Consumer complaint received 2015-04-13
Company: Comerica
State: CA
Product: Prepaid card
Sub-product: Government benefit payment card
Issue: Fraud or scam

Complaint:
I am a XXXX recipient and my monthly payment goes on to a US Direct Express card. I have been fighting XXXX for 5 years now I depend on this small payment to help with rent and all other household necessities including medications as needed.Last month on XXXX/XXXX/XX/XX/2015 I went to the bank as usual and withdrew all but {$300.00} from my card. Any other time I would have taken all but {$50.00} or so but it was my birthday month and my mom and aunt send a few dollars so I did n't feel I would ned it all at XXXX.so I left it on the card. On XXXX/XXXX/XX/XX/2015 I called to check the balance and it was a big fat zero. I immediately called direct express to report an unauthorized use of my card and could not figure out how this could happen since the original card was still in my wallet. I asked the customer service representative whathad happened and she said that XXXX transactions had been performed with my card number in XXXX, CA at a XXXX. 
XXXX is a 4 hour drive from where I live in the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. She immediately canceled the card and sent out the paper work to file the complaint. I asked how long will this process take and can it be expedited because I am a XXXX patient and now I have nothing to the end of the month our car registration is due and we ca n't pay it. She said it will take 45 to 90 days to me this is just not acceptable. It took ten days for the paper work to get here sent on XXXX I returned it on XXXX theyreceived it on XXXX. On XXXX I called and asked if any thing had been done yet she said no. on the cover letter it states that they will put a provisional credit on your account after ten days I think I still had to wait a few more days. Any way I called back XXXX and got the same customer service representative how strange is that I explained to her how important this was as is everyone else 's and can you please connect me to a manager. 
She said they do n't have phones but she would send a message and have XXXX call me. I waited for the rest of that day and all day XXXX but no one ever called. I called again on XXXX and talked to another customer service representative and explained the whole thing over again she said the dispute department still has not made a decision I asked to speak to the dispute department she told me they do n't have phone number and are located in a different building. I ca n't believe this no has called back you ca n't talk to any XXXX to get an answerror and our federal goverment is responsible for hiring this company the card has the comerica bank logo on it so I called them their answer was we just make the plastic. Is this place a real bank I do n't know. Ca n't get answers the majority of people that use this card are like me social security or social security XXXX recipients. If you go on line you can find hundreds of complaints about them if I could lead the charge to sue them I would. It is time for our goverment to start taking care of the elderly and XXXX. I do have the customer service representatives names if you need them this is just the first step I am taking to do something

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief