NETSPEND/META BANK continues on their same path
Unusual responses to consumers complaints indicate that Ripped OFF may actually be a website created by META BANK since at some points they offer their services that are in other names, but basically the same banking service for which the consumer is complaining at that very moment. Odd placement or intentional???? HERE IS THE INITIAL COMPLAINTS TITLE:
NETSPEND ALL ACCESS DEBIT CARD METABANK false terms when applying for card, no way any one can afford these fees! Internet [ This is what the real consumer said]
*Consumer Suggestion…Fees are stated clearly [“Fees are stated clearly” sounds like we are talking to the bank itself, doesn’t it? Reading on only confirms that.]
[ This is where I found the consumer’s response to be rather odd. It reads more like bank publicity. On the other hand, it is also similar to complaints that customers have expressed that META BANK/NETSPEND only pushes blame for problems back off onto the consumer rather than addressing the problem and correcting it.]
Author: myers flat California
Online banking: NETSPEND ALL ACCESS DEBIT CARD [ ONLINE is problematic for banking and especially if banking is initiated with an unknown and anonymous bank such as META BANK]
Internet
THE BETTER WAY TO BANK [ Think carefully here]
Get Your Own NetSpend Visa® or MasterCard® Prepaid Debit Card! [ This is a bad idea]
No Credit Check. You’re guaranteed approval.1 [ WHY??? This is part of the set up of the bank’s scam]
No credit card debt or late fees.[ no added debt and no fees??? It looks that way, doesn’t it?]
It’s a smarter way to manage your money. [ This is what NETSPEND META BANK says but this is publicity. PREPAID BANK CARDS are not good for consumers, but a great way for banks to make lots of money.]
1 The USA PATRIOT Act is a Federal law that requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. You will be asked to provide your name, address, date of birth, and other information that will allow us to identify you. You may also be asked to provide documentation as proof of identification. Approval of your request for a NetSpend Prepaid Debit Card requires passing our identification verification process.
[…. I provided all of this information,. Meta Bank sent me a cash out check to my address at one point. I went in to reload my card wasn’t told that they wouldn’t be able to reload my card for what actually turned out to be a lie anyway, but META BANK took my cash money anyway. How is that legal??? Oh, it isn’t legal; it is a scam. Just because you haven’t been scammed yet, doesn’t mean that you won’t be scammed in the future by META BANK … interfering with those people who are complaining and trying to minimize their complaints as they seek changes that will help all of the general public isn’t helpful. Please consider the fact that if you haven’t been scammed yet and if you can’t image how the scam works that you are for the moment lucky.]
2 Faster access to funds is based on comparison of traditional banking policies versus electronic direct deposit.
[ This is how the prepaid card didn’t work properly. I couldn’t access my own money; that isn’t written into the contract. If it was clearly stated as being such the partner company wouldn’t have signed on to it because it isn’t good business.]
3 NetSpend Payback Rewards is an optional program. You may opt-out at any time by visiting your NetSpend Payback Rewards Summary Page at http://www.netspend.com. The reward offers we choose and send to you are based on your shopping habits.
[ The rewards are designed to get consumers to spend more and perhaps not wisely…. this is being implied, of course, but the more you spend, the more you get as a reward. This isn’t interest. ]
NetSpend will not share any personal information about you with the merchants who sponsor offers. When you activate an offer and make a purchase with the card, the merchant will not know you are a NetSpend Payback Rewards customer, but you will become their customer. For more details about how and when you get rewarded, see the NetSpend Payback Rewards FAQs and the Program Terms and Conditions. [ We are being asked to read yet more fine print at some other link.] Cash back rewards are credited to your account and not available in the form of a check or other direct payment method.
4 Rewards are paid if a referred cardholder activates a new card and funds it with a total of at least $40.00. Rewards are not paid if the referred cardholder has at any time had a NetSpend card; cardholder status will be verified by NetSpend.[ Oh so this NETSPEND is really a gimmick to get friends to refer others to this program by saying what a great program NETSPEND is. That makes it a real scam and also a fraud.] The number of referral rewards a participant may receive is not limited, however, participants are solely responsible for determining any tax liability arising from this offer.[ Tax liability??? We would need to consult with a tax layer and an economist to decipher if this action would become a tax liability or not for us…. What is clear about this offer???] Offer void where prohibited by law.
NetSpend Visa and MasterCard Prepaid Debit Cards are issued by Inter National Bank, and MetaBankTM, Member FDIC; please see back of your card for its issuing bank. Cards ordered through this site are issued by MetaBankTM. NetSpend is an authorized Independent Sales Organization of Inter National Bank, and MetaBank. Use of card subject to funds availability. Transaction fees, terms, and conditions apply. See Cardholder Agreement for complete details.[Now where would those be clearly stated?]
MasterCard and the MasterCard brand mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. NetSpend, NetSpend Premier, Anytime Alerts, Pay-As-You-Go, and FeeAdvantage are service marks of NetSpend Corporation. [ This trademark “MASTERCARD” means nothing as far as being a way to protect consumers from the poor banking services found within META BANK]
All other trademarks and service marks belong to their respective owners. [ But this means nothing as far as consumer protections go.]
NetSpend.com — ©2011 NetSpend Corporation
NETSPEND ALL ACCESS DEBIT CARD METABANK false terms when applying for card, no way any one can afford these fees! Internet
[This was the title above given by one person who wrote a complaint at Ripped OFF]
*Consumer Suggestion: Fees are stated clearly [ THE NETSPEND FEES ARE AS CLEAR AS MUD!!! SEE BELOW!! Why would another bonafide customer write in to defend NETSPEND Or META BANK. As consumers we have been abused enough already by META BANK’s policies. Why then would a genuine customer not see that they could also be taken advantage of in the future? Is this actually another customer who is writing in response to this complaint? I doubt it!!!]
NetSpend Prepaid Visa Debit Card deceives hard working individuals!t Tansaction fees online or at register for all purposes plus a reload fee, and now a monthly fee! No one in their right mind would throw money away at a bloated tick of a company for transaction fees.
THE BETTER WAY TO BANK [Opinion, and one that I do not share with NETSPEND]
Get Your Own NetSpend Visa® or MasterCard® Prepaid Debit Card!
No Credit Check. You’re guaranteed approval.1 [WHY????]
No credit card debt or late fees. [ Really or is this just to hook in customers???]
It’s a smarter way to manage your money.[Opinion, there’s not mine]
[And now we have also read the fine print at the bottom of the NETSPEND online promotion page, the promo specifically says that there aren’t any credit card debt or late fees…. What is in this promotion that would lead a consumer to believe that there will be associated fees with their NETSPEND VISA PREPAID card?????]
[These links appear at the bottom of the NETSPEND PAGE, but the consumer has been told three basic facts by which they perceive whatever follows. Those three facts are: ( I question though if these are facts or publicity)]
No Credit Check. You’re guaranteed approval.1
No credit card debt or late fees.
It’s a smarter way to manage your money.
Criterion for the Examination of these documents:
Is there going to be anything in the following pages that negates those three first promises that sound like they must be contractually binding? Which one would a consumer begin with that appears below?
+++
Since the consumer had written in to complain about unexpected fees, I selected “What it costs” in spite of the fact that as a potential customer consumer I have just read that is “NO CREDIT CARD DEBT OR LATE FEES”
How It Works
What it Costs
Adding Money
Direct Deposit
Reload Locations
Using Your Card
Managing Your Money
Upgrade to NetSpend Premier®
Why NetSpend
Powerful Tools
Customize Your Card
Refer-a-Friend
NetSpend Payback RewardsTM
Prescription Savings
Anytime AlertsTM
See What Our Cardholders Say
About NetSpend
Executive Team
Press Releases
Partner with NetSpend
Jobs
Investor Relations
Contact Us
Help
Contact Us
Frequently Asked Questions
Privacy and Security Center
Privacy Policy
WHAT IT COSTS
Pay no interest charges or late fees!
We’ve created three great plans, targeted to the way you use your card, with no surprises.
Please note: These fees apply to new NetSpend Prepaid Debit Cards requested through this Web site. The fees associated with other cards currently used by our cardholders may be different. To see the fees associated with your card account, log in to the online Account Center.
Three Purchase Plan Options:
Pay-As-You-GoSM Plan
FeeAdvantageTM Plan
NetSpend Premier® FeeAdvantageTM Plan [Premier??? “Fee ADvantage ” this is nothing but publicity]
Cost to Open Account
None
None
None
Monthly Fee
None
$9.95
$5.00
Signature Purchase Transaction Fee*
$1.00 each
Included in Plan
Included in Plan
PIN Purchase Transaction Fee*
$2.00 each
Included in Plan
Included in Plan
Helpful Tip [As if the details aren’t already complicated enough, there is now a helpful hint, or rather another link to click on. By clicking on yet another link, will that distract the consumer or will it actually help to enlighten the potential consumer?]
* During checkout, select ‘Credit’ on the keypad to make a Signature Purchase, or select ‘Debit’ and enter your PIN to make a PIN purchase. [ This sounds so complicated. Why wouldn’t I simply choose to pay in cash??? which has no conditions nor terms attached to it. The print is getting tinier from something that is already far too tiny…. Oh that was “the helpful hint”…. That is really confusing!!!!]
Withdraw Cash (see our tip on how to avoid ATM fees below) [ Where and how?]
Domestic ATM Cash Withdrawal
$2.50 per withdrawal, plus ATM owner fees, if any.
International ATM Cash Withdrawal
$4.95 per withdrawal, plus ATM owner fees, if any.
ATM Transaction Decline Fee
$1.00 each
Helpful Tip [ yet another link to take the potential consumer away from the page, to change focus, but what information is the most important information for the potential consumer to focus in on. . . . We all live such busy lives and have so many demands on our time… the links may or may not have helpful information.]
To avoid ATM fees: Select ‘Debit’ and enter your PIN to get cash back when making purchases at many retailers, such as grocery stores. [Above it says to select Credit at the helpful hint and then click Debit for some other reason, but how can we remember when, how, why and where since there are so many details… Using real cash is easier.]
Add Money To Your Account
Direct Deposit [ Consumers do not want to have a direct deposit attached to any account managed by META BANK nor any prepaid bank card]
No Fee
Add cash or checks at a NetSpend Reload Network location
Fee will vary. Fee determined by location. [ By using cash or checks customers are punished at META BANK. This is just a gimmick that gives META BANK control, far too much control over your wages. ]
Instant Bank Transfer
$3.95 per $99 (deducted from the transferor’s debit card account).
Bank Transfer
No fee; transfer fees from the originating bank may apply.
Account-to-Account Transfer via website or text message
No fee; standard text message rates may apply. [ This is already too complicated. I cannot recommend such a complicated service.]
Account-to-Account Transfer via Toll-Free Number Customer Service agent
$4.95 each
Manage Your Account
Online Account Center
No Fee
Mobile Phone Anytime AlertsTM
No fee; standard text message rates may apply.[ May apply, but do they apply?]
Telephone Access Customer Service
No fee, except when making a balance inquiry (see below).
Balance Inquiry
No fee online
No fee via Anytime Alerts text or e-mail message
$0.50 each via Toll-Free Number automated service
$0.50 each via Toll-Free Number Customer Service agent
$0.50 each via ATM
Foreign Currency Conversion Fee
3.5% of the transaction amount
Check or Additional Statement Mailing Fee
$5.95 each
Additional Card Fee
$9.95 each
Lost, Stolen or Damaged Card Replacement Fee
$9.95 each
Account Maintenance Fee
$5.95 per month (fee applies if Card Account has not had any activity, that is, no purchases; no cash withdrawals; no load transactions; or no balance inquiry fee for 90 days). This fee is not applicable to residents of Connecticut and New Jersey.
Pay Bills
Bill Payment Fee
In addition to the one or more no-cost bill payment methods made available through third-party service providers, you can see a full range of options and applicable fees in your online Account Center.
Stop Payment Fee for Preauthorized Payment
$10.00 each
Optional Features
Custom Card
$4.95 per custom card
Refunds are at par. ATM withdrawals may be subject to varying daily limits at the ATM owner’s discretion.
[ I can’t see any details to recommend NETSPEND. I find their website pages confusing.]
[Next I selected Frequently Asked Questions, and here is what I found:]
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We try to explain our services as clearly and simply as possible, but we know that financial terms can sometimes be confusing. We’ve created a list of frequently asked questions to help explain things.
Of course, if you still have a question, please contact us.
Getting Started
Q: How do I get a NetSpend card?
A: Fill out a quick online order form and we’ll ship you a card! There’s no credit check and no upfront fees. To activate your card, you will be required to provide your name, street address, date of birth and other information that will allow NetSpend to identify you. NetSpend must collect this information in accordance with The USA PATRIOT Act, a Federal law that requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.
[I gave META BANK all of the required contact information, but they said that I hadn’t. How did they mail me the cash out check for the PREPAID TRAVEL CARD then? That cashed check is in their records with my mailing address on it. Do you really still want to do business with this same bank??? Why??]
Q: How long does it take to receive my NetSpend card in the mail?
A: You should receive your card approximately 7 to 10 business days after you place your order. If you do not receive your card within 10 business days, call Customer Service at 1-866-930-9924. [ Then look to see if the contact number is the same on the card as it is on this page.]
Q: What do I do when I receive my card in the mail?
A: When your card arrives, simply activate it. Follow the printed activation instructions that arrive with your card. [ How will NETSPEND serve you as the consumer customer? Will they tell you that your card is activated and loaded, but not really load it as they did for me and others? Why bank with anonymous online banks?]
Q: How much does it cost to order a NetSpend card?
A: There is absolutely no cost to order and activate a NetSpend card. Once you activate the card, you may choose from our selection of fee plans. To view the fee plans and other costs associated with using the card, see our fee schedule. [ A link to another page. This adds to the confusion to have to keep going from page to page via electronic links. “TOS” isn’t on the list of services offered.]
Adding Money (back to top)
Q: How do I add money to my NetSpend card account?
A: Choose from several ways to add money to your NetSpend card:
Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit is the easy and free way to add your paycheck or government benefits check to a NetSpend Prepaid Debit Card. Learn more [ Direct Deposit is a terrible idea for consumers; it gives all control of your income to an unknown entity such as NETSPEND/META BANK… why do this??? You realize that the direct deposit to an account associated with a PREPAID BANK CARD given to a person with no credit history is also the creation of a form of economic servitude, slavery. Do you want to be a work slave to an unknown corporate entity that will run your life???? Is that your personal goal and intent for your life to become a slave to someone else??? Why????]
NetSpend Reload Network Locations. There are more than 100,000 convenient locations in the U.S. where you can add money to your card account. Our Reload Center locator helps you find the lowest-cost locations nearest to you. Learn more.[ Complaints have been logged in about META BANKs reload stations and that they don’t actually exist in as great a number as the consumer has been lead to believe.]
Bank Transfers. Add money from virtually any U.S.-issued bank account. If you have a checking or savings account or a bank debit card, use it to add money to your NetSpend card account. Log in to learn more.
PayPal®. Use PayPal to add money to your card for FREE. Transferring funds to a NetSpend Prepaid Card is easy and FREE when you use PayPal. Log in to learn more.
Transfer Money Between NetSpend Card Accounts. It’s simple to transfer money from one NetSpend card account to another.Log in to learn more.
Tax Refunds. Tell the IRS to electronically deposit your refund directly to your NetSpend card account. Learn more.
NetSpend Reload Packs. This method is convenient for adding money when your card is not with you. NetSpend Reload Packs are available at many retail locations. Log in to learn more.
[Why get involved as a consumer in such a complicated plan??? This plan doesn’t really address consumer’s needs. In the segments above, you are being constantly re-directed to another page. This is actually adding to the confusion for the consumer.]
Q: How do I enroll in free Direct Deposit?
A: Enrolling in Direct Deposit is easy, no matter where the deposit is coming from. [ This is a real benefit for the META BANK/NETSPEND, but not a good idea for the consumer in the way that META BANK/NETSPEND abuses this income to them.]
Paychecks. All or part of your paycheck can be directly deposited to your card account. You will need to provide your employer a bank routing number (sometimes referred to as the ‘ABA Routing Number’) and your card account number. Learn how to get your bank routing number and card account number here. [ Is the ABA number like the “TOS”?… you know part of our everyday vocabulary]
Government Benefits Checks. The NetSpend BenefitsExpress feature makes it easy to set up Direct Deposit of government benefits like Social Security, SSI, SSDI or VA compensation. Existing cardholders can log in to the online Account Center to enroll.
Tax Refunds. Get your Federal and State tax refunds faster than you would by mail. Just have them electronically deposited directly into your NetSpend card account.
[Some of the complaints about META BANK have been related to their abuse of these direct deposits. Using a direct deposit takes away the consumer’s control of their own money and hands it over to unknown people who are strangers operating META BANK’s NETSPEND. Previous customers have complained frequently about META BANK and NETSPEND’s manner of operating and how they treat their customers. Please be forewarned and do not choose this service nor deal with META BANK nor with NETSPEND. Far too many complaints have been logged against both entities. Why put yourself or your family in this kind of situation when you can avoid it???]
Q: How do I find my routing number and account number for Direct Deposit?
A: Find your routing number and account number in a number of ways.
Log in to the online Account Center. From the main menu, select ‘Add/Manage Money’ and then ‘Direct Deposit.’ The account information required to sign up for Direct Deposit will appear in the grey box on the right side of the screen.
If you enrolled in Anytime AlertsTM, text DIRECT to 22622. NetSpend will text you the routing number and account number.
Call 1-866-387-7363 and select the option for Other Services to get your Direct Deposit information.
If you don’t have a NetSpend card and would like to sign up for free Direct Deposit, your first step is to order a NetSpend card. When you receive the card in the mail, it comes with Direct Deposit sign-up instructions, including how to get the routing and account numbers. [ This is far too complicated and impersonal.]
Q: Which government benefits can I have direct deposited into my NetSpend card account?
Any of the following:
Social Security payments
Pension and other regular payments
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Veterans Administration Compensation and Pension
Railroad Retirement Benefits (RRB)
Defense Finance and Accounting Service Payments (DFAS)
State unemployment benefits (varies by state)
[Once you have any of these funds directly deposited into an account managed by META BANK into your NETSPEND PREPAID ACCOUNT, you give up all control of your own money to an anonymous entity. META BANK is unfriendly to their own customers. META BANK lies to their customers and redoes the rules all of the time without notice, which is written in someplace at one of the many links provided, but at which link was that again? Oh, that too is part of the plan…. it is just far too complicated and that is intentional. Do not have any regular income directly deposited into a NETSPEND META BANK managed account. META BANK has a very bad reputation.]
Q: When will my Direct Deposit be available?
A: NetSpend gives you access to your money as soon as the funds are electronically deposited to your card account – that’s up to 2 days faster than you’d expect. Please note, your card account must be active (that is, a purchase, load, or cash withdrawal has occurred, or a balance inquiry fee was incurred over a 90-day period) and in good standing in order for electronic direct deposits to be credited to your card account. Processing of a direct deposit requires that the name associated with the direct deposit be the same as the name associated with the card account. Card load limits apply. Faster access to funds is based on comparison of traditional banking policies versus electronic direct deposit.[ Your card must be active, i.e. have more money added to it, money with drawn or made a cash purchase and in good standing… and in good standing, but how is “IN GOOD STANDING” determined and how is this aspect of the account usually mediated?]
