud because the " XXXX operator '' made withdrawals from my SkyLight account in my name without my permission. 

In XXXX, I received a letter from SkyLight that said they had opened an investigation into the fraud and would reply within 45 days - by about XX/XX/XXXX- which would have been 90 days or more since the crime occurred. I called SkyLight at least 2x more to determine the status, but I kept getting pushed back saying, " wait for the letter and the end of the investigation '' even though XXXX XXXX responded in less than 7 days. 

While waiting for SkyLight, I filed a report of the crime with my local police department. I reported the crime to my employer. I requested my employer no longer use SkyLight to pay me, but they insisted that using the SkyLight ATM card was the only way I could receive my paycheck. All that my employer did was give me a new SkyLight ATM account.

So I was stuck until today, when I received SkyLight 's letter regarding their " investigation. '' Bottom line? Their letter said " their final determination was that there was no evidence or patter of fraud on my former SkyLight ATM account. '' This is a LIE!!! 

I need the help of the CFPB to resolve this matter because I can not afford to lose my life savings because SkyLight is not a legit bank but just a holder of people 's money without consumer protections.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation