Consumer complaint received 2019-05-22
Company: Netspend Corporation
State: MO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Problem getting a card or closing an account
Sub-issue: Trouble getting, activating, or registering a card

Complaint:
I received a reloadable awards card through the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX Non-profit organization in XXXX, Missouri. The initial stipend loaded was {$50.00}. I attempted to activate the card XX/XX/XXXX via toll free number. In the middle of this process I heard a recording stating something was wrong and my call was redirected to a live customer service associate. I was being advised that I needed to be transferred to another department because it was a XXXX  XXXX reward card once I was transferred to the second representative he informed me after getting some basic information that I had a balance of {$56.00} which is a forced payment from the XXXX XXXX which was a internet service provider I didn't ask for specific information he first refused then as I continue to talk he told me that this was a force payment from the XXXX XXXX which was an internet a mobile internet service provider I then proceeded to ask for details of this balanced and to get additional information he finally told me that this was a force charge from the XXXX XXXX from the year XXXX I didn't ask when was the last load to the card which was XXXX if I remember correctly I'll only {$210.00} and that {$100.00} was taken by NetSpend corporation on an ace branded NetSpend card but I didn't explain that to him I didn't begin to dispute this charge and explain to them the timeframe from the balance and that they allowed to force charging a prepaid debit card as I'm speaking to him I'm researching this information and see where there was a lawsuit class-action suit filed by the Federal Trade Commission and XXXX and XXXX and explain to the gentleman that he was doing an unfair business practices involving the fair credit protection laws and that this was a ghost that that you not even if you attempt to collect it on he continue to try to collect this money I proceeded to explain to the associate that this money was issued as a stipend for a state program that I am affiliated with that required to participate in and he continue to try to collect this debt I as I was talking to him I was researching on the internet and software the Federal Trade Commission filed a National Consumer lawsuit and settled that in XXXX he continued to try to express that this was XXXX and they wanted to collect I explained to him that I was in a situation where I'm homeless and these are monies for me to live from I didn't ask for supervisor after some backlash from the associate he finally got his supervisor on the line the supervisor still wanted to stress that I need to pay this money I didn't ask for his boss was then I suppose it manager got on the line I spent an hour and 35 minutes going back and forth with these people and I was assured that within 48 hours to days someone will call me back from their Corporate Offices because they had supposedly no way of handling this this escalation of the call and this dispute of the information to connect it with my personal information immediately I then called back on that Friday and was given the runaround again I called XXXX which is associated with NetSpend is well and still was given the runaround was transferred three or four times talk to another manager and supervisor again I wasn't sure that I would get a call back within 48 Hours fast forward to this past Monday of XX/XX/XXXX I called back and no excuse me I'm sorry this past Sunday until XX/XX/XXXX I called back and I was told that the request was not sent us Indiana to XX/XX/XXXX and that I should get a reply from corporate via phone call on XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX this Monday I have not received any kind of Correspondence phone call email or text message anything from this company I have been put on hold and left there for an hour by another employee when I've called and asked for my supervisor and manager asked for an explanation as to why not been contacted back again did they have stated that this is from XXXX the last load was in XXXX which they are not admitting to the fact that they took that {$100.00} in kept it. I finally got out of one of the managers that my account was hotlist it and that I would need to pay the balance due or they would just send me a check for the {$50.00} but I've been lied to so many times these phone calls I don't even believe that would happen

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