Consumer complaint received 2015-12-28
Company: Netspend Corporation
State: NY
Product: Bank account or service
Sub-product: Other bank product/service
Issue: Making/receiving payments, sending money

Complaint:
I am writing to you at this time because I do not know where to turn with this problem. I have been going back and forth with Netspend, which is affiliated with XXXX, since XXXX XXXX, 2015. On XXXX XXXX, 2015 XXXX fraudulent claims were charged to my Netspend account. XXXX of the charges were made at XXXX for {$110.00} each charge. The other charge was made from XXXX shop in Florida for {$110.00}. I am a XXXX year old woman residing in XXXX, NY with neither a XXXX account nor a do I own a car. When my son noticed these charges on XXXX XXXX, 2015 he immediately contacted Netspend by telephone while all XXXX charges were pending. He was told to wait for the charges to go through and then call them back. 

From there things only got worse and much more confusing. On XXXX XXXX, 2015 Netspend said they opened a dispute claim, # XXXX. They also told me via e-mail that " we will attempt to complete the investigation within 10 business days. If we need more time we may take up to 45 calendar days to complete the investigation. If we determine more time is needed, we may issue a temporary credit so you have use of your funds during the investigation. '' Of course they never gave me the credit because they claimed I did not send them my signature, which was never requested by them. They also claimed I did not contact them in a certain amount of time. They were contacted within one day of the transactions. 

It is impossible to speak to a person in the " fraud '' department because my son was told by the phone representatives that the fraud department does not speak to customers on the phone. He was also unable to get a last name or direct phone number from any of the representatives he spoke to on the telephone. In the meantime they decided on XXXX XXXX, 2015 to deny my claim. The reason they gave for this decision was that they did not receive my signature. I wrote back to them expressing my dissatisfaction with the outcome of their so-called " investigation '' into this matter. I explained that I am a XXXX year old widow on a very low fixed income and need this money back. In fact, my XXXX payment was turned down because of insufficient funds and I was changed a {$12.00} late fee when this happened. This does not include all the {$1.00} fees that Netspend has been charging me for each fraudulent transaction. 

Consequently, they agreed to reopen my claim. This time I sent them a certified letter with the disputed charges and with my signature. Now I am being told it will take another 45 calendar days for their decision. As I explained earlier, this is causing me a big financial problem because of my very low fixed income. It is also causing me much stress as I worry about how I am going to make up for this {$330.00} that has been stolen from my account. 

. Their phone number is XXXX. This is a prepaid XXXX debit card account which I needed so my social security and pension checks could be deposited into since I do not have a checking account. Their address is Netspend Dispute Resolution Department ; XXXX. XXXX XXXX ; XXXX, TX. XXXX. 

I would greatly appreciate any help you can give me in this matter. I

Company public response: Company believes it acted appropriately as authorized by contract or law
Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief