Consumer complaint received 2022-12-29
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: VA
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Trouble using the card
Sub-issue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online

Complaint:
My husband and I both received XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX ( {$50.00} amount ) from my XXXX XXXX XXXX  she attached verification of purchase, so as far as I know everything went smoothly as far as that goes. They are called U.S. Bank Gift Cards and the cardholder agreement states that they are issued by U.S. Bank National Association, in partnership with Visa and XXXX. Contact information is just XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX 

On the card, there was a sticker indicating that the card is active for in-store purchases but that you have to go to the website XXXX XXXX XXXX to register the card to use it online - typical process for most XXXX XXXX XXXX so I didn't think anything of it. I went to the website and it asks for the XXXX digit card number and then the XXXX digit XXXX code from the back of the card. I entered both of these and then got an error that the code didn't match their records. Tried again XXXX times, checking and double checking the numbers to make sure I wasn't typing it in wrong - same error. The final time I got a message with the error telling me to call the customer service number ( XXXX ). I called the number and got an automated line that requested the XXXX digit card number and then the XXXX digit XXXX, put both in and again got a message saying the XXXX doesn't match their records. The automated line had me try again XXXX more times before redirecting my call to a customer service representative. The representative then asked me for the XXXX digit card number, the XXXX digit CCV number, and then the last XXXX digits of the barcode on the back of the card. After giving them all of this information, they informed me that the card was a misprint because there is already an account attached to the barcode from the card that doesn't match the rest of the card information. When I asked how I was supposed to be able to use the card, they said that they could send me a replacement card, but only after I faxed them front and back photos of the gift card, the receipt, a photo of my driver 's license, and then my telephone number ( fax to XXXX ). This seems a bit excessive for a gift card - I could understand proof of purchase and gift card photos, but don't know why they need a photo of my driver 's license and didn't feel comfortable sending to them. I called back a XXXX time and was told the same information about the card being a misprint, but this time the woman took down my name and address to see if she could register the card to me on her end - no luck. She then said she would issue a replacement card in XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX and would waive the {$5.00} replacement fee. 

I then tried to register my husband 's gift card online and had the same error issues with his card 's card number and XXXX - this time the website was very glitchy and barely seemed to work. So I went ahead and called the customer service number on the card and gave them his gift card number and XXXX - I got almost the exact same information as I did when I called customer service for my card the first time - card is a misprint, need to fax over all of this information. I asked if I could just use the card in-store since I didn't feel comfortable sending them all of that information and was told no, the card is invalid and they can only issue a replacement card. The representative again offered to waive the replacement fee and offered to expedite the shipping, but only once I faxed them all of the information. Since I am unwilling to send them a copy of my driver 's license, the company did not have another way to resolve this issue to where I could access the {$50.00} that is on the card. 

I then looked up the company XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX and behold, hundreds of XXXX star reviews with my almost my exact experience - people purchase cards from major grocery store or drug store chains and they don't work, can't access the money, replacement cards never arrive, etc. I'll wait for the replacement card and will happily update my complaint if it is resolved, but I do not have a lot of faith that that will happen since this whole thing feels like a scam. Seems highly unlikely that there would be multiple misprinted cards sold at the same time/location without there being a larger issue.

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