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If you’re still waiting for your Economic Impact Payments, you might be getting a debit card instead of a check in the mail. This, of course, is the money that’s meant to give relief due to the Coronavirus pandemic. You may have already gotten your payment by direct deposit or by check. But if you’re still waiting, watch your mailbox for either a check or a VISA debit card. And know that the government will never, ever call, text, email, or ask you to click on a link they sent to activate your card or get your money.

 

Here’s what to know if your payment comes in the form of a debit card.

  • Look for the prepaid card (and its envelope) in the mail. The envelope will be from “Money Network Cardholder Service.” Inside will be a VISA-branded prepaid card issued by MetaBank. This card will give you access to your economic impact payment.
  • Activate the card immediately. The mailer will give you instructions on how to activate the card, but here’s the deal: You can activate your card by calling 1-800-240-8100 or visiting USdebitcard.gov and clicking on the EIP card link. To activate your card, though, you’ll have to give them your Social Security number. Once you activate your card, you can get cash or use it anywhere that accepts VISA debit cards. There are no fees associated with transferring the money from the card to your personal bank account. Keep in mind that EIP cards will expire after three years. When that happens, the bank will send any money left on the card to you.
  • Questions about the card? Money Network has a 24-hour call center: 1-800-240-8100. You can call to check your card balance or just ask questions. There’s also more information and a quick video from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to answer questions you might have.

Most important, remember: unless you’ve asked for assistance, no one will ever call you about the EIP card. And no one will text, email, or ask you to click on a link they sent to activate this card or to get your money. If someone does, stop. It’s a scammer. Don’t give them your Social Security or debit card number, or any other information. Then report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

 

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

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Mad in Massachusetts
June 02, 2020
This is not right. I received the card and almost threw it out. I called customer service and you can't get a human. Both the website and the automated online service just give me an error if I try to transfer to my bank. It's not my bank information because the automated phone service just gives and error as soon as I say I want to transfer the full 1200.00 balance. It's completely unacceptable.
NJ resident
June 03, 2020
I signed up an account on moneynetwork.com. I spent so much time and went through a lot of steps. Just received "Error: Invalid account status". I tried many many times and got nowhere. I don't even understand what this error message means. I am 100% sure my bank account is current and valid. Government can't get these easy steps working before sent out the VISA cards? Now every card holder is suffering from frustration caused by government. Is USA this country working?
error_explained
June 10, 2020

In reply to by NJ resident

You must first activate the card, then initiate the transfer. If you try to transfer the funds before activating the card, you get an account status error.
marshapriceman
June 03, 2020
I registered and now want to transfer the $1200 to my checking account at no charge. Where do I do that?
Jmcamc
June 08, 2020

In reply to by marshapriceman

Tried to transfer my funds and have yet to see it In My account. Hope your not in serious need of that money because you won’t see it for a while. Ridiculous.
Mtntn2020
June 04, 2020
Threw the card away thinking junk mail. I’ve called repeatedly to Megabank number listed and followed prompts for lost or stolen card. After entering last 6 numbers of SS # and zip code you get disconnected with NO ASSISTANCE!!!! I’ve tried all hours of the day and night with same results. What other option is there?????
jsir
June 04, 2020
This card can be used as a credit card when the prepaid balance is spent?
FTC Staff
June 04, 2020

In reply to by jsir

You can spend the pre-paid balance, or transfer it to your own bank account. You can't add money to the card.  

wishedIhadgott…
June 04, 2020
I activated, registered, got secure and tried to transfer full balance to my checking, but the amount (well below the $2500 limit) was automatically reduced to leave $0.01 in my account. How can I close it make the card go away?
Jmcamc
June 08, 2020

In reply to by wishedIhadgott…

How long did it take before it showed the transferred funds? I’m still waiting. A week still no deposit.
Don't use your…
June 05, 2020
Is it safe to open up this envelope that says Money Network? What are the reasons for me receiving this plain white envelope that says Money Network?
wallace
June 05, 2020
i can not get through to eip customer service. their computer does not recognize my husbands ss# and im needing to report my card lost or stolen due to the fact i have not received it yet. is there any way to go about doing this?
Human??
July 10, 2020

In reply to by wallace

SAME! Please help. I haven't been able to speak to any human yet and the automated system keeps hanging up on me.
Help!!
January 21, 2021

In reply to by wallace

I'm having the same issue it's sayin my SS does not match what they have, weird? I've tried transferring as well and nothing doesn't let me. Can't talk to no one.
wth
June 05, 2020
Why did it get $15.50 on my card? I don’t own a house or a car and have two kids to support
Concerned Taxpayer
June 05, 2020
We received our card and activated it. I have tried the website, automated phone system and Money Network's mobile app to transfer the money into my checking account. I have given all three sources the correct routing and account number information and each time I get a message back saying I can't move more that the balance on the card. However, they verify that the balance is $2,400.00 and all I want to move is $500.00. I tried to move various amounts and nothing works. Hours have been spent on this. There are no humans to talk to and I'm unable to get our money. We are currently sheltered at home so even going to a bank is not feasible. As far as I can see, I've done everything right. Can you help or do you have a phone number where we can reach an actual person?
Jcarp
June 06, 2020
Made a deposit to transfer funds from the EIP Debit card. Funds are still not available. How long does it take to transfer to your bank? Thank you
Cjackson
June 07, 2020
Today I recieved the terms and conditions notice but no card.. should it be coming after or should it had come with what I recieved today?? Confused... STILL waiting on my stimulus
Confused & Not…
June 07, 2020
Honestly, I'm happy about the money, but this debit card scheme is ridiculous. - It's confusing. Some people have thrown them away because they thought it's a scam. I bet no one has thrown away the checks that were sent to others. And none of the information that I got with the card even says how much money I got. - It's complicated. The card has to be activated and there is a Cardholder Agreement and list of fees. If we got a check, we would simply deposit it or cash it and we would get the money right away. - It's a waste of taxpayer money. Instead of just sending us a check, the government decided to waste our money by hiring a bank to set up this complicated scheme. - It's an invasion of privacy. So, MetaBank (which I never heard of before) now has my SSN. Why was that done? We don't need to give anyone our SSN to cash a check. - Why couldn't they just send us a check? -
The Velvet Rock
June 07, 2020
Questions about the card? Money Network has a 24-hour call center: 1-800-240-8100. You can call to check your card balance or just ask questions. Simply NOT true. Cannot reach anyone at Money Network to ask questions.
nanster
June 08, 2020
My husband and I have different last names. We received our card and he is listed first on the card as the primary holder, but it's his first name and my last name. I was able to register the card and activate it with his Social Security number and the info from the card. We would like to transfer the entire amount to our savings account. What is the best way to do that?
mtracy
June 13, 2020
FTC Staff, the question has been asked multiple times but not answered. Who authorized the personal financial information of "at least" four million Americans to be handed over to a third-party company instead of disbursing a check, and what criteria was used to make the selection?
Stareynite21
June 16, 2020
EIP card arrived atm with drawl
dd
June 16, 2020
We received a debit card but it seems neither my husband's nor my social security last 6 digits correspond to this card. Our names are correct on the card. As a result I cannot activate the card or speak to a human being to correct this. What should we do?
Don't use your…
June 17, 2020
I never got a card are they still sending them out?
Worried Jersey Girl
June 18, 2020
We transferred the balance on my husband's card to his Chase checking account yesterday. On the EIP/Money Network website, it shows that the transfer was made, with a zero balance on the card. However, the deposit is not showing up in his bank account 24 hours later. How long does that take?
nanster
June 21, 2020
Just in case you and your spouse have different last names and one of the names is incorrect, this is what I did. Although my name was second on the card, it was the correct name. I went to our bank and had the money moved from the card into our bank account. I checked my account and the money is there. I didn't have to pay a fee because I was able to do this in one transaction. Our card amount was not above $1000.
frustrated
June 22, 2020
I have been on the phone for 2 hours this morning trying to find out about my stimulus payment. No one to assistance, repeatly transferred from one customer service member to the other. There should be one assign team to handle the stimulus program.
HELP - CANNOT …
June 22, 2020
I've been trying to call the EIP customer service number for the past few days to try to activate my card. Each time I enter the last 6 digits to my SS card, it says they are unable to process the information at this time, and hangs up without option to even try to go to a human to get this activated!!! Can someone please advise???
TX
June 26, 2020
We’re not eligible but have received EIP card. Now we are scratching our heads how to return it. We don’t want to touch it period. Even if we were eligible we don’t agree with terms and conditions of the card. Customer service is not available if the card is not activated. My question is how to return card back to IRS? Or maybe I should destroy it…
GUESTUSER
June 28, 2020
I am unable to call as it keeps asking for my 4 digit pin and I cannot recall my pin?? Is there any other way out to call
EHS
June 29, 2020
Does the money on your eip card have to be repaid?
Jonathan
July 06, 2020
What if I received my debit card month ago but the balance still shows zero.How long does it take to get my pandemic money in my card?
coloradolee
July 07, 2020
Thanks for having this forum to ask questions. Hoping for a response here. We tried to activate this card for weeks now, but the last six digits of the social security don't match with what's on your records, so we're unable to activate it. We can't get through to a live person for help. What's the best way to proceed?
Mad in Mass
July 08, 2020
So I entered my bank account info at the IRS in time so I could get a direct deposit. The gov web site says "We scheduled your check to be mailed on May 22". It says check. No check comes, After about 10 hours work investigating and sending in my IRS form 3911 and calling IRS after unbelievably long hold they say that I was to be send credit card by Meta Bank and I have to call them at 1 800 240-8100 and ask about my card. The IRS acknowledged I put my bank account in before the deadline and should have received a direct deposit and don't know why I did not. I call the META bank # the IRS gave me and there is no way to get through their system without entering a credit card number for a credit card I never wanted or received. This is all completely insane.
FIY
July 15, 2020
Finally IRS updated info how to send EIP Card back. Thanks! Since I don't agree to terms and conditions attached to the card and can't get a live person without activating it... well, card is going back to IRS. According to IRS info the person can claim Economic Impact Payment in 2020 tax return.
FrankRNessenti…
August 01, 2020
They sent my card to an address that was 5 years old and I can't even talk with someone to change the address someone please give me a number I can actually talk with someone or I'll be contacting my congressman and senator
Kevin Nguyen
August 02, 2020
I have a question, if the Chase bank send you the amount of the refund back my bank account, and I used the money, they don’t even tell me not to use that money and 2 weeks later they took the money back and leave me with the debt in it. Do they have a right to doing that?
Avalos23
August 07, 2020
I haven’t even received that eipcard.
Krystina
August 14, 2020
I received a letter in the mail in late May saying I had not activated my debit card. I called last week to report a lost card since I never received my card. I’m still waiting for my card.
Teresa M
August 22, 2020
Any suggestions for those who cannot activate their cards. The name on the card issued is incorrect. The automated customer service asks for the card # and the last 6 digits of your SS. I assume the computer system sees there is not a match and says "Goodbye". I requested a second card, that arrived with the same incorrect name and spent a fair amount of time checking out all of the options on the automated customer service number provided, with no option to cover my situation. Nor any human customer service to back up issues that are not covered by the automated options.
2020troubles
August 25, 2020
How do you know if your rip card has a lock on it? We can’t seem to use it or transfer funds. We also cannot speak to a human.
jaxter
December 21, 2020
My card will not activate. All Money Network 1-800 number options require recognition of the card's security code, which fails. Additionally, there is no online recourse for activation issues. The usdebitcard.gov site, consumer.ftc.gov site, and EIPCard sites all direct users to either of the 3 aforementioned sites and to the 800 number – a frustrating circle of futility.
Katwhite
December 30, 2020
I got a unemployment card already will my stimuls check be put on the same card
HelpinPA
December 30, 2020
Please advise. I tried to activate my debit card today- 12/30/20- and it would not work. It said that it cannot be activated at this time. Was it too late in the day- 4:00PM? I will try again tomorrow. Is it too late in the year? The card does not expire until 2023. I just was reluctant to activate because of the SS#. Any thoughts? There is no one to speak to on the customer service number for MetaBank.
Frustrated
January 03, 2021
It is criminal to send you your money on a card, and require you to agree to the terms (activate the card) before you can speak to a rep. to tell them "I dont agree to the terms, cancel it, and send me a check". My first stimulus card's funds remain untouched, and now I hear the 2nd round of funds MAY arrive via an EIP card again! And they couldn't even get our names correct on the 1st card! How difficult is that, since the IRS has our names correct?
Briannanicole
January 06, 2021
If I changed my address on the eip card account will they send the new stimulus to that address? I moved and didn’t get to change my new address in time to get the new stimulus. I talked to someone on the phone and he said since I changed the address on the card account it should come to me. But he might have thought I already got it?
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