Consumer complaint received 2019-12-07
Company: Comerica
State: OK
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card

Complaint:
I contacted Direct Express in XXXX of XXXX when I noticed several charges in XX/XX/XXXX on my debit card that I received my veterans benefits on that I did not authorize nor did I recognize the company making these charges. On each occasion I reported these charges as fraudulent and I needed to make sure they wouldn't be charged going forward. I was told I would receive paper work in the mail to fill out to dispute the charges. I never received any paperwork in the mail and the charges continued month after month for 10 months. I called every week month after month for 10 months and my reports fell on deaf ears. I was given several case numbers and emails from both companies which I can provide if needed going forward. I was told the same thing each time I called and each month my veterans benefits was wasted and was not able to pay my bills and buy food. My veterans benefits on this card are FDIC insured and I was told my veterans money would be safe with Direct Express well as you can see they were not. I have made a fraud complaint against Direct Express with the U.S. Department of the Treasury for Direct Express not stopping the charges and not refunding the fraudulent charges to me. Direct Express allowed this fraud to go on against me for 10 months and I lost about {$800.00} of my government veteran benefits. Finally the end of XX/XX/XXXX my wife found out by doing some research on the internet who these charges were coming from. I contacted them by internet and the company accepted that these were fraudulent charges but was only able to get them to refund 4 charges = ( 2 ) of {$19.00} and ( 2 ) of {$59.00}. The person said that I needed to email the rest and I would be contacted within 24 hours and of course I attempted this more than once and never was contacted back and never received any more of my money back. Finally I gave up and contacted the veterans administration and they stopped my funds from going through this company Direct Express and routed my funds to a much safer entity where I have had no further fraudulent problems. I think Direct Express is allowing this fraud to go on to a lot of people. I have read where Direct Express has allowed this very thing to happen to a lot of people all over the united states and they have also had a class action law suit against them for this very same thing. This Direct Express is not safe and should be stopped from doing further business of handling peoples monthly benefits. 

List of Charges : XX/XX/XXXX total of {$48.00} charges from XXXX XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$9.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$14.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$19.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} XX/XX/XXXX XXXX {$59.00} Total of {$790.00} was stolen from me and I want it back since my veterans benefits were federally insured by the FDIC.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation