Consumer complaint received 2023-10-01
Company: Block, Inc.
State: NC
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Mobile or digital wallet
Issue: Managing, opening, or closing your mobile wallet account

Complaint:
I am a XXXX XXXX. I have a court order that was signed in XXXX of XXXX that entitles me to have my XXXX name reflected on my government ID and on any and all state maintained documents. 

In XXXX of XXXX, my Texas ID was issued to me with my new XXXX name. I have that Texas ID with me. 

In XXXX of XXXX, I created my CashApp account under the new legal name printed on my new Texas ID. CashApp sent me a card with that same name on it. I still have that original card with me. 

I have had that same card, until I ordered a new one in XXXX of XXXX. CashApp created a new " pink cash card '' with the claim that with your purchase, you would " unlock a new pink app theme '' as well as a pink card. I assumed that meant that the entire app would be pink themed. Every other app that offers a theme ( such as " dark theme '' ) applies that theme across the entire app. That was not the case with CashApp. Only 1 tab, out of the 5 main tabs, is " pink themed. '' That's not my main issue and why I'm reaching out to you however. 

I got married in XXXX of last year, and updated my government ID and social security card to reflect that change. When I ordered my card, I realized that my maiden name was still on the account. I immediately updated my maiden name to my married name, which was just a last name change. I hoped that since the card wasn't issued out yet, the new card would potentially have my married name printed on the card. I was fully prepared to see my maiden name reflected on the card, however. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, my new CashApp card arrived in the mail. The envelope was addressed to my old XXXX  name, which I found odd. When I opened the envelope I saw that my old XXXX  name was also printed on the card, which was very disappointing and confusing. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, I reached out to CashApp and asked them to send me another pink card with the same design but with my legal name printed on it. CashApp said, " When you order a Cash Card, the name printed on it is the legal verified name associated with it. We do not issue new Cash Cards to update printed names unless there was a printing error or if you've had a legal name change. '' I told them that would make sense, if my legal name was the old XXXX name, but it isn't. The agent then sent me a response that was a copy and paste version of her first response. I then told the agent, " Then why is it that my original card had my maiden name printed on it? '' The agent said that CashApp will send a card with the legal name that was used at the time the account was created. She also told me that if I want my new name printed on it, I would first have to update it on my government ID and with Social Security. 

I told her that she wasn't listening to what I was saying. I have already updated it, years ago, with the state and Social Security. My account was created in XXXX of XXXX. That was after my name had been legally changed. 

I would like to know why, and how, did they end up printing a card with a name that I have never given them before? They printed a name on my card that has never even been associated with my account. 

I have also looked through their Privacy Notice, to get a better idea of what has happened. It doesn't make any sense to me. Here is a link to their Privacy Notice, for accounts created prior to XX/XX/XXXX ( Effective XX/XX/XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX My account was created in XXXX of XXXX. 

I've read through the entire thing. Under Information We Collect About You and Sources of Information We Collect About You it reads ; " Identification Information. such as : Your name, email address, zip code, phone number, Cashtag, signature, and authentication credentials ( for example, information you use to log in to your Cash account ), including Internet Protocol ( IP ) address.

Additional Identification Information for Verified Users. such as : Your full mailing address ; date of birth ; government-issued identification, including Social Security number, passport, or drivers license ; and photograph if you choose to share such information in order to send and receive larger payment amounts or purchase Bitcoin. 

Financial Information. such as : Bank account and payment card numbers you add to your Cash App account, as well as your Cash Card number if you have one. 

XXXX XXXX. In order to provide you with the XXXX, we will also need to collect information from you about the intended recipient of the payment you request us to make. We will therefore ask you to provide contact details of your intended recipient. You can do this by : ( a ) manually entering a phone number or email address into the Cash App ; or ( b ) as described below ( under Information You Provide to Enhance Your Experience ), you can choose to give us access to your phone contacts to facilitate the entry of recipient information. We may also ask you to provide limited access to your phone contacts for account verification purposes. You can update your settings to stop sharing your phone contacts with us at any time, although we will always need a recipients phone number or email address to send money to them as requested by you. 

Transaction Information. When you use our Services to make, accept, or request payments, we collect information such as : when and where the transactions occur, the names of the transacting parties, a description of the transactions, the payment or transfer amounts, and the devices and payment methods used to complete the transactions. '' I can't find anything there that would apply to me and my account, and shed some light on how and why they used an old XXXX  name associated with my account. There is a section in the notice that I provided " Additional Identification Information for Verified Users '' that sounds like it would apply to me, but it doesn't. I have never been a " Verified User. '' I would have had to send over my government ID and other legal documents to prove my name in order to become a " Verified User. '' That would allow me to use select services such as purchasing XXXX, and sending and receiving larger payment amounts. That doesn't apply to me, I've never used those specific services. So, I have never provided my social nor my government ID to them. 

I found an interesting section under Sources of Information We Collect About You that reads ; " Identity Verification. Information from third-party verification services ( e.g., identity verification agencies and through companies which provide third party analytics ( see Third-Party Analytics below ) ), and publicly available sources. In some circumstances, where lawful, this information can include your government-issued identification number. '' If I never provided my XXXX name nor any other information that would be required in order to use select services, I would assume they would have had look up my government-issued identification number. However, that was updated before the account was created. So why did they use an old XXXX name? Again though, I still have my previous card with my legal maiden name on it. 

There is another section of the Privacy Notice that reads ; " We may amend this Privacy Notice from time to time by posting a revised version and updating the Effective Date above. The revised version will be effective on the Effective Date listed. We will provide you with reasonable prior notice of material changes in how we use your information, including by email, if you have provided one. If you disagree with these changes, you may cancel your account at any time. If you keep using our Services, you consent to any amendment of this Privacy Notice. '' That was a lie. 

I have never been provided a notice of material changes in how they use my information. " Including by email '' which, I have provided since the account was created. 

I have also read through their current Privacy Notice, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX of the points I have previously brought up XXXX still apply. 

In order for CashApp to have my old XXXX name, they would have had to pull that information on their own. When they pulled my information, they would have seen that my old name has not been my legal name for a long time, since before I created this account. So why in the world did they send me a card with that old name if they've told me they only use " legal and verified names? '' I have screenshots and photos to prove everything I have claimed, which can be provided upon request.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation