Consumer complaint received 2020-12-25
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: CO
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Virtual currency
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
So I get unemployment on the ( Reliacard ) US Bank, on XX/XX/XXXX find out through a declined purchase these XXXX turned off my card and are refusing me my money because I updated my address on the unemployment website, not even theyre website. Its a secure and gor so angry I hung up. website.I called US Bank on XX/XX/XXXX I called back was told to send a picture of my drivers license and a selfie XX/XX/XXXX over the website verifyusbank.com/Id if I remember correctly and it will take 24 to 48 hours. Not once so us bank contact me to inform me they locked my card and to date my card is still locked. They will not return the money to unemployment and they wont let me have it. Ive asked for supervisor on XX/XX/XXXX and was hung up on. On XX/XX/XXXX I asked for the representatives employee id number and again was hung up on. Us Bank has made no effort to inform me of of any thing actions theyve taken on my account just are keeping my money.I had to call and ask why I cant access my unemployment deposits. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I spoke with unemployment and two supervisors there who state my account should not be locked. So I went into the bank on XX/XX/XXXX and was told US Bank does not have control of the card but thats a lie because they froze my card. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I again called as we are way passed 48 hours and they will not contact me re : I.d . Issues nor have they released my funds. And the representatives do not have any info they say. 
So who os accountable. Us bank denies accountability yet are the ones stealing my money. Visa isnt and refers me to US Bank as does unemployment. The bank is anything but transparent and Im still broke and XXXX  in the cold on XXXX so greedy bankers can go on nice vacations and exploit me when Im most vulnerable. 

I read an article in the XXXX Colorado XXXX County news stating XXXX XXXX XXXX has been inundated with fraud complaints exactly like mine since XX/XX/XXXX!!!!!!!!! 
Its very close to my story. I have {$230.00} I can not touch because of this fraud by US Bank. They locked my card access for updating my address on the unemployment secure account website. 
Ive never in my life had a bank block me from my money because I updated my address as I am legally bound to do and its a mailing address on another site. 

Here is the article below. 

Unemployed chef says her U.S. Bank ReliaCard was frozen due to fraud concerns, funds not available Attempts to verify her identity were unsuccessful items. [ 0 ] XXXX By : XXXX XXXX Posted at XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX and last updated XXXX XXXX, XX/XX/XXXX Editor 's note : XXXX seeks out audience tips and feedback to help people in need, resolve problems and hold the powerful accountable. If you know of a community need our call center could address, or have a story idea for our investigative team to pursue, please email us at XXXX or call ( XXXX ) XXXX. Find more XXXX stories here. 


XXXX -- The XXXX  XXXX inbox has been flooded for months with messages from viewers who believe they are a victim of fraud involving unemployment claims and the U.S. Bank ReliaCards being used to distribute those funds. 

Contact  XXXX previously reported on a fraud scheme that is plaguing the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance ( PUA ) program. People often find out they've been victimized when they received a U.S. Bank ReliaCard in the mail, even though they never filed an unemployment claim. 

Now, it seems like an attempt to crack down on fraud is preventing unemployed Coloradans from accessing their unemployment benefits. Contact XXXX has received several tips from viewers who say their cards have been frozen leaving them unable to access the funds. 

" I went to use the card and it was declined. I called the number on the back of the card and the woman told me there had been a block or a restriction placed on my card because of the amount of fraud thats been going on, '' said XXXX XXXX. 


XXXX has worked as a XXXX  for most of her life and has been laid off twice this year. The first time she filed for unemployment was back in the spring, and she used a U.S. Bank ReliaCard to receive those benefits. XXXX said it worked great, so she was planning to use the card again when she filed for unemployment in late XXXX. 

" So I reopened my account for the unemployment and thats when all of the issues started to happen with this card, '' said XXXX. 

After her card was declined, she was able to reach several customer service representatives at U.S. Bank ReliaCard who told her how to verify her identity. XXXX has made several attempts at proving it is in fact her and that she is unemployed but nothing has worked. 

She has been trying to reactivate the card and access her funds for nearly three weeks now. XXXX said she was instructed to submit a photo of her driver 's license and a selfie. She's submitted the information multiple times, including a copy of her passport and Social Security card in case anyone had doubts about her identity. 

" When I called to sort of check the status of whats going on, they cant really give me any information on why the hold on my card hasnt been released, '' said XXXX. " They said they couldnt verify my identity, which is kind of weird. '' Contact XXXX has reached out to U.S. Bank ReliaCard and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to see if they can sort out this issue out for XXXX. Until the problem is resolved, there is more than {$400.00} on her card that she is unable to access. 

" It is very stressful and its just frustrating because no one that Ive been able to get a hold of on the phone can give me any answers, '' said XXXX. 

If you have received a U.S. Bank ReliaCard but did not apply for unemployment benefits, officials are advising you to destroy that card and file a report on the ReliaCard website. You should also notify the state unemployment agency that paid the benefits of potential fraud and take precautions to mitigate identity theft. Here 's the link where you can report potential fraud in Colorado. 
Obviously this article is scattered but its real. 

I need that money. 
Thats why they approved me for it. 
Why is this still happening!!!!!!!! 
I know theyre stealing federal funds from claimants and its evil. 
On XX/XX/XXXX I XXXX XXXX XXXX who owns Visa and I called XXXX  thebank listed on the card who transferred me back to US Bank where I kept getting hung up on. I made a pointless complaint to the Federal Trade Commission Yet despite complying with their ridiculous verification process, I still can not access my money. 

Not once have they contacted me about this. 

I contacted them when I asked for a supervisor and the operators. id number I was hung up on twice. 

I get up, read the news and imagine my dismay when I see an article about us bank stealing unemployment checks since XX/XX/XXXX freezing/locking accounts under the guise of security. 

And thats just XXXX. 

Imagine how much money theyre stealing in the USA daily. 

Theyre stealing from the federal government and its citizens and its ok?!?! 

When I stole I went to XXXX  and paid restitution. 

Why shouldnt they? 

XXXX XXXX XXXX  states they have been swarmed with fraud complaints re : Reliacard and US Bank since XX/XX/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 non-monetary relief