ATTENTION: GREEN DOT/META BANK – We, the people, have taken note of your actions once again – Be advised to stop immediately and restore the money you owe to these people.
Stop asking Netspend and iAdvance customers to pay up. Use that as a loss because it is.
Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank. You are doing a great disservice to humanity. Below humanity has explained the ways you have abused us. Give back all of the money you owe to these people ! ! !
Pamela of Mckees Rocks , PA November 10, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I got the card to pay my electric bill that was due or it would be shut off
my husband is in charge of the bills and doesnt pay them properly although does not allow me to take it over I give him money to pay the bills monthly.
I work in customer service for a cable company and have always recommended this card for others to pay their cable because I was under the assumption walmart was backing the card. That day I decided to try it to have it as a back up put 299.00 on the card went to register my card they told me my ss couldnt be verified which is rediculous I have a Nursing License and FBI clearances and refused to let me pay my bill
I am a victim of domestic violence my husband will kill me for this. Now my mother in law who paid the bill for me and expected the check her bills are going to bounce for helping me protecting me from her son I am in alot of trouble over this 11-6-2010
[This would be the very kind of customer that Meta Bank has sought out. Meta Bank simply doesn’t care about anyone’s personal circumstances or how their actions may have compounded their customer’s lives and made them more miserable. Meta Bank’s program is in fact designed with their customer’s failure in mind. I have wondered if Meta Bank delights in the suffering of their customers. Compare Meta Bank’s Green Dot ads with what is written here so Meta Bank uses this kind of input to tailor their ads, but not their service to their customers. Meta Bank and Green Dot are one in the same. Meta Bank continues to operate, but frequently shifts their name for the same product. The part where Meta Bank helps to enhance the customer’s problems by tying up a card that has the customer’s own cash money on it and the customer knows there is real cash money on it is where Meta Bank’s actions become a crime. Putting people into further debt or situations where they may owe more bank fees that Meta Bank has caused by manipulating their own internal policies at will is criminal from my perspective. In this case, this woman is also being put into physical harm simply by using the Green Dot prepaid card. The cards, in typical Meta Bank manner, are sold through a local business, but that business knows nothing really about the card. The business may also lose customers over the fact that they sell the Green Dot Pre Paid Card. The fact is that putting cash on a prepaid card is just not a good idea for customers; this is like giving money to a total stranger. My sympathy goes out to this woman. The rest of us need to stop Meta Bank and Green Dot or whatever name Meta Bank is using today.]
Ralph of Pasadena, TX October 22, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
Paid for a $75 Prepaid Visa card and cannot access Funds [ This is theft then. Report it as you would any other crime.]
Elizabeth of chantilly, VA October 14, 2010
I have never had an issue with green dot. i have 6, and i use 6. the activation numbers are ontop of the box that the card came on…. be carefull when you open it so you dont rip that. peel off the sticker and there your temp number….[Why would you have 6 Green Dot cards? How much does each one cost?]
i love green dot, i load my paycheck on it and other nessicary items. ive never had an issue… if you need help or anything email me i can help you.[What makes you think that you have the secret to loading the Green Dot card that no one has?]
****************@yahoo.com [THIS WORKS BECAUSE THIS PERSON IS FEEDING META BANK/GREEN DOT’S HUNGER FOR MORE AND MORE MONEY. THIS PERSON MAY ALSO BE A GREEN DOT/META BANK EMPLOYEE – I would be curious to hear what this person may have to say when they aren’t regularly feeding the beast.] Shame on YOU ! Time will tell though Green Dot/Meta Bank
Conrad of Oxnard , CA October 12, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I bought a $300 pre-paid card to use back in Oct. 1, 2010. I could not get it activated. After registering the card that I bought, they had me wait for a week and said they will just send me a new card with my name on it. I got the card,…it has my name but it also has a different number on it, which of course, is basically a different card. So upon checking the balance on this new card,..it has $0 balance.[I knew this was coming. This is awful.]
I went back to the store where I got the card and said they cannot help me with my problem. I have been calling greendot and so far, all I got was a machine that hangs up the phone automatically. I’ll keep trying ’til I get my money..or a card that works.[Please contact a governmental agency since this is a theft. The place that you bought it should be made aware at the corporate level of this problem so that as many complaints come in they can log all of them.]
BJ of Detroit, MI October 8, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
Purchased a Green Dot Visa Gift Card. I can not get the card activated at all. I do not recommend getting this card at all.
