Consumer complaint received 2020-10-08
Company: Conduent Incorporated
State: OK
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit card
Issue: Problem getting a card or closing an account
Sub-issue: Trouble getting, activating, or registering a card

Complaint:
I was let go on XX/XX/2020 due to Covid so I went down to the XXXX XXXX  and filed for unemployment. I took care of all of the paperwork at the XXXX XXXX  office including updating all information such as phone number and address at that time as well. After not receiving the waytogo payment card for several weeks I called the third party vendor Conduit Bank  who oversees the distribution and maintenance of the unemployment and child support cards for Oklahoma to inquire as to why we had not received the card. After attempting to verify my account it was realized that when I changed my address and other information at the XXXX workforce unemployment office it was not changed with the company that distributes the cards and is in charge of the funds that feeds my family. After finding out for the first time that it is two different companies involved I then was instructed to call Conduit. After speaking with Conduit Bank I was then told that the card had been mailed out to an address I lived in over 10 years ago a week ago. Conduit then cancelled the first card, corrected my address, and mailed me out a new card. I had been calling the automated line with the unemployment office to verify when the funds I had been approved for had been deposited since it had been 5 weeks with nothing my family was waiting very patiently for the money including retro payments to be deposited and before I learned about all the pay card drama there over XXXX dollars put onto the card. When I finally received the card I called the XXXX number to verify funds and activate the card only to learn that whoever resides at that old address now was able to activate and use the card without absolutely XXXX of my personal information as well as create their own pin number and were able to access all my unemployment benefits for over a month of benefits. I contacted Conduit immediately to advise of the theft and fraud and it was then put into dispute and I was given instructions of the next steps I needed to take in order to get this process underway which I immediately did that very day and consisted of the following .... faxed a letter explaining all of this with all the per tenant information they requested as well as a copy of the police report I filed with XXXX. I was told I would be receiving a letter in the mail and I needed to have it filled out and faxed in by XX/XX/XXXX in order to get the funds returned. She had already advised me of the information that was required and I am very familiar with this process as it has happened to me before so I went ahead and drafted the a dispute letter with all information requested and had it faxed the same day I called to report the fraud XX/XX/XXXX as well as filled out and faxed in the form immediately after receipt also. As of today XX/XX/XXXX the money stolen from me has still not been replaced and that means the provisional replacement that they are required by law to return at least until the investigation has concluded. We have called several times, twice to check on the progress of investigation and return of funds and both times after waiting on hold for well over an hour the first time it was connected and after explaining the situation I suppose it was either over her head or above her pay grade because she just hung up on us. The second time we were told she would have to transfer to fraud ( which should have been were we ended up as we followed the prompts to perfection ) and were hung up on again. So we were just so frustrated we didn't call back for a couple of days but then got a letter from Conduit stating it was still under investigation however a provisional credit was put on our account on the XXXX of XXXX in the amount of {$620.00} which it most absolutely WAS NOT ever put back into our account however we wouldn't know really because all we can do is call the automated to hear balance, deposits and transactions due to whoever stole the card and money was also able to enroll it online and changed the email so I am unable to change my password to access my money online. So we called twice again on Tuesday XX/XX/XXXX and again after following the prompts correctly again and waiting over an hour on hold again we were told we were at wrong department again and were transferred held another hour and was immediately hung up on. Called back again to get a woman who was so incredibly rude and dismissive it gave my wife a full blown XXXX XXXX! I am not exactly sure what my options are here or who I need to contact to get something done here! I am having a real hard time believing that the state of Oklahoma would entrust hundreds of thousands hard working Americans unemployment as well as my wife 's XXXX XXXX  is serviced there as well. This is not a game, its peoples livelihood! Its how we pay our rent, electric, and put food into the mouths of our children and its just not being managed at all. We were extremely patient and understanding in the beginning as this pandemic and the circumstances it has created is nobodies fault however this company was inferior with Oklahoman 's XXXX XXXX  funds way before the pandemic. We can not even get a customer service representative on the phone much less a manager or anyone of any power to help us get OUR money back so needless to say I am at a complete loss and just dont know what the next step is.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation