Consumer complaint received 2017-10-07
Company: Netspend Corporation
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Problem getting a card or closing an account
Sub-issue: Trouble closing card

Complaint:
My company purchased 2 netspend visa prepaid re-loadable cards in XXXX of XXXX, thinking they were gift cards. They were supposed to be used for recognizing employee 's. In XXXX XXXX these cards were given to me to close and to try to get back the remain amount. I first called XXXX - where the cards were purchased. They said the cards were non refundable. Looking more closely at the cards, I realized that there is a monthly charge of about {$6.00}. Since the cards were purchased in XXXX - we had lost almost 1/2 of what the company spent on them. I immediately called netspend on XXXX XXXX to try and close the accounts. The XXXX cards had not yet been activated. Despite all my attempts to explain that my work company purchased the cards by mistake and we 're not looking to set up bank accounts - they would not close the accounts and send the company the remaining balance of {$32.00} on each card. I had to give my Social Security Number and address to activate the account. On one card I gave my residential address, when it came to registering the other card I gave my work address, as this is a work related matter, I felt the check could appropriately be sent to my work. I spoke with XXXX on XXXX XXXX, XXXX and she told me that she was closing the accounts and would send me the checks. I called back on XXXX XXXX, XXXX - as I have not yet received anything. I spoke with XXXX and was advised the accounts were inactive - but not closed. I asked why was I told the checks were being sent to me over a month ago and nothing had happened. She was unable to answer my question and told me I would need to send in verification of my address for the checks to be mailed as there were two different addresses on the two different cards. I explained that one was my residential address and one was my work address, and they could send the checks to either address and I would received them. I also explained that I did n't have to send in proof of my address when I opened the account so I 'm not sending in proof to close the account, I feel that I have already given them more than enough personal information. I then asked for her XXXX and was transferred to XXXX. He reiterated the same thing XXXX said and could n't provide an answer for why I have to send in verification of my address, only that it was required. Again, I do n't understand why I would have to send in proof of my address to close the account when I did n't need to send proof to open it. I then asked to speak to XXXX XXXX Manager, he said that his Manager is in Texas and I could send an email, but they do n't have a phone # for them. I told him that was the stupidest thing I 'd ever heard, that he has a Manager in another country and could only communicate with them by email. He assured me that this was correct. I told him I wanted to speak to his Manager, he said he could n't transfer me to his Manager, but could transfer me to another Manager. I said that was fine, the next thing I heard was the same initial prompt of when I first called. He did not transfer me to another manager, but sent me back to the beginning queue. Unfortunately I did not have another 45 mins to spend on the phone trying to get back to a manager as I was at work and had other tasks to do.

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