I have yet to reach a live person! [Typical of Meta Bank’s practices. Please follow up on this with a government agency so that Green Dot and the bank that sponsored it are held accountable]
Marianne of Pawcatuck, CT October 6, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
On June 19, 2010 I purchased the Green Dot Mastercard for my teenage daughter so she could use it in Europe in July and I could monitor her spending. I called that day to register the card, then was told to call the next day to order it sent FedEx so my daughter could have it before she left for her trip. We never received it and when I called on July 3rd, I was told they were sorry and they’d issue me a check. I never received that, either.
I called again on August 19th and was told the first check would be stopped and a 2nd check would be sent and I would received it in 7-10 days. Never received that, either. Tonight (October 4th) I just called and was told they were going to FedEx the check to me and I will be receiving it by Oct. 13th.
I’ll definitely be calling again on the 14th if I don’t have it by then, but I would love to call some consumer advocate who can totally go up against this company and get some results.
By the way, when you call the 866 #, you’re calling Eastern Asia which is what they told me tonight. I asked for an American to speak with, but was transferred to another Asian, being told there are no Americans working there. [ Please report this to your state attorney general’s office and to the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, DC. Green Dot is sponsored by Meta Bank and this needs to be cut off at the source. This is a theft.]
crystal of lawrenceville, GA October 1, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased a visa green dot card a put $100 dollars on it a paid a fee of 4.95 for it and tried to activate it and then I was told I would get a refund in 7-10 business days.
I needed this money for someone else and now i cant use the card. It really messed me up.[ Please report this to your state attorney general’s office and to the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, DC]
spring of largo, MD September 1, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased a gree dot visa gold card. Listening to my daughter, it appears that I’am stuck with this card. I tried to activate it no luck. They give you this far fetch # where you only talk to a recording. I put one hundred and thirty five dollars on it. The recording ask for a oersonal profile I’am not intrested in all that suff. I just wanted ot pay a bill which I couldn’t. Now I want to activiate it to get my money back. Please call and leave a message on my phone. I’am in the lab right now, will be out soon. My money is tied up I don’t like that. First time card user and last time. [ Please report this to your state attorney general’s office and to the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, DC. Green Dot took your money and did not provide a service in return; this is called theft.]
scott of Richmond, KY August 28, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
i have had 227.70 stolen from me from greendot, i have called them numerous times to resolve this and nothing has happened, they said on a voice mail that my card was frozen and i asked why, its for a 40dollar reload i got from a jerk in florida for a amazon.com purchase he bought from me, instead of holding the 40 they STOLE all my money, now my electric is shut off cause i couldnt pay the bill cause i got embarrassed when the card was declined, i went to jail because i got twenty in gas on 8-25-10 and couldnt pay it because the card had a freeze,
now what gives these whoever they are–what gives them the right to play god with our money, now i think they should be shut down cause they sure didnt pay my bail, wont pay a reconnection fee for my electric, all they said is 48hrs 48 hrs 48 hrs. everytime i call its the same thing 48hrs,
[ I would have to agree with this entry that Meta Bank/Green Dot has far too much control over our money and this entry gives a far better example of what can and has happened when dealing with unscrupulous banks like Meta Bank who provides the Green Dot ‘nightmare’ prepaid bank card service that is making Meta Bank a lot of money, that is keeping our own money from us when we need it the most and making our lives a living hell. Meta Bank/Green Dot truly needs to be cut off at the source.]
John of Santa Rosa, CA August 27, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
My daughter gave me a green dot visa for my birthday and in trying to activate it, I was asked for my birthdate, social security number, home phone, cell phone, and in all too much personal information. When their voice recognition system wouldn’t understand my name, I was transferred to a call center person (don’t remember his name, but he is somewhere in the middle east, I’m sure). This is a Visa card, yes, but we were not trying to get a real visa, just to use this as a gift card for the $25. Nothing more. This kind of information is personal and I will not give it out in situations like this. I actually gave them a bogus social security number, so that’s safe. [ This is Meta Bank’s way of doing business or of scamming people. Give them cash money as required and they go for the throat to steal a person blind.]
I finally got so enraged that they say they are sending me a check instead of activating the card.[I hope they send you that check.] I see lots of other complaints on the internet. If I see that the card is at any store I will do my best to boycott that store. Life is too short and I’m too old to be messed with like that. Please, please save other people from giving away personal information and getting theirh identities stolen! Put these guys out of business or coerce them to do business differently.[Good advice.]
Sheresa of ACWORTH, GA August 1, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I bought a green dot prepaid debit card a few months ago to use for my business postings online….the card package, the website and the agreement all told me that this card cold be used anywhere that visa or mastercard are accepted. Although I was never notified that I was not to use the credit card for business transactions ( what purchase is not a business transaction) Green dot decide3d to put a hold on MY Money that I have been paying them to hold for me….
when i called to find out why my card had a hold on it, i got some smart arse guy telling me that my card is not a credit card and cant be used for business transactions..[This sounds like Meta Bank’s practices. This is also known as stealing.] he informed me that not only are they closing my card but they will be holding my money…no warning, no nothing….now all of the sudden i am getting $7.95 checks every other day from green dot….it costs $5.95 at walmart to cash their own checks, andthese checks cant be cashed by anyone else…..they are literally stealing the $1200 that I had applied to my purchased card, and I dont have a clue how to stop them…..since when did walmart and their subsidiaries get so crooked? [Walmart has had a bad reputation for some time now. Green Dot is part of Meta Bank. Meta Bank has used many names over the years, but they offered the same scam and same poor service no matter what name they are using at any given time. What Green Dot is doing is stealing from you. Please report this to your state attorney general’s office and to the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington , DC]
Aquila of inverness, FL July 8, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased this card so I can buy a gift for my husband who is returning from a deployment. And I made a purchase on a website but the next day I cc the order and they’re putting me through all this hassle just to return the funds back onto the card. I ask to speak to a manager and the response I get was what do you want my manger for you can deal with me. Is that customer service.
I called the merchant to fax them paperwork stating that I cc the order now they cant find the fax and tell me that I have to get the fax resent and I still have to wait 2 business day just to get the request processed. I’m like really disappointed and angry at this point. They turned a sweet gesture into a disaster. Thanks for listening. They really need to take that training course again.
[I am a bit confused about which company scammed you. Did Green Dot take your money? Or was it another company? Did you ever get your cash money back?]
Allison of East Point, GA June 25, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I bought a money pack on 06/19/2010. i wanted to put 195.00 on my card. when i called to have it activated the money was never there. i called customer service. they said to fax over my receipt with my money pack number which i did on 06/21/2010. they said someone would call me back with a resolution in 2 business days.
its now 06/24/2010 no one has returned my call and they said there is no resolution on my account because someone else filed a claim on the same money pack money number. i told them then you guys are printing duplicate money pack numbers and they send you through hell to get you money back. still no resolution or no phone call from anyone! [ Do they have your money or do you have it? Did you give cash? Please see advice given below and act on this. You have been scammed. These people need to be stopped.]
becca of chipley, FL June 3, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I bought this card just today and activated it. Well I tried to use it but it wouldn’t work. So I called ‘customer care’ but they said that my card was refunded. The thing is i didn’t click on nothing about refunding my card. Now i can’t use it and I have no idea where the heck my money is. i DO NOT recommend The greendot card. RIPOFF. [Did you ever get back all of your own money? Please report this to your state attorney general’s office and to the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, DC. This is a crime.]
Kerry of San Juan Bautista, CA May 27, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
Had a Green Dot / Walmart Money card stolen and used for approx. $1,000.00 one night. Caught it the next morning and immediately reported it to Green Dot. Followed every one of their steps for recovery. Now 9 weeks have passed and nothing but run around. They have a ghost co. in CA which is only a P.O. Box. After one ever returned my call. [This sounds like customer service at Meta Bank which operates the Green Dot. Please contact your State Attorney General’s Office and the Office of Thrift Supervision.]
mario of san diego, CA May 21, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
put in a hundred bucks never got my money,i will tell every one i know and every one i meet not to ever use this service,if i could kill the person responsible i would,ok just slap them! [Please contact your state attorney general’s office and the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, DC. Meta Bank provides the Green Dot Prepaid Bank card.]
Brandi of Lumberton, NC May 19, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
Neva received the card and had paycheck direct deposited to the card of $404 and I have absolutely no way of talkin to customer service bc of the automated man. [ At your place of employment, ask them to stop the direct deposit and sever the arrangement in this way. Then or first report this as a theft in the way you would any other theft because that is what it is. Follow up on this theft in every way possible so that this doesn’t happen to another person.]
Sherry of Oakand, CA May 10, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased a Green Dot card from Walgreen’s yesterday. I called Green Dot to register my card and was told I would receive a refund because of a typo with my SSN. I asked to speak with a supervisor and was disconnected. I called backed and was placed on hold for over 10 minutes on a spanish-speaking line. I hung up the phone to call back to speak to a manager or someone of authority and was told through an automated system that I would receive a refund in approximately 2 weeks and the phone call was automatically disconnected. This was my very first time dealing with Green Dot and I am throughly disappointed. I am very hurt I was duped for my last few dollars I pre-loaded on this card to pay a bill.
Albert of Reseda, CA May 4, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I Purchased a prepaid card, at the local Wallgreens In Sept 2009. I put 250 dollars on the card. I was able to spend approximately 75 dollars using the card, to pay a bill over the phone. After that I never recieved the card, and was unable to spend any more money using the temporary card. [This sounds just like Meta Bank.] Green dot never mailed me the real card. And after calling them, Two weeks later, they stated they had to report the card lost or stolen.[But did they return this person’s money?] Because I never recieved it. This went on for six weeks after the date I was suppose to recive the card. I finally asked for the remaining ballance back, in November 2009.
They said they would send a check call back in another two weeks if you don’t recieve it. 3 weeks went by I never recieved the check. They said they would send me a check via Federal Express, but they would have to take the charges out of my remaining ballance which was down to 155.00 because I never put any money back on the card. But they would kindly wave the last $5.00 charge and put it towards the fed exp shipping. So I would be recieving a check for $150.00.
Needless to say I never recieved a tracking number, or a check from federal express. I have given up. And will never use the Green dot service again. My story is not alone, I have talked to several people that have tried Greendot they all state the same thing. Money put on 1-2 charges allowed, after that nothing.The card never recieved, money never refunded. I don’t know how this company is still getting away with it. I am out about 175 dollars, and am distrustful of prepaid visa cards. Especially Greendot.[Please report this to your state’s attorney general office and to the Office of thrift supervision in Washington, DC]
Amy of Groveton, NH April 30, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I had order a part for my father-law’s truck but the part was out os stock. So the company was suppose to give me a refund and put the money back on my card. The money was not posted until 3 days after the order was placed and all of it was taken even for the part that was not in stock. I called the company and they told me they put the money back on the card. well guess what it is not there. I have tried to call Green Dot Visa only to get recordings and the run around. [This is a major scam. Report this to your state’s attorney general’s office and the Office of Thrift Supervision in Washington, DC]
Here it is a week later and I am out over $140.00 of my father-in-law’s money. I have sent several e-mails but no answear. I finally called the State Attorney Generals office who is no investagating due to all of the complaints. It works fine as long you don’t need a refund. Need money back and forget it you will never see it again. I am completeley strssed because this is not my money and now I have to pay back money I don’t have. My father-inlaw tell s me not worry about. But still I feel awful
jeanne of baltimore, MD April 28, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I’ve had a greendot prepaid mastercard since 2003. About a year ago they instituted a new procedure whereas if you made 30 purchases or loaded 1,000.00 or more during the thirty day cycle then the monthly fee – which would be 5.95 – was waived. I thought this great as I normally loaded well over a thousand each thirty day period. After a few months, as I was checking over my transaction history, I noticed a 4.95 monthly maintenance fee was on each month, and never taken off, even though I had loaded over a thousand, plus usually made over 30 purchases during that time. I sent them an email about this and was told to call.
I put off calling for a bit as everytime I usually called all I ever got was a recorded message. I tried again today and got through. I explained to the girl that I had gotten the notice about waiving the fee and how I complied each month. My daughter, who also has a card (she got hers just a few months after I got mine) never gets charged a fee when she makes over 30 purchases during her 30 day period. I was told something to the effect that I had a “different card” which fell under an “older or other agreement” – but I could cancel that card and get a new one wherein their policy of waiving the monthly fee would apply. (keep in mind a new one would cost 9.95).
At this point I told her I was never notified I had a “different type” card and that the web site, every month, would say “congratulations your monthly fee will be waived since you loaded over a thousand dollars” or “we’ll waive the monthly fee for this billing cycle if you…” Not once did it say “except for you, Jeanne, your card ain’t eligible!”. “It’s our way of saying Thanks for being a great customer!” right. She also tried to say my daughter must have the “newer” card even though she got hers soon after I got mine. Every year they send me a new card with the same number on it …without saying that is falls under some obsolete agreement. [This sounds like Meta Bank] She, and then her supervisor (when I asked to speak with one) offered to put ten dollars on my card as a courtesy.
The supervisor even said the ten dollars was now on my card, and to spend it, then cancel the card, and apply for a new prepaid greendot mastercard which would be eligible for the monthly fee waiver. In other words, I get ten bucks, only to have to spend 9.95 on a “new card” to be eligible. There were no warnings, no notifications that any one card was different from another, each month the website would tell me my fee was waived since I met the requirements. Oh yes, she also said they would be “updating the website” – this, after over a year of this being in effect!
I have been paying a monthly fee that by all rights I should not have had to pay. At times when I assumed the fee was waived I tried to make a small purchase thinking I had 4 or 5 or more dollars left on my card only to have said purchase rejected due to “insufficient funds”. I believe rightly I should have been refunded each monthly fee and then given the “right” card as a courtesy. I have printed out some sample pages from my account as verification in case they try to change something. [Meta Bank, and now it seems Green Dot, in the fine print maintained the right to change all of the rules at any time without having to notify the customer. I find this to be totally unacceptable. In your case, I believe that Green Dot/Meta Bank was in the process of trying to figure out how to scam you. Meta Bank has in the past taken money from one customer’s CD and put it into another customer’s CD. Then Meta Bank when they were discovered pushed the blame off onto to one person inside their bank. What? Meta Bank had never uncovered this with an internal audit. That woman’s supervisor’s had never picked up on this? She said they were the ones telling her to shift the money from one account to another. Something is still very wrong here. More people are involved in this scam and perhaps at a higher level than we might realize. Follow the money trail.]
Gigi of Corona, CA April 23, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased a greendot moneypak from Walgreens when I tried to fund my paypal account, greendot required more information from me. I input information except my ss# and they declined allowing me to fund my account and forbid me to ever use greendot again to fund my account. When I asked to speak to a manager because I had purchased the card for an emergency, they said the manager was in a meeting, I asked what type of institution they were and she said she she was a financial institution. They then told me to go to the greendot website for a refund, only they could not help me navigate because they did not have access to a computer.
I called back and was asked to wait again for a manager, I was then told by the manager to just go to the refund screen, I stopped her and told her what are you trying to make me do, because I asked for my money to be available to me right now. She tricked me into asking for a refund and said that I would be prompted on another screen and get to have my money available. then I called again and there is no money on my card. I will not see my money for 7-10 days. I had made an arrangement to pay a bill of 199.00 today in order avoid a cost of an extra 300. Also have a bill due for tomorrow. [This highlights how Green Dot/Meta Bank operates its scam on the general public. If you give them cash, you should have full access to that immediately. I saw at CVS a man buy one of these Green Dot cards and put money on it with cash since cash is required. Any delay in being able to access your own cash money is unacceptable. Once he handed over the cash money to the clerk and she entered that amount into the computer, she didn’t say there would be a delay of any kind before the money could be accessed. Since he gave her cash currency and since she entered this information into the computer, the card should have been activated immediately from my perspective, but from what I am reading here using a Green Dot or any kind of a PrePaid Card which is a debit card is so complicated that considering using a prepaid card of any kind doesn’t make sense of any kind during these economically difficult times. Nothing works better than cash it seems. Using the prepaid cards is only making unscrupulous banks wealthy quickly; they are just switching names under which they operate and provide the same awful service or scam on the general public. Meta Bank provides the Green Dot. Meta Bank needs to be stopped from all banking activities it appears since they do not understand the basic concept of customer service.]
Yanett of LOS ANGELES, CA April 15, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
i purshased a greendot pre-paid card and when i tried to use it it would decline,i deposited money in it. so it should not be decliening. do to their computer glitches they made me aware they would credit my account, that it would take 2-3 bussiness days. after a week of waiting I called them back. they informed me they could see where the merchant declined my card, blamed it on the merchant and are refusing to return my momey!! but they do admit that it was declined! [ Meta Bank/Green dot pushes the blame off onto someone else; this too is a pattern that Meta Bank tried with me. It is yet another one of Meta Bank’s gimmicks.]
so how is my money gone if the merchant declined the authorization. ive not only lost my money. time. but i was left with out making a very important payment which resulted in not being able to use my phone line. causing me to have no contact with loved ones or anyone else. caused me to miss out on work. and caused my heardship and grief. [This really sounds like Meta Bank’s practices to me. Meta Bank does provide Green Dot and all of this sounds just like I was treated at Meta Bank.]
RICHARD of FRESNO, CA April 14, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I loaded $143.00 on my card and the Green Dot Visa Corp. has stated that the card has been refunded which is an outright lie!!! [So Green Dot, another name of Meta Bank made a very bold lie to you too, and this makes you suspicious of them as they made me suspicious of Meta Bank. I discovered that Meta Bank is nothing but a big scam and that they do the same thing to many people using different names.] Because foods co. cant refund money so we talked to the operator Rica to get us a supervisor she was in activation dept.
Raynard of Bronx, NY April 7, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased a prepaid GreenDot card that i placed $40.00 dollars on the card two days before Valintine Day.I activiated the card that evening. That i would recieve a permanent card in the mail within one week or so .It never came, i was not told why. I called in March to complain nothing happened. I called again a supervisor that explain to what had happen, said it would be corrected.All i had to do was to send them a copy of my SS/driver license so i did along with my greendot card along with the copies. Today is the 7th of April i called now to find out someone has made charges on the. I did not get chance to you the card yet. Now their asking me to sent in more information that i alreadt had sent.Someone in greendot i believe has used my card.[ This too sounds a lot like Meta Bank’s practices.] This is what i told a supervisor that i was talking to.March .56 , $18.97, $5.95, .08, $2.97,other charges. I thought i was the only person who has been duked but as i look there were others complaining of greendot I’m not alone.[ If you have a Green Dot created by Meta Bank, you and most of the world has been duped. Green Dot is just another name that Meta Bank operates under. Meta Bank wants to hold onto your money so you can’t access your own money easily or at all, using whatever technique they can find to keep you from your money no matter what amount, Meta Bank will find a gimmick and a way.]
larry of Pueblo, CO April 6, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
First of all after I received my personalized card it ws impossible to use their phone system and the have no customer service personnel. It also goes into a spiel about tax refunds. It stated my info did not match the card. As I am the only user I think I know my own birthdate!!! I then attempted to solve the issue online – but guess what I don’t have a password and everytime I attempted to create one the sytem requests the same info over and over again without anyway to talk to them directly.
This is extremely upsetting as I used my initial card for paypal. I thought it would be a secure and easy (ha,ha) way to do business. The company tries extremely hard to get a person to sign up for direct deposit. I do worry about identity theft. I believe that prepaid card are a good way to avoid impulsive and over spending.[ How? I see it only as a way for Meta Bank to have complete control over their customer’s funds.] I am extremely mad because I just bought a money pak to reload the crazy thing.
Since they have my personal info onfile and have my email address I do not understand why their system will not allow mt to create a password (especially since they have no problem sending me my daily balance) I think they are a ripoff with high fees and poor customer relations. I doubt that I will do business with them in the future – I can think of simpler ways to pay for things.
I can’t reload or access my account. I have been able to find several phone numbers but alas I still can’t resolve the issue. So I am stuck with a reload card with $140 on it with no card to load it to! Its upsetting to think their code of conduct is such that they don’t want direct contact with their customers (only our cash). At least I feel better getting this off my chest and I hope that you even if you can’t assist me maybe my complaint will prevent others from this experience.
luis of san mateo, SK March 1, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
they sold a prepaid visa reloadable but when i tried to loaded i was denied then i have to buy another one tha’s the trick. i had to walk like 20 block to reloaded and the store that are supost to reloaded it they try to call them but they just don’t respond or heng up [And the card itself costs like how much even before you can load it?]
Marsha of Hudson, NY February 7, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I purchased a green dotcard and it wasnt any good. I call the nmber that was given too me from a managerar CVS and a representive from grren dot set me up with another card. After the activation of the card the representive told me that there was a automated system that i had to hold for and that it would provide me all the information about my card, well that didnt happen and when i called back the following morning all the representives could provide me with is the card number and the experiation date no security code?? The card is pointless without the security code, and then they told me that I had to wait 7 – 10 buisness days for a card to arrive in the mail. [ Internal measures at Green Dot do not respond to customer’s actual needs as they have expressed them. This is typical of Meta Bank’s practices elsewhere in the past using another name.]
Susanne of Danville, PA January 16, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
Over the past 6 months Ive been having funds taken off my card unauthorized. I have closed my account 3x and still getting hit. I have taken all the steps Green Dot has recommended.Last week I found unauthorized payments again,contacted Green Dot immediately. I closed the account,opened a new one. The one payment $143 to Euro Disney was denied, the next payment 2 days later was pending to Euro Disney. Since I caught this payment before it was posted I received a refund on the newest account but hadnt received the card in the mail to go and withdrawl the funds.
Monday, I check the new account and Green Dot paid Euro Disney my $143 refund from the newest account. I called them and I was mad and told them to completely close the account and I wanted my $143 back.I spoke to a women who told me they would check into this and she agreed something went very wrong and a supervisor would contact me by phone by the end of the day. Its been 5 days and still no responce from Green Dot and I havent received my money. I am disabled and live off SSI/SSD. I cannt afford my co-pays for my meds or food now since I have only .33 cents in that account.
I cant understand why this money was paid to this company after I closed the other account and they knew it was unauthorized. Please help me get my money back. I really think this is lousey business practices. Plus how are these companies able to get my information to tap into my account/Card? Euro Disney, Skype.com, EzPlan,etc is just a few. I live off SSI/SSD as I am disabled. I cannt pay the co-pays to get my meds. or buy food this month since they took all of my money. [ So Green Dot has used your personal information to access your funds not for your use, but for someone else to go to Disneyland and you can’t get anyone at Green Dot to help you to access your own Social Security income or disability money on which you rely to live each month?]
Patti of Remington, VA January 6, 2010 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I received my Green Dot card as a gift – combo birthday/Christmas – I had used most of it before the final product arrived – thank goodness. When I activated my card, I supplied all the info needed including my MARRIED name. When I got the permanent card, it was in my MAIDEN name. When I called them, I spoke w/someone named David there who told me that the card was issued with the information supplied at activation. I let him know that I had given them my married name, not my maiden name!
He told me that they would gladly give me a refund/credit if I faxed them my marriage certificate, photo id and other information. I asked him why I had to do all this when it was their fault for issuing the card incorrectly, and was told that it is company policy. Let him know not to bother with the .51 on the card and hung up. Why should I have to do their job for them? I gave them the information at the time of activation and that I should not have to do their job for them. My advice to anyone who wants a green dot card, don’t spend the money! [I agree]
Lela of Yulee , FL December 23, 2009 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I received as a gift, a Green Dot Debit Master Card in the amount of $24.95, along with the register slip showing the transaction on 12/19/09. When I called to activate among other information, they asked for my social security number. I did not supply this information. I was transferred to Claire and give her the information she required to activate card and Clair informed me that there is a zero balance on the card. I told her I had the receipt showing the purchase, but she had no answer.
The card was purchased at Xtra Mart-Plainfield Route 12 704 Norwich Road, Plainfield, CT 06376 on 12/19/09, terminal ID: 00053018 Transaction No 171277016 Operator: 002. I am not sure what to do as I cannot active the card as the 24.95 was not entered, according to Claire. I should be able to receive my gift as it was paid for and the card was not activated before my call. I am not looking for legal action, just for the Green Dot people to fulfill their commitment.[But they took your money? And you can’t access your own cash money? How many people in the USA or around the world has this been done to and for how much money? ]
Nashville of Nashville, TN November 14, 2009 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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”. [No matter what language you may have spoken they weren’t going to understand or they would have changed the rules in the middle of the conversation. This is the Meta Bank, I know.]
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.[Yes, this sounds like Meta Bank who gets a corporate business you already trust to carry their product that is garbage.]
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. [I agree, but I would add that Meta Bank put us in this situation. When do greedy banks get enough and stop???]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 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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.[Then why would anyone buy 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 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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??? [ This sounds like Meta Bank ! !]
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.[You are right. This doesn’t make any sense because it is a scam!] I really believe that this is nothing but a scam and a total Rip Off
Ron of Atlanta, GA October 13, 2009 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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. [This would be the best solution]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.[Please note though that there have also been problems reported with Western Union’s service]
Donna of Bakersfield, CA September 27, 2009 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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?. [report this as a crime]
Lucy of Blackfoot, ID September 26, 2009 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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. [Report this as a theft/crime which it is]
Jack of Yonkers, NY September 16, 2009 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
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.
Dorothy of Palmdale, CA October 27, 2008 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
This company customer service never gives the correct information and when you go to do a transaction its declined. You call the company and then it’s always something else they forgot to inform you of. This is a joke you do that so you will have the money to pay for something and in the end you still end up not having the money to pay for the transaction. [This is actually a theft done by Green Dot; report this as a theft.]
Robbie of Ukiah, CA February 27, 2007 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
On 2/26/07 I purchased a Greendot prepaid MasterCard. The cashier told me all I had to do was call a number on the card, and it would be ready to use. I told her that I had to use it that day to make a payment. When I got home I called the number on the card to activated it. The customer service representative gave me a card number and a pin number. I called the company I needed to make the payment to he ran the number and then told me the number was not valid. I went back to Rite Aid and told them what happened. One of the ladies made a phone call and was told the card was good and they would not refund my money. I came home and called another number on the card this time I talked to a young man. He checked and told me the card was good. Once again I tried to make the payment, and was told the card would not go through and again I called green dot MasterCard. The man told me that the card was okay. The next day I decided to try and purchase food with the card. Again when I went to pay I was told the card was not valid. I went back to Rite Aid and talked to the manager.
The cashier had told me just minutes before they have been having trouble with some of the cards and had given refunds. The manager told me he would get it straightened out or refund my money. He took my card into his office. When he came back he told me that he made a phone call and the card would work. I came home and tried to make the payment with it. It would not go through again. I don’t know what else to do I have given all of the numbers correct. [ Of course, you have done everything correct, but you are dealing with a new kind of scam and this needs to be reported to the proper authorities so that it can be stopped. Report this in the way you would any crime of theft.]
I. of Chesapeake, VA December 4, 2006 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
I write to you with a major concern. My concern involves the Green Dot Visa card and the divulging of personal information to named company. I was gifted a Green Dot Visa card by a group of students (The Walgreen Corporation sells the Green Dot Visa card). According to the accompanying receipt, students collected and purchased the card for an amount of $90.00 in USA currency. I then attempted to activate the card, the Green Dot Visa representative asked for: phone, date of birth, social security number, email, and residential address. [For Cash???? Oh yes, there was that deal at Payoneer, but that was different wasn’t it.] I felt uncomfortable giving a stranger my social security number. So I stopped giving information and started asking questions. 1) Sir, where are you located? Answer: India 2) What do you do with the personal information I am giving you? Answer: We discard the personal information after we activate your Green Dot Visa with a four-digit pin code. 3) Why do you need my social security number? Answer: Because the USA anti-terrorist law requires that we get social security number for identification. 4) If the card has been gifted to me with a $90.00 cash value, why can’t I have access to this money? Answer: You must give all the personal identification information required before we could activate the card.
At this point, I refused to give my social security number and ended the phone call. My $90.00 cash gift remains captive by Green Dot Visa. [Green Dot should mail a check for $90 to this person without requiring an ss#] The Walgreen Corporation, who sells the card, absolves itself from any refund liability.[Really??? This is so convenient.] I want the public at large to be alerted to possible problems behind purchase of the Green Dot Visa. No one should reveal personal identification information to untraceable strangers such as those behind the phone at Green Dot. It may place one in danger of future ID theft and fraud. I choose to forfeit my $90.00 cash gift to save many times that amount from ID theft. My problem is that I can’t spread the word fast enough.[ I think most people will feel this way too and Meta Bank really knew what they were doing when they sold the prepaid cards at Payoneer anyway.]
Sarah of Belchertown, MA August 22, 2006 Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank
On August 7, 2006 I decided to purchase a pre-paid mastercard. I purchased an activation flyer from cumberland farms in Worcester, MA, in the amount of 409.95, which was to have a credit limit of 400.00. I first went onto their website and activated my card then called when I did not receive my card number. When I called (866-999-9439) I was connected to someone who could barely speak english, then was transferred to lost or stolen cards line (not sure why), (877-434-3578). I then explained to the woman that I spoke with that I just purchased the card and wished to make an online purchase and needed my card number, she then looked up my info and hung up on me.
I called back the 866 no. and spoke with another woman who also couldn’t speak english and she explained to me that the company changed their policy and that I would have to wait for the card to be mailed and that it would take up to 7 business days, I said no problem and waited for the card. I have still to receive the pre-paid mastercard and have made several attempts to contact the company, I continue to either a) get connected to someone who does not have the ability to speak english, b) hung up on, or c) voicemail. [ Typical of Meta Bank that there isn’t a real person]
ATTENTION: GREEN DOT/META BANK – We, the people, have taken note of your actions once again – Be advised to stop immediately and restore the money you owe to these people.
Stop asking Netspend and iAdvance customers to pay up. Use that as a loss because it is.
Shame on Green Dot/Meta Bank. You are doing a great disservice to humanity. Above humanity has explained the ways you have abused us. Give back all of the money you owe to these people ! ! !