Consumer complaint received 2022-12-27
Company: Netspend Corporation
State: CA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Unexpected or other fees

Complaint:
On XX/XX/XXXX I withdrew {$900.00} from XXXX  XXXX XXXX ATM XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, CA. It is called the XXXX XXXX XXXX. The withdrawal was done in 3 separate transactions directly following one another with a {$3.00} fee assessment per transaction.. I had not withdrawn from this account in quite sometime because I was saving to pay off an IRS debt and for the XXXX holiday. On XXXX XXXX I called to check my balance and it was reduced to practically nothing, when I was expecting it to be close to {$5000.00} or more. I immediately went online to discover there were several withdrawal transactions totaling over {$4900.00} that I did not make, or authorize, starting XX/XX/XXXX until XX/XX/XXXX. I immediately contacted Nestspend on XX/XX/XXXX and waged a complaint, asked them to reissue a new card and change my PIN number. They said they would open a dispute immediately and contact me with the outcome. I told them there existed only 1 card and I was flabbergasted because it appeared that someone was using a card with my actual PIN number. They said they would address it right away. 

On XX/XX/XXXX, Netspend responded stating they found no errors for three reasons listed below : 1. The merchants disputed are consistent with your account activity.

2. Our records show that the PIN was not changed prior to the period of unauthorized usage, or that the last PIN change was completed by a phone number, IP address, or device linked to you. As at least one of the unauthorized transactions within the claim was PIN based and we have determined that the PIN transaction ( s ) were not in error, we have also concluded that the signature transaction ( s ) in the claim were not in error.

3. Our records show that the disputed activity occurred near your regular areas of activity, such as the city where you live or shop. 

All of the reasons stated are dismissive of the fact that someone either skimmed my card or there was a duplicate card issued and my Pin was confiscated. I asked them to elevate the matter to a higher authority and scheduled an appointment with their dispute department, of which they never called or further responded. I then went to the XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX main office in XXXX XXXX on XXXX and they said they had been experiencing a rash of skimmer machines being placed on their ATM machines and the XXXX XXXX Police Department is fully aware of the matter. 

I visited the XXXX XXXX Police Department on XX/XX/XXXX and yes, in fact XXXX XXXX XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX had in fact been breached and a skimmer was fraudulently placed on their machines, and by request from the bank manager, removed by the XXXX XXXX Police Department on XX/XX/XXXX. Their branch had been closed for well over a month and only opened up on XX/XX/XXXX, in which the bank manager then received numerous complaints and called the police to have the skimmer removed. A SKIMMER functions to duplicate a debit/credit card, while simultaneously capturing a clear view of the card recipient inputting their PIN number. Thus, the ability to duplicate the card and access the information via the PIN number. 

I secured a copy of the police report and immediately sent a follow up complaint on XX/XX/XXXX to Netspend 's Dispute ResolutionDepartment with the police report attached. The report confirmed the removal of the skimmer, the date, location, and the redacted manager 's name. The XXXX  XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX on XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX XXXX, CA is where my original transaction took place on XX/XX/XXXX and where the skimmer was place and removed on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXXXXXX XXXX. On XX/XX/XXXX the perpetrator ( s ) visited that same branch to illegally withdraw my funds and from there went to XXXX, CA to a XXXX XXXX and repeatedly withdrew my funds everyday until they depleted my account. My only fault is not checking my account everyday to catch them in the act ; I never conceived such a thing could take place. I have had a Netspend card for a very long time. 

I trusted that should such a thing happen Netspend, and all financial and banking institutions, would thoroughly investigate and correct any wrongs on behalf of their customers. I have direct deposit with Netspend with my paycheck from XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and feel completely violated and dismissed by Netspend. The perpetrator stole {$4900.00} from me and Netspend is dismissing it with evidence proving otherwise. I am victim of fraud and desire for this violation to be addressed and rectified. Please help me bring further attention to this matter so I may get my money back and actions can be taken to apprehend the suspect ( s ). Please keep me posted upon their response to your agency and inform me if there is anything else I can do to receive justice. 

Thank you, XXXX XXXX

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