Consumer complaint received 2020-10-29
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: FL
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase or transfer

Complaint:
Bluebird by American Express Debit card has been my Preferred Debit card to Load my Social Security XXXX Funds since around XXXX. 

For the most part, I have been happy with this Card and using the Card. Bluebird does not have any Physical Locations or Branches in my Area or anywhere else for that matter. The Funds must be pulled out thru ATM Machines and Bluebird Advertises and or Promotes the ATM Machines located at XXXX XXXX Stations Nationwide as there are NO Fees to Withdrawal Funds, you may withdraw up to {$750.00} Daily. The only inconvenience is that the Vendors for these ATM Machines at XXXX has set a Maximum Withdrawal per transaction of {$200.00}. Therefore you must do 2-3 Transactions at the Machine if you need to Pull out Money for Larger Bill Pays and such. 

I have a XXXX located close to my Home in XXXX XXXX, FL and I use it frequently. However, the Vendor for this Particular ATM Machine does not keep up Maintenance properly and the ATM has been out of Receipts or has a Printing Error for the Past 3 Months. They even have a message stating that you will NOT receive a Receipt and to Press yes if you wish to continue your transaction without a receipt. 

My XXXX Check comes on or Before the XXXX of each month, so on XX/XX/XXXX I went to my Closest XXXX to Withdrawal Funds to pay bills. I withdrew the First 2 {$200.00} with no Problems but when Attempting to Withdrawal the 3rd {$200.00} the MAchine Started " Buffering '' Like it was " Thinking '' after awhile the Screen Displayed an Error Message on it. This particular ATM prompts you to Remove your ATM card prior to requesting money amount, so I had my Bluebird Card, But I did NOT have the {$200.00} or a Receipt from my Transaction. There is a Camera at the Store and I had Assumed the Transactions were captured on that XXXX security camera. I also informed the XXXX Store Clerk that the ATM machine was Not Working and I left. I went to the Next XXXX down the Road and I attempted to Pull out the Additional {$200.00} I needed to pay my Mortgage Bill. The ATM MAchine stated that I had Reached my Withdrawal Limit or Exceeded Funds Daily Request Limit. This Alerted me that the Previous MAchine had Deducted the {$200.00} from my Bluebird Account even Thou it did Not Dispense the Cash. 
I immediately went home and called Bluebird by American Express and reported the Issue. I also Attempted to Locate or Contact the Owners of the ATM Machine located in XXXX which I found out that you must initiate the ATM Complaint thru the Credit or Debit Card Company in event of ATM Machine Errors. So I did File the Complaint with Bluebird and Asked them if I needed to Do anything Else? They Said No, and if they needed anything that they would reach out to me. Well, Time Went on and about 3-4 Weeks Later I had not heard anything and I called Bluebird by American Express Back and inquired about the ATM Error. The Representative Said that I should be getting the Funds back on my Card any day now and to call back if I did not see the {$200.00} returned. 
I waited another 1-2 Weeks Checked the account and Nothing! I called back and they Stated that the Case had been Closed due to a Lack of response by me and the Vendor I guess had responded that they did not see anything wrong with the transaction? How could they Not when They kept my {$200.00}? 

It was at this point that I started to get upset and asked How they came up with " LACK of Response from me? '' They Stated that an Email had been sent to My Sons Account Email on File. My Son and Daughter are XXXX, under XXXX and I opened accounts for both of them and I had been using my Sons Card, " WITH his permission of coarse '' and I had to use it as My Personal Bluebird Card had been Hacked one Year Prior " More than Once '' I had to File Police Reports and that's another Story, But ever since then, My Card was not working properly even after PIN Changes and Security Phrases it still was locked, So I would just transfer my Paycheck Funds over to My Sons Subaccount Bluebird Card and then Go to XXXX and Withdrawal the Funds. That was my Work Around and it worked for close to one year anyways. The Bluebird Representative told me they had sent a Notice or Request to my Sons Email, I asked for them To Send the Email to Me, the Primary Account Holder and they Said Sorry they could not do that. So I had my Son Forward me the Email. There Was Only One that he Found and it was just restating that I had opened the Claim and they were investigating the Claim. 

No Form or Request for additional Information like the Bluebird Rep stated they had Sent with no Response? 

So Now Here I am almost 2 months after the Machine Debited {$200.00} from my Account and Still no Refund. I'm a XXXX Single father of XXXX Teenagers and the Limited Amount of Funds I receive on SSA XXXX does not even cover all my Bills, so you can imagine taking {$200.00} away from me and how much this affects my Family. 

Please help me receive service from Bluebird and also, I need the Forms and Request sent to Myself the Primary Account Holder, Not my XXXX Son 's Email. Just an FYI, My Son does not have access to the Account and I have His Sub Account card in my Possession at all times. I did just recently request a new Primary Account Card and Hoping that it will allow me to Utilize the Primary account again. 

The Transaction that we are Taking about happened on XX/XX/XXXX, at the XXXX LOCATED AT XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX, FL XXXX. Transaction ID XXXX I asked Bluebird to Reopen the Claim and they Did and Sent a Notice to My Sons E-mail again The Notice Suggest and Looks like I had an ATM Error on XXXX Which is Just the Date I asked to Reopen the Claim. The Notice Says Transaction Date of XXXX which is NOT correct, The Transaction Date was XX/XX/XXXX, and Transaction ID was XXXX. 

Thank you for your assistance! 
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Fl

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief