US Direct Express
I am a widow and receive survivor benefits for my children. Upon checking my card this morning, I discovered that $1,146.32 had been stolen, in the form of 3 purchases to “Nordstrom #0774, in Aventura Florida.
I live in Utah and don’t know anyone in Florida, and my card is still in my possession, so I called US Direct Express to report this theft.
After being disconnected several times, I was finally able to connect to a customer service representative who canceled my card and issued me a new one, which will be mailed to my home address. She then transferred me to another department. I spoke with a customer service representative named Alisha who proceeded to tell me they would mail me some forms and I would need to fill them out and send them back, she stated it would take up to 90 business days for them to complete their investigation and decide if they were going to return the stolen funds. I tried to clarify the timeline, but she put me through to a recording that gave me an address to send the paperwork to and then the call ended.
I have been saving money on this card because I thought it was secure, as the Social Security Administration urged me to use it. All of my money was on the card, I have been saving for Christmas, December bills, and to get my daughter's driver’s license, all that money is gone now.
I have tried calling the customer service department back only to have the call disconnected before I get to speak to anyone.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
RE: FRAUD INVOLVING DIRECT EXPRESS ACCOUNT
• 4/3/17 @ 10 a.m. I went online to make my car payment. I received an error message that my payment couldn’t go through.
• I went to the Direct Express App. to check my account. My SSA check was deposited on 4/2/17 @ 10 p.m. But my balance showed $9.27!
• I looked at the transaction history and an IVR Transfer was done in the amount of $1,050.00 plus a $1.50 IVR Transfer fee. –See printout
(How did they know the amount to take out? Even with my account info they couldn’t see my actual account)
• 4/3/17 @ 10:51 a.m. I called Direct Express @ 888-741-1115. I kept getting a recording saying they were busy and to call later. I was extremely upset! I kept calling over and over until I finally got through.
• I explained the situation. The lady looked at my account then said I needed to be transferred to a level 2 rep. When she transferred me it again went to a recording that they were busy and to try again later! By this point I was furious!
• At about 11:09 a.m. I finally got through again. I again explained the situation and again she said I would need to be transferred to a level 2 rep. I asked her if there was a way to make sure I get through because I had already been through this! She said no. I would just need to keep trying. I said ok! Ill call this number over and over until this is resolved! Someone stole my money! When she transferred me I could still hear the noise on her line so she must have warm transferred me.
• I again explained the situation. The guy asked me some questions then said he would forward my dispute to the investigation team and I would receive paperwork in the mail that I need to complete and send back. I asked if he knew how long it would be before I would receive my money back. He said he wasn’t sure depends on the investigation team. I asked if he was saying I had to wait until after they did the investigation before I would see it. He said yes. I told him I will lose my house and car! He told me he would put a note that I had important payments to make. I asked him if they could just stop the transfer since when I have done transfers its always taken 3 days. He told me no. That the thieves did it to where it was automatic. Like a cash withdrawal. That the money was gone. I asked how the heck they did that? He couldn’t answer. I then asked if I should make a police report and he said yes, that would speed the process a little.
(How did someone transfer money from my account automatically when that is not something available to me?! If Direct Express doesn’t offer that why would they release the funds?)
• 4/3/17 @ 11:30 a.m. I called 911, explained the situation and that I needed to make a police report.
• 4/3/17 @ 11:43 a.m. Officer Linder (Badge # 118) returned my call. I explained the situation, he seemed baffled at how this had happened when I explained the money was transferred. He also didn’t understand why it would take so long to get my money back. He asked me to call Direct Express back and ask them; How the money was taken, Did they have any information on the thieves such as account number or where they were located? I had explained they didn’t seem to either want to give me info or have info when I had spoken to them. He gave me a case number (K17003199).
• I did some research online to see if this was something that happens often with Direct Express. They have an F from the Revdex.com! I read some of the reviews and was appalled! Why would Social Security continue to do business with them! – See printout
• 4/3/17 @ 11:53 a.m. I called Social Security to change my direct deposit information. I didn’t want Direct Express getting anymore of my money! I was told that since Direct Express doesn’t give out your account number, they have no way to verify over the phone and so I needed to go into the office. What?! Isn’t that weird?
When I told the guy that they wouldn’t give me a time that my money would be returned he said that was strange because they are insured so they should return the money right away. He told me to call Direct Express back and speak to a supervisor. He something wasn’t right with this situation.
After reading all these reports about Direct Express online and looking at my own situation I seriously think Direct Express has something to do with this. Either they have employees doing it or it’s a company scam! I am appalled a Government agency like Social Security is still dealing with this.
If the investigation takes more than ten days, the amount of the unauthorized transfer must be provisionally credited to your account pending the completion of the investigation. The institution must inform you of the amount and date of the provisional crediting within two business days after the crediting, and must give you full use of those funds during the investigation.36If the asserted error constitutes an unauthorized transfer, and the financial institution has a reasonable basis for believing that an unauthorized transfer has occurred, the financial institution may withhold a maximum of $50 from the amount credited to your account, pending completion of its investigation. The financial institution may withhold the $50 only if it has given you the required notice of your potential liability for unauthorized transfers. (12 CFR § 205.11(c)(2)(i).)
All I know is I will lose my house and car and be without all my utilities if I don’t get my money back asap! So I don’t care if I have to write to every news station or newspaper, call the governor or whoever 1000 times a day! I am not letting this go! I am also going to bring a lawsuit against Direct Express for my losses if the money is not returned within 10 days!
US Direct Express
I am a widow and receive survivor benefits for my children. Upon checking my card this morning, I discovered that $1,146.32 had been stolen, in the form of 3 purchases to “Nordstrom #0774, in Aventura Florida.
I live in Utah and don’t know anyone in Florida, and my card is still in my possession, so I called US Direct Express to report this theft.
After being disconnected several times, I was finally able to connect to a customer service representative who canceled my card and issued me a new one, which will be mailed to my home address. She then transferred me to another department. I spoke with a customer service representative named Alisha who proceeded to tell me they would mail me some forms and I would need to fill them out and send them back, she stated it would take up to 90 business days for them to complete their investigation and decide if they were going to return the stolen funds. I tried to clarify the timeline, but she put me through to a recording that gave me an address to send the paperwork to and then the call ended.
I have been saving money on this card because I thought it was secure, as the Social Security Administration urged me to use it. All of my money was on the card, I have been saving for Christmas, December bills, and to get my daughter's driver’s license, all that money is gone now.
I have tried calling the customer service department back only to have the call disconnected before I get to speak to anyone.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
RE: FRAUD INVOLVING DIRECT EXPRESS ACCOUNT
• 4/3/17 @ 10 a.m. I went online to make my car payment. I received an error message that my payment couldn’t go through.
• I went to the Direct Express App. to check my account. My SSA check was deposited on 4/2/17 @ 10 p.m. But my balance showed $9.27!
• I looked at the transaction history and an IVR Transfer was done in the amount of $1,050.00 plus a $1.50 IVR Transfer fee. –See printout
(How did they know the amount to take out? Even with my account info they couldn’t see my actual account)
• 4/3/17 @ 10:51 a.m. I called Direct Express @ 888-741-1115. I kept getting a recording saying they were busy and to call later. I was extremely upset! I kept calling over and over until I finally got through.
• I explained the situation. The lady looked at my account then said I needed to be transferred to a level 2 rep. When she transferred me it again went to a recording that they were busy and to try again later! By this point I was furious!
• At about 11:09 a.m. I finally got through again. I again explained the situation and again she said I would need to be transferred to a level 2 rep. I asked her if there was a way to make sure I get through because I had already been through this! She said no. I would just need to keep trying. I said ok! Ill call this number over and over until this is resolved! Someone stole my money! When she transferred me I could still hear the noise on her line so she must have warm transferred me.
• I again explained the situation. The guy asked me some questions then said he would forward my dispute to the investigation team and I would receive paperwork in the mail that I need to complete and send back. I asked if he knew how long it would be before I would receive my money back. He said he wasn’t sure depends on the investigation team. I asked if he was saying I had to wait until after they did the investigation before I would see it. He said yes. I told him I will lose my house and car! He told me he would put a note that I had important payments to make. I asked him if they could just stop the transfer since when I have done transfers its always taken 3 days. He told me no. That the thieves did it to where it was automatic. Like a cash withdrawal. That the money was gone. I asked how the heck they did that? He couldn’t answer. I then asked if I should make a police report and he said yes, that would speed the process a little.
(How did someone transfer money from my account automatically when that is not something available to me?! If Direct Express doesn’t offer that why would they release the funds?)
• 4/3/17 @ 11:30 a.m. I called 911, explained the situation and that I needed to make a police report.
• 4/3/17 @ 11:43 a.m. Officer Linder (Badge # 118) returned my call. I explained the situation, he seemed baffled at how this had happened when I explained the money was transferred. He also didn’t understand why it would take so long to get my money back. He asked me to call Direct Express back and ask them; How the money was taken, Did they have any information on the thieves such as account number or where they were located? I had explained they didn’t seem to either want to give me info or have info when I had spoken to them. He gave me a case number (K17003199).
• I did some research online to see if this was something that happens often with Direct Express. They have an F from the Revdex.com! I read some of the reviews and was appalled! Why would Social Security continue to do business with them! – See printout
• 4/3/17 @ 11:53 a.m. I called Social Security to change my direct deposit information. I didn’t want Direct Express getting anymore of my money! I was told that since Direct Express doesn’t give out your account number, they have no way to verify over the phone and so I needed to go into the office. What?! Isn’t that weird?
When I told the guy that they wouldn’t give me a time that my money would be returned he said that was strange because they are insured so they should return the money right away. He told me to call Direct Express back and speak to a supervisor. He something wasn’t right with this situation.
After reading all these reports about Direct Express online and looking at my own situation I seriously think Direct Express has something to do with this. Either they have employees doing it or it’s a company scam! I am appalled a Government agency like Social Security is still dealing with this.
If the investigation takes more than ten days, the amount of the unauthorized transfer must be provisionally credited to your account pending the completion of the investigation. The institution must inform you of the amount and date of the provisional crediting within two business days after the crediting, and must give you full use of those funds during the investigation.36If the asserted error constitutes an unauthorized transfer, and the financial institution has a reasonable basis for believing that an unauthorized transfer has occurred, the financial institution may withhold a maximum of $50 from the amount credited to your account, pending completion of its investigation. The financial institution may withhold the $50 only if it has given you the required notice of your potential liability for unauthorized transfers. (12 CFR § 205.11(c)(2)(i).)
All I know is I will lose my house and car and be without all my utilities if I don’t get my money back asap! So I don’t care if I have to write to every news station or newspaper, call the governor or whoever 1000 times a day! I am not letting this go! I am also going to bring a lawsuit against Direct Express for my losses if the money is not returned within 10 days!