Green Dot Prepaid Cards

Nashville of Nashville, TN November 14, 2009

My husband and I received a GIFT card for our wedding gift from people at work. It was purchased at a local Walgreens Store. The pre paid visa/ gift card was IMPOSSIBLE to activate. I called the number on the card, and the automated system kept telling me "I do not understand what you are saying". It would not activate the card without me releasing a great deal of personal information. When I tried to supply it, I kept getting "I do not understand what you are saying".

After many failed attempts to activate the card, my husband called them. He had the same problem! He called back again and had to FUDGE the system in order to get a customer service representative. The CSR told him they needed his social to activate the card, and tried to get him sent a re-loadable card (WE DIDN'T WANT THIS, we just freaking wanted to use our gift card dammit). To make a long story short, the company makes it impossible to activate the card, the automated system plays dumb and hangs up even when you follow the commands correctly, and the company is a SCAM.

The rely on people not being able to activate their cards, clearly, that is how they make a great deal of money. Between confusing customers and charging RIDICULOUS fees every MONTH (even when you haven't used the card) and the user fees, this is a complete RIP OFF and I URGE everyone to get refunds and not deal with this company. Do not give them any of your business. What a despicable way to rip people off during hard economic times. Additionally, if you make the mistake of throwing away the plastic package it comes in, you may not be able to activate your card at all. Be careful opening the card, as there are numbers they require you to read off to them in order to activate the card. This number was ripped by opening the card. Once again, another way they can deny you YOUR OWN money!

Kevin of Plainfield, IL November 4, 2009

Also purchased a Green Dot for internet purchases. They told me I have no right to know the terms and conditions of this card until I purchase it. Box says you can make "online purchases" but they do not say is they can only be made in the US. The card is useless to me. Bait and switch. The customer service is a JOKE. DO NOT PURCHASE GREEN DOT from ANYONE!!

Anthony of Fresno, CA October 22, 2009

I had Applied for a Pre-Paid Visa on line. and it came within a few days. I read all the information included with the Pre-Paid Visa Card. In it,it tells me I can Borrow Money to into the card, if I didn't have a current Bank Account/Checking or Savings.. I was told that I could purchase a money Packet for only 4.95 for up to 500.00 and that was it! When I went down to Rite Aid where I could Purchase A money Packet and read into the instructions on the package, It said that I had to pay the 4.95 for the packet, and then I Had to have in cash, what ever I wanted to Load up this card with, from 20.00 to 500.00. And then it says that I will be Charged Interest And Service Fees ON MY OWN MONEY???

Now, If I had 500.00 in a back account of my own, and they also ask you if you are interested in getting a Debit Card to use on your account, then why would I need to have a Pre-Paid Visa Card? Yes, if I already have 500.00 in cash or a banking account Why would I need a Stupid Visa Pre-Paid Card!!! I honestly thought that in order to BORROW MONEY to put on the card, it only cost 4.95, and that is what I was told over the phone? All this doesn't make any sense at all. I really believe that this is nothing but a scam and a total Rip Off

Ron of Atlanta, GA October 13, 2009

On October 5, 2009 I went to CVS to purchase a money pack reload for a Green Dot Card. My friend in Greenville needed to get his car from along side a road and didnt have the money at the time. I went to CVS and picked up a card and about 120.00 worth of other stuff. I pulled out my visa and when the cashier realized that I wanted to pay with it she statedd that I had to pay cash for the card. Now using my visa I have a lot of protection from problems. So I left the store went to the atm pulled out 140.00 and went back and purchased a 120.00 dollar card that cost me 124.95.

Upon arriving home and scratching off the back to reveal the number the scratch off was actually a sticker that pulled the numbers off of the card. I did several three way calls with customer service and my friend trying to get the money on his card. The agents did not speak English well and no one spoke English as a first language. No one seemed to actually understand what I was telling them although at the end they said the money would be on the card the next business day.

Well it has now been over a week and still no money and I was told to go back to CVS and get a refund. Today the store manager spent close to or over a hour dealing with this and they told her to call at 6:30 because they were open 24 hours. Then to call at 9:30. Also to fax all of the information to them. Then they proceeded to tell her that they were not open 24 hours and not to call before 9:30.

I just got off the phone with CVS Corporate and they are looking into the matter to try and rush this process. They have recieved so many complaints that the Green Dot may actually be pulled from the store. Please be advised if you do not have time to waste or extra money that you should NEVER use Green Dot for ANYTHING. It would have saved me time and headache just to overnight a money order.

Donna of Bakersfield, CA September 27, 2009

I purchased two Green Dot Pre-paid Visa cards In September Of 2009. One for "on line shopping",and one for anywhere shopping. Since that time,I have spent the balance and have been recieving two to three daily unwanted text messages encouraging me to re-load my green dot cards.I know my balance is @ 0.00, I put it at that balance!!!! And dont need 2,000 reminders. I will re-load it if and when I choose to! Not as a result of constant and annoying (not to mention costly)reminders!!!I have returned these text messages asking to not be sent these messages, as I am on a pre-paid cell phone plan, which charges me .10 cents per text!!! At that rate green dot is costing me 30% of every dollar I pay towards my cell phone acct.. How do I,or what can I do to stop these, both costly and unwanted text messages from dwindling my cell phone accnt?.

Lucy of Blackfoot, ID September 26, 2009

On Sept 20th of this year I went to a green dot machine and inserted 200 to add funds to my green dot debit master card and the machine excepted the funds. When I went to use the card it was declined several times. I tried calling the customer service line, when asked to enter my account number my call was disconnected every time. On Monday I finally reached someone under to report a lost or stolen card, they gave me another number to call.

When I finally reached someone they told me that I would have to purchase a new card for the money on the old card to be transfered into. I did purchase the new card on Wednesday and called them back they told me that the receipt for the old card would have to process overnight and to call back the following day. I did call the following day which was Thursday and they told that they would transfer the funds and would be available Friday.

On Friday again there was no funds available, so i called again and spoke with Edwin he told me that he would get it taken care of, and again i was told the funds would be available the next day (Saturday). Checked again on Saturday, and again no funds available, so I called again. I spoke again with Edwin and he said that they were unable to transfer funds from my old account to the new on, and would only refund the 195.05 back to me. I told him that they should have told me this from the very beginning and not had made me purchase a new card. I also told them I wanted a full refund back because the cards were purchased for the reason to be used right away.

Latosha of Auburn, AL September 23, 2009

I used my Walmrt Green Dot card to purcahse a Airline ticket and had just walked out loading the card for the amount of the ticket and the card was swiped at least 3-4 times. I have a fmaily emergency to make. I submitted the card info. on 9/18/09 only to find out that Hotwire.com does not except theses types of cards. Getting the run around with the people on the back of the card. Delta airlines faxed the GREEN DOT PROCESSING DEPT. with the Green Dot and they have yet to get there sorry behinds and locate a document stating they have not received or collected on the 338.99 from the acct. NOone on the back of the back of the card seems to know which way is what. Spoke with about 20 people with a Delta/ hot wire agent to the Walmart Money card and have all sorts of confirmations and noone absolutely nonone can get this resolved.

Jack of Yonkers, NY September 16, 2009

No Monthly Charge(bold) in any month you make 30 purchases or more, otherwise only 5.95 per month.5 That is false advertisemnt, stating NO MONTHLY CHARGE, then stating otherwise 5.95 monthly charge. Misguiding info, not kosher check the link for yourself, BOLD NO MONTHLY CHARGE

Babatunde of Lakelamd, FL July 8, 2009

Nobody is available to talk to about my account. I bought one of their temporary Credit cards, f0r 100. with 10 service cost. I have not used this card at any time. They told me that I would receive a ad with my balance to be used as visa in any transaction. They have not sent me any cad and could not get any working number for this Corporation. I need to get my money back.It has been about two years since I bought the card in one of the CVS stores in Florida. I have lost the Number on the card since I bought, I could not even get anyone to talk to.

Kaitlyn of Lawrenceville, IL December 4, 2008

My husband and I loaded a prepaid Green Dot card from Walmart with money for our monthly bills. We purchased the card with no problem and loaded it with money with no issues, either. Once we tried to use the money on the card, however, the transaction was declined. We called to see what the problem was and were informed that because my married name did not match my maiden name on my social security card, they had put a hold on our account, and we would be unable to use the funds on the card until we faxed in information to verify my identity. My husband went to the social security office, the closest one being a 20 minute drive, and had my name officially changed on the card (I couldn't go because I worked the same hours that the office was open), even though the U.S. government had already issued me a passport and driver's license with my married name with no problem. The social security office let me know it would be two weeks before my new card arrived. Until it did, we had no way to pay our bills because the Green Dot company refused to refund our money.

I then called to let the Green Dot company know that I had legally changed my name and wouldn't receive the card for a few weeks, and would there be any way to fax other identifying information to unblock my card? I was told, after a very long wait on hold (it actually COSTS 2.00 each time you call to talk to a costumer service representative at Green Dot, and they had no problem debiting fees off my card even though I wasn't allowed to use it) I was informed if I faxed my driver's license and marriage license, they would take the hold off, they didn't need the social security card. So I gathered the needed information and headed in to town to send the fax. I even faxed a copy of my passport and birth certificate along with the driver's and marriage licenses just to be safe. Once the fax went through on my end, I called to be sure they received it. I spoke to a representative who put me on hold three times because they had "an overwhelming number of faxes" to search through. Finally, he came back to the phone to let me know he had found it, but the only thing missing was my social security card. I tried to keep my calm and tell the man, who was not the same person I talked to earlier, that I had just called and was told I didn't need to send my social security card, and I couldn't for another few weeks.

He just kept repeating to me that he had to have the social security card and hardly acknowledged the fact that I had just been told I didn't need it. If I had known I needed it, I would not have taken the trouble of faxing the information. I could not convince him that the other representative told me opposite information, and he didn't seem the least bit sorry. I still am trying to get the money, but I am not sure that even sending the social security card, when it comes, will be enough. I feel this company is being unlawful.

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