Q: How do I deposit my tax refund in my NetSpend account?
A: When you have your tax refund directly deposited to your card account, you don’t have to wait for a paper check. That means you’ll get your refund faster. Bring your Routing Number and Account Number to your tax preparer, or if you’re filling out your own taxes, indicate them in the designated sections. [Immediate gratification?? How quickly does the customer need that money that they would give over the control of their own money to an anonymous online entity? Direct Deposits of any money into one of these PREPAID BANK CARDS has been one of the problematic areas that consumers have complained about in the past. Be warned, as consumers!!!]
Q: Where is the lowest-cost reload location nearest to me?
A: Some locations may not charge a fee, but others may. Load fees vary from zero to $4.95. Find the lowest-cost NetSpend Reload Network location nearest to you. [Some locations charge the customer for taking their money and holding it from them. It is the bank that gets interest free use of the consumer’s money. The terms of this agreement are very one sided.]
Using Your Card Account (back to top)
Q: How do I check my account balance?
A: To check your balance for free, log in to your online Account Center, where you can see your balance, your deposits and transaction history. Or, sign up for Anytime AlertsTM to receive a text message including your card account balance, after every transaction. After you’ve signed up for Anytime Alerts, text the letters ‘BAL’ to 22622 anytime, and your account balance will be sent to your mobile phone. You can also check your balance for a $0.50 fee by calling our toll-free number 1-866-387-7363 or when making the inquiry at a participating ATM located in the U.S. [ You will be charged fifty cents for phoning in to ask what your balance is . . . This implies to me as a consumer that the regulations established by the bank are created so that if a customer is having difficulties with the “ONLINE” bank that this anonymous entity will not be present to deal with the consumer’s problem at 50 cents a phone call just to get a bank balance for their own money…. This is a corporate scam when the corporate entity can send the consumer alerts, but for the dialogue to go both ways and for the consumer to be heard, the consumer must pay extra]
Q: What can I buy with my NetSpend card?
A: With a NetSpend Prepaid Debit Card, you can make purchases at stores, over the phone and online. Use it anywhere Debit MasterCard and Visa debit cards are accepted. Withdraw cash at ATMs worldwide. Pay bills, rent and other necessities. (Fees may apply.) Learn more.[ Oh no, another link to click making this whole process even more complicated in trying to find clear information. The potential customer must switch between pages to try to get a clear picture of what these PREPAID NETSPEND CARDS are all about and how they work. . . . It appears as if the NETWORK BRANDED PREPAID CARD ASSOCIATION is the one organization who has established all of the rules for their own gain because none of these rules address a customer’s lived experience.]
Q: What is the maximum amount I can spend each day?
A: To comply with federal regulations, there are limits affecting how much money can be loaded, withdrawn and spent by each cardholder.
The maximum amount you can spend or withdraw at a time varies by type of transaction. Use this chart to determine the limits.
Type
Limit
Purchase Transactions
$4,999.99 every 24 hours
Over-the-counter Cash Withdrawals
$4,999.99 every 24 hours
ATM Cash Withdrawals
$325.00 per withdrawal, $940.00 per day, up to 6 per 24 hours
[Is that the chart??? META BANK will not allow you to buy a couch or major household purchase using the PREPAID BANK CARD. YOU can only use the card that has your money on it for a limited number of uses. This is not the card to travel using, and yet travel is the only real use that I can see for a card like this, but the card fails in that area.]
Q: Can I use my card at ATMs?
A: You can use your card to withdraw cash at virtually any ATM. NetSpend charges a fee of $2.50 for this convenience, plus the ATM owner will charge a fee.
[ ANY ATM AT ALL??? Really? And for perhaps two fees??? Where exactly are the NETSPEND ATMs located? Will they always be there?… This is far too complicated. What need is PREPAID NETSPEND CARD really addressing for the consumer/customer?]
Q: Can I send money to another NetSpend account?
A: You can easily transfer money to another NetSpend account online or via your mobile phone for free. Log in to learn more.[ And yet we must go to another place to find out how we can move money from our NETSPEND ACCOUNT into one of their other controlled NETSPEND PREPAID CARD.]
Q: Why is there a hold on my money?
A: Gas stations, hotels and car rental agencies frequently preauthorize a transaction, which means they place a hold on your card until they know the final amount owed. Here are some common situations when an authorization hold will apply if you use your NetSpend card.[ This is so complicated. Why would anyone try to make their lives even more complicated? How does all of this make lives easier and better for the customer/consumer? I can’t find any monetary advantages to the PREPAID NETSPEND CARD at all. What follows indicates that NETSPEND PREPAID CARDS has many potential areas where the consumer can be taken advantage of by METABANK’s NETSPEND CARD.]
Using a NetSpend card to pay for gas at the pump. You choose to pay for gas at the pump using your NetSpend card. Let’s say you fill your gas tank with $35.00 worth of gas. The gas station, however, will place a temporary authorization hold in the amount of $75.00. Three days later, the gas station settles the transaction for only the actual amount of the gas purchased. That means the additional funds that were being held will be released back to the card, thus making those funds ($40.00) available to you. [You the consumer must wait three days to get back $40 you didn’t spend and given NETSPEND/METABANK’S track record, there isn’t any guarantee that you will get the $40 back. Your own money is being kept from you. This is because you are using a PREPAID BANK CARD that you may have your money held from you. It says here that is their intention.]
Note: you can avoid the authorization hold by paying with a NetSpend card at the cashier inside the gas station instead of paying at the pump. [ You can’t pay for gas at the pump. You must take the NETSPEND PREPAID Bank card and wait in line to pay for gasoline. Is this then an advantage to you as a consumer to pay using a prepaid bank card over cash? I haven’t found any pluses to using the NETSPEND CARD…. absolutely none!!!!]
Using a NetSpend card to pay for a car rental. You can use a NetSpend card at car rental agencies that accept prepaid cards. However, they usually require a deposit of 15 percent more than the cost of renting the car. The rental agency will put an extra hold on the account for that amount of money and the hold could last for a couple of weeks. We suggest that you call the car rental agency to inquire about how much they require for a standard deposit if paying with a prepaid card and how long a typical authorization hold on a prepaid card will last.[ Why would a customer want to have extra travel money tied up which they can’t access? This is not giving the customer a needed service. The implication is that META BANK intends to short the car rental agency by 15% of their profit so this will be passed off onto the consumer….. This is your warning!!! … Why would there be a 15% hold fee of any kind if the card is PREPAID as it is advertised??? This is illogical.]
Using a NetSpend card to pay for a hotel room You can use a NetSpend card at select hotels that accept prepaid cards to make a room reservation. [The card will be useless if the bank doesn’t actually load your card even when they have your cash money in their possession.]
However, you should expect the hotel to place a hold on your card. The hold will cover the hotel room rate plus an additional 15 percent, and the funds will be held until the hotel settles the transaction. A typical hotel authorization hold could be released the day of checkout, or the hold could take up to several weeks to be settled and released. We suggest that you call the hotel to inquire how much a typical authorization hold is for hotel rooms if paying with a prepaid card, and how long a typical authorization hold on a prepaid card will last.[ Some places simply will not do business with META BANK. They say they will not take the META BANK/NETSPEND CARD. This implies that META BANK is also working another scam at the other end of the transaction. … I also note that the print used by NETSPEND is faint; it isn’t a black or a blue ink. I know that the eyesight of many people wouldn’t be able to read this page. … When one traveler couldn’t get any merchant to accept his META BANK PREPAID CARD, he tried to phone the number on the card from Europe. No one answered that number in spite of his many attempts to phone them. When he got back to the USA and phoned them, META BANK Representatives told him that he hadn’t used the card properly. I note again that this META BANK customer had been told repeatedly by merchants that they simply wouldn’t take that kind of bank card in the European Union. Why did META BANK push the blame off onto the consumer? Other than that is what META BANK does rather than resolve problems, META BANK/NETSPEND’s complaints indicate that META BANK fails their customers regarding service related issues time and time again.]
Q: What do I do if my card is lost or stolen?
A: You should immediately contact Customer Service via our toll-free number, 1-866-387-7363. Or, you can log in to the online Account Center to report your card lost or stolen. From the main menu, select ‘My Account’, ‘My Prepaid Cards’ and then ‘Report Card Lost/Stolen’. You will also be able to order a new card. [ META BANK told me that they didn’t put money on my prepaid card because it may have been stolen. I hadn’t reported it as having been stolen. I had ask that they load my prepaid bank card, but instead META BANK held onto my money and made it impossible for me to access my own money. This is a scam that METABANK NETSPEND has pushed off onto far too many people.]
Q: I need to pay a bill immediately. What are my options?
A: The easiest way to pay a bill immediately is to call your biller and pay over the phone using your NetSpend card number if that option is available. NetSpend also offers the MoneyGram® ExpressPayment® Service for a fee. Log in to the Account Center for more details. [ What is wrong with paying in cash? That is right, the bank won’t get their free interest if all consumers began to use cash]
Q: I need to transfer money to someone immediately. What are my options?
A: Transfer money from your card to family members or friends who also have NetSpend cards. The two most popular ways to do this are in the online Account Center or by text message. Log in to the online Account Center to learn more. [Fees are potentially attached to using text messages to do this. There are already far too many rules and potential loop holes that any given bank representative may interpret in anyway that they choose.]
Q: How do I transfer money to my NetSpend National Savings account?
A: Log in to the online Account Center to transfer money between your NetSpend card account and your NetSpend National Savings account. [ Has the consumer signed up for a prepaid bank card or are we now talking about opening up a genuine Savings Account at NETSPEND? This isn’t clear.]
Q: Can I get a loan or a payday advance from NetSpend?
A: No. Loans or payday advance loans are not available from NetSpend. However, you can deposit loan proceeds from other companies into your NetSpend account, just like with a bank account.
[Please note that a PREPAID BANK CARD is not a savings account. NETSPEND and METABANK have consistently locked accounts and kept customers from being able to access their own money…. This didn’t happen with savings accounts, before computers. The amount was entered into the pass book and the bank puts a stamp next to the amount to verify the transaction. That kind of hard copy is harder for banks to change. Banks are simply taking advantage of the computer age to gave an economic advantage where in the past the consumer had some guarantees. It is greedy banks that are pushing the limits and ruining our economy at the same time. META BANK indicates that they are the “Leaders” in this kind of practice. This is nothing more than a major scam of the American people.]
Q: How do I dispute a charge from a merchant?
A: Contact Customer Service via our toll-free number 1-866-387-7363 or quickly and easily file an online dispute.
Log in to the online Account Center to get started.
From the main menu, select ‘Help’ and then ‘File a Dispute’ to start the dispute process.
You will need your PIN to access this online service.
[This seems complicated because it is complicated. If the customer had simply paid in cash at the moment of service then the issue would have been resolved immediately.]
Q: How do I close my NetSpend card account?
A: The easiest way to do this is to withdraw your money at an ATM. [ Some consumer complaints have indicated problems with doing this.] You can also request the funds be sent to you via check (mailed within 3 or 4 weeks). There is a $5.95 fee for receiving a check. To do this, call us at 1-866-930-9924, or log in to the online Account Center to close your account. [ Please note that by using a PREPAID BANK CARD that you are giving NETSPEND full control of your assets or income. NETSPEND/META BANK gets interest free use of your money and then charges fees, such as a $5.95 fee for receiving a check… This is a major scam.]
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NetSpend Prepaid Visa Debit Card deceives hard working individuals!t Tansaction fees online or at register for all purposes plus a reload fee, and now a monthly fee! No one in their right mind would throw money away at a bloated tick of a company for transaction fees.
#1 Consumer Comment
Read the TOS very clearly [TOS???? The consumer must read the “TOS” clearly, but the bank doesn’t have to write them clearly; yes that is what it says here.]
AUTHOR: Me And My Mom – Trenton (USA) [ How nice that you and your mom haven’t had any problems with this same card!!! ]
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, November 24, 2009
I am a customer of MetaBank and I find it absurd that you would criticize a company that clearly outlines all fee’s associated with using their cards, in their Terms Of Service (Better known as the TOS Agreement). [ I don’t think that the person who wrote in a comment to this one complaint has any form of normal compassion from what I read in the next paragraph. Oh by the way, the complaints have been that META BANK makes and breaks their own rules to their own advantage. They operate more like gangsters who force people to pay in various ways by rules that are ever changing. “TOS” how many Americans bandy about the term “TOS” in their daily lives …. this gives me a great idea for the next board game that I create.]
You didn’t have to sign up. But obviously you did. You didn’t have to activate the card. But obviously you did. You certainly NEVER had to put money on it, and use it. But it’s very obvious that you did just that.
Then why did you complain about something you set yourself up for?
If you read the contract it clearly explains that if you have direct deposit on a regular basis (like we do) then there is no fee’s on alot of things. Check it out for yourself. They also refund the 9.95 First time fee for opening the account. [ On what things for example is there no fee for certain? I read that there were lots of gray areas where there might be a fee or not. Many links …too many links .. made all of the information just confusing.]
I have been using them since Jan 2009 and have had NO problem with any of their charges. Because I kept a mental note of what costs what and watched what I did. [ A mental note??? Wow and that mental note happened to match up with what NETSPEND/META BANK told you later. This is amazing luck giventhe shear number of complaints against META BANK/NETSPEND.]
For example, If you use credit instead of debit at a merchant, there is NO TRANSACTION FEE. [ Now on which of the three options or more did it work that way. Then in the information it said that on some circumstances use DEBIT over CREDIT; this is far too complicated for the average person. Please note that your experience is the exception and not the norm for the average person.]
If you take cash back at a Merchant versus going to an ATM machine, you save on ATM FEE’S.[ I didn’t see that yet in the several pages that I opened. I don’t see even in what you have suggested any reason why the average person would want this PREPAID NETSPEND BANK CARD BY META BANK. IT is far too complicated and many customers have found it to be unsuited to their actual needs. I am wondering why you felt the need to respond to this consumer’s complaint. What is your personal interest in this topic???]
If you have Direct Deposit you have very few charges anyway.
And I love the fact that you can borrow money, and it comes off your next direct deposit, and then you can do it again. And again. And again. Honestly, if you didn’t have a situation causing you to seek out Pre-Paid Debit card Companies then you wouldn’t be on this board complaining. At least not about MetaBank.
[This rebuttal reads more like an advertisement for NETSPEND by META BANK. AMERICANS need to get themselves out of debt and not in a constant state of taking out loans and borrowing into the future. Direct Deposited accounts have been abused by META BANK. It is in the area of customer service where META BANK/NETSPEND fails miserably. Compassion for those who META BANK has abused either through poor management on their part or by design simply hasn’t existed within any of the long list of consumer complaints.
Now ask yourself this. When your done complaining about something that was staring you in the face (to read TOS) before you signed on the dotted line. What bank can you walk into and open an account with no hassles? And what bank or loan agency can you walk into and it’s open to loans with no questions asked? [ I have yet to see in the list a full TERMS OF SERVICE or as you call them the TOS in the material online presented by NETSPEND/META BANK all in one place nor all on one page. The website for NETSPEND keeps sending the potential consumer all over the place. It is just very confusing. Why don’t you feel any compassion for a person who is trying to warn others away from problems they have found. Now is the time to listen. NETSPEND/META BANK doesn’t hear or actually listen to consumer’s complaints and address them in a realistic way.]
Take your complaint back to the drawing table. This one warrants no futher disscussions. [ Why did this topic grab your attention? What is your personal interest in this? You indicate that you have never had any problems with NETSPEND/META BANK. ]
From a MetaBank Visa User and Loan User
Respond to this report!
What’s this?
#2 Consumer Suggestion
Fees are stated clearly [ Not really stated in anyway that could be remotely interpreted as being clear]
AUTHOR: Travis – (USA)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, November 24, 2009
NetSpend is not deceiving us. They post their fees clearly on their website and with in the terms and conditions.[LOL] People can sign up to pay a monthly fee of 9.95 to waive all of the debit and credit transaction fees, or pay 1.00 for credit or 2.00 for debit transactions. This gives us the freedom to choose which plan we want depending on how much we use the card. The reload fees are something that goes to the location that load the card, direct deposit is always a free option. Of course every financial institution will charge some kind of fees; otherwise they would not be in business.[ True, but we are talking about customer service.]
[I have just examined the pages of the NETSPEND/META BANK publicity. I found many links taking me all over the place. I found misleading information. I found contradicting information. Then, I found your response that lacked empathy and all sympathy for someone who had set out to warn others when they could do nothing else to help themselves. PREPAID DEBIT CARDS aren’t for the benefit of the consumer, but for the benefit of banks and especially banks like META BANK. It is not being kind to suggest that the consumer hasn’t comprehended how the plan works. This is a tactic that META BANK uses on their customers and they have found it to be insensitive and… well they have a long list of descriptors. Whatever made you feel compelled to respond in such a way as to try to minimize the experience of another person as being invalid. (Also, please use grammar checks in addition to spell checks, especially when you are in the process of denigrating another individual)…. You know what I mean.]
___________________
44
11/14/2009
7:54 AM
MetaBank MetaBank Collected $106.00 toward debit card purchases, allowed $25.00 worth of purchases rippedoff $86.00 Salt Lake City, Utah
Author: Chester Virginia
Banks: MetaBank
Utah
45
9/17/2009
11:31 AM
NETSPEND ALL ACCESS DEBIT CARD METABANK, INTER NATIONAL BANK, ALL ACCESS VISA CUSTOMER SERVICE SUCKS Internet
Author: portland Oregon
Banks: NETSPEND ALL ACCESS DEBIT CARD
Internet
46
4/16/2009
2:18 PM
“Money Network” Visa – Metabank, Charged Illegal Balance Check Fees Cordova Tennessee
Author: Bronx New York
Miscellaneous Companies: “Money Network” Visa – Metabank
Tennessee
47
3/27/2009
5:21 PM
Adp Total Pay Card – Money Network – Metabank Cardholder Services wrong fax #, give u the run around, thiefs, outrageous fees Cordova Tennessee
Author: santa maria California
Credit & Debt Services: Adp Total Pay Card – Money Network – Metabank Cardholder Services
Tennessee
48
3/18/2009
9:23 AM
The Only1 Prepaid Visa Card Is Issued By MetaBank Excessive Charges, Can’t access sign-in, Card Declined at $35.00 balance, Phone support charges InternetOnly1® Visa® Prepaid Card Salt Lake City, Utah
Author: Antioch California
Bait-and-Switch: The Only1 Prepaid Visa Card Is Issued By MetaBank [ Yes, this sound more genuine as a title]
Utah
++++
There is every indication that the response to the initial customer complaint was made by an employee of NETSPEND/META BANK, aka “TOS” EXPERT, and within that response is the implication that working for META BANK as an employee involves using intimidation, belittling and perhaps various forms of threats relative to the employee’s job status and security itself. What explanation makes sense otherwise for why they responded to the initial complaint?
This may be one of the saddest entries of them all that the “TOS” EXPERT made at Ripped OFF.
I pity “TOS” EXPERT on one level, but the “TOS” EXPERT has not shown any compassion to the writer of the initial complaint. The “TOS” EXPERTS response is like the response customers get when they actually get to talk to NETSPEND/META BANK Representative.
Pathetic, isn’t it?
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