Consumer complaint received 2023-09-05
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: IN
Product: Prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Trouble using the card
Sub-issue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online

Complaint:
A Visa Gift Card was purchased from XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX for {$270.00} + {$6.00} for the activation fee. An activation confirmation was given with the purchase to proof activation. The provider is XXXX XXXX. After some online research, there is a well-known issues with some of these cards going back XXXX and as recent as XXXX. People issues that customer service doesn't help to resolve but who may give you false information to get you off the phone. They will even hang up on you. 

The card was registered for the recipient. Who tried to use the card online and it was immediately flagged for possible fraud. The company put the transaction under review. A refund was requested when it seem like the transaction obviously had some issues on their end. 

The money was refunded to the card. I took the card back from the recipient due to them having issues and I was the one who purchased it. 

Basically, the card would not work on any website for online purchases. I attempted to attach the card to XXXX like you can with most other gift cards. 

After no success, I called customer service who stated that they saw the transactions including how the card couldn't be attached to XXXX. But they would put me on hold if I wanted them to call XXXX to authorize the car attachment. From there, it was stated that it would work within XXXX minutes. I did not work. 

I called the XXXX number which is XXXX again to try to check the balance or possible issue. I would like to note, after each call things would get worse not better no matter what the reps would say who were also quite dismissive. With each call I was able to verify all the information on the card including the numbers on the barcode on the back to make sure it wasn't someone electronically trying to hack it. 

I would also like to note, the website associated with the card is prepaidbalance.com via XXXXXXXX XXXX. It barely works correctly no matter what browser you use. However, when you call automated voice refers you there for certain information. 

I ended up trying to see if the card would work on XXXX. Because at this point, I wanted to use it online and was very afraid to take this card inside the store even with the pin I registered due to not trusting customer service and also not knowing if this card was already compromised prior to purchasing. As XXXXXXXX XXXX has a documented set of complaints about their cards ( that are sold at XXXX and XXXX ) being randomly compromised. And people have stated how hard it is to get it resolved. 

The card attached to XXXX but my XXXX account was immediately suspended. I uploaded a receipt and an explanation and it was restored quickly. 

I called the customer service line again at XXXX. They said that the 3-digit security code was put in wrong too many times. Which I believe they completely made up. I know I personally did not put in the wrong code over and over as it is very easy to remember. 

So they said, the card would be blocked for 24 hours because of that. However, I could still take the card in the store and use it there or anywhere that didn't require the 3-digit security code on the back. I actually wasn't at peace with this explanation. But there is not way I could disprove or prove it to be false other to go to the store and try. 

Prior to this call, I had to made a purchase overnight and was notified via email that there was an issue with the card ( again ) so those purchases couldn't go through so they used my backup payment instead. Well, the company obviously blocked the card or the 3-digit code making it useless. 

So I called customer service again on XXXX, and I received a very aggressive and dismissive customer service rep. This is after the phone ringing and someone just hanging up more than once before you could even verify information. 

The call being hung up isn't good because by this time, I had to speak with someone as their website at prepaidgiftcardbalance doesn't work all the time or it works sporadically. So to not be able to get through made this feel like a scam on their par. 

I would also like to state with each call, something would happen after like the card wouldn't do like they said it was supposed to. And the automated system eventually claimed it couldn't recognize the gift card number. 

When I talked to the dismissive and aggressive rep, I admittedly almost lost it because by this time I have been trying to resolve where my money went on and off for hours, days really. 

I called and said, I am calling because I was told that the card would work in the store with a pin. The woman on the phone said let me check. And she came back and said, I don't know why she told you that. The whole card is blocked for 24 hours.

Now, I am livid. if it's blocked for 24 hours only, this made me wonder if this card was already compromised since the issues were from the onslaught.

I said so the other women lied And the rep proudly said, yes. But it should work in 24 hours. I think that was something said to get me off the phone since there are issues with the card that I can't see. 

I do believe XXXXXXXX XXXX is well aware of issues but maybe it's not wide-spread enough for them to be held accountable. I am basing this off other experiences. I have purchased these cards a couple times before. But it's hard to tell they aren't from XXXX. Pretty packaging but they are one of the worse gift cards I've ever purchased. 

I hope the issue is looked into or at least there is a record on my part in the form of a complaint. 

This card is unusable. And it also has a clear film placed on the back of the card where you would scan it instore which I am not sure is normal or not as far as it possibly being tampered or compromised at a certain point. 

The complete dismissiveness and runaround that was given is something that may not be able to capture even though this is lengthy. This company comes off like it's very shady. It's understandable that there are federal laws that have to be followed if fraud or identity verification issues are present. 

But to call into a company ( XXXX ) and be lied to each time you interact with it is definitely something I hope they are eventually held accountable for. I don't think the reps care because they are likely in another country and there is also obviously isn't a great standard in how issues or identified and resolved or at least attempted to be. 

I know they couldn't do anything but I did go back to the store I purchased the card from to at least see if one of the reps had other issues with people coming in with a similar story. So I had to take time out of by day to do that as well as feeling quite silly even having to explain it. I also sent an email to the store 's contact chain for issues like that. I don't expect any resolution because why would they continue to partner with a XXXX when there are several issues already out there that seem to not be addressed including the customer service issues, and the poor working website that is hit and miss. And that may possibly block your IP or card.

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