Payment Card Problems

Today we would like to share our experience with the recent Economic Impact Payment via the prepaid debit card with the intent to help others navigating the activation and transfer of funds, which was quite frustrating for us.
From a consumer’s standpoint dealing with the prepaid debit card was fraught with problems.
First off, the envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services” surely looked like junk mail and rightfully prompted warnings in the press and online, such “Don’t throw it away thinking it’s junk mail or a scam.”
When calling 800-240-8100 to activate the card the automated response told us that no action could be taken because our telephone number was not recognized.
So we attempted to activate the card online. We visited the Money Network site and registered for online access, a lengthy process involving the creation of a user name, password, two security questions. A verification code was needed and received via email each time we wanted to log into the site.
We saw the balance and discovered the option “Transfer in U.S.”
After entering all the required fields for a transfer to our checking account, an error message stated “Invalid account status” and the two bank account boxes were highlighted in red leading us to believe the bank account numbers were the issue.
After some research we discovered that the problem was that the card had not been activated yet. It would have been very consumer-friendly if the error message would have stated that instead of highlighting the bank account number boxes.
Back to the phone we went and called 800-240-8100. Unlike a few days earlier, the automated response this time included the remark that our number was “blocked” and the advice to check with our telephone provider to remedy the situation. After researching the issue we found that “*82” would do the trick and we successfully activated the card.
Back at the Money Network site we completed the transfer request online and we are happy to report that the funds were indeed transferred to the correct bank account.

Jack and Petra Clayton
Los Osos

You May Also Like…

Of Leviathans and Monsters

(Written in San Ignacio Lagoon on February 18th, 2024.) We headed further out into the lagoon. The Pacific gently...