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Did you get an Economic Impact Payment VISA debit card in the mail from the U.S. Department of the Treasury? If you did, you might get a letter from Treasury this week, reminding you to activate your card.

 

Treasury’s letter gives you instructions on how to activate the card. Once you do that, you can get cash or use it anywhere that accepts VISA debit cards. Or, you can also transfer the money from your EIP debit card to your bank account. This is especially helpful if you can’t or don’t want to visit an ATM. 

 

Did you throw away the card by mistake, or don’t recall getting one? No worries. Your letter from Treasury will tell you how to request a replacement card, which will include calling a 24-hour customer service line at 1.800.240.8100. It’s free to replace your card.

 

So that you know what to look out for in the mail, here’s what the envelope from Treasury will look like:

And here’s what the letter from Treasury will look like:

 

And, because this blog is all about reminders, here’s one more. Unless you’ve asked for assistance, know that the government will never, ever call, text, email, or send you a link to click to activate your card or get your money. If someone does—or asks for your Social Security or debit card number—it’s a scam. 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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sameexperience
July 28, 2020

In reply to by doggone it doe…

I'm getting the same thing. They sent a replacement card, but when I call with card number and my social I repeatedly get they cannot process the request at this time.
Jramsey
July 29, 2020

In reply to by doggone it doe…

Yes. I have exactly the same experience. Does anyone know what the problem is?
Deb
August 03, 2020

In reply to by doggone it doe…

Call the Money Network directly. There is a number on their website, where you set up your account. I stumbled across it by accident while having the same problem registering my card, and I called, and they were able to help me register the card. I wish I still had the number, but I remember it was on their website, under electronic notifications.
Wilhelmina
July 13, 2020
I didn't get any card
Shirley
July 13, 2020
It is now mid July and STILL no letter or check/debit card. What is the deal and how do I find out why I haven't received it.
Jtheresa
July 14, 2020
When? and is everyone getting these cards??
Nautica
July 14, 2020
I Haven't Received My Card In The Mail Yet ! So , How Long Do They Take To Come ?
Istheone
July 14, 2020
I didn't get mine on a card it was pu in my bank account.
Don't use your…
July 14, 2020
My husband filed his return by paper..has not received refund or 1st stimulus check....what do we do
Constance Gillespie
July 15, 2020
I have never got the first one money no check no card why . That's so wrong and I'm about to be without a home
Bobuelo
July 15, 2020
We received a card made out to (first line) My First Name and my Wife's Maiden Name - obviously that person doesn't exist. I made a one-hour call to the IRS, they verified that our names are correct in their system and said that "MetaBank" must've transposed the names. CANNOT reach a human on the EIP Number (800.240.8100) and don't want to activate the card (the only option?) as I have no ID for this fictitious name. Any suggestions? Anyone?
Christina
July 15, 2020
I did not get anything at all still hope i will get one
Miranda.s2020
July 17, 2020
I haven't got one is this for the first one
Bob
July 17, 2020
Same as doggone,,,,,,,,unable to process at this time...goodbye! No menu, no live agent....and no money....for the second time. 1st card did not work either.
User
July 17, 2020
I called to activate my economic impact payment debit card. However, when I type in the card number and last six digits of my Social Security number, the automated voice says "We're unable to process your request at this time. Thank you for calling Money Network. Good bye." How should I go about activating my card?
hl
July 21, 2020
i have tried a million times to activate the card but always get the same message: cannot activate at this time. good bye . hang up. is there a phone number that you can speak to a live a person?
Really
July 24, 2020
Ok so is anyone doing anything about this mess, as we have waiting for months to get this money. Checks got sent out to dead people that can't use it back in May. It now almost the end of July and live people are still waiting.
Poquottics
August 04, 2020
I have tried to activate my card. The message always says we cannot activate this card at this time. The phone number does not have a link to help or customer service and cuts me off after I give the card number and SS#
Same for me
August 04, 2020

In reply to by Poquottics

I have the same problem, they messed up the names and I can't activate it using either my or my wifes SS#. Then it just hangs up. This has been going on for well over a month. There is no way to speak with someone at the #. I sent a letter certified with return receipt to their mailing address and the post office hasn't been able to deliver as it has to be signed for. The Georgia Secretary of State has no contact info, its a LLC that uses an agent who I can't get in touch with either. Why did the IRS use a company like this to send my money out, I put my bank account info in and the treasury department sends tens of millions of checks out a month. How much lobbying money went into getting these companies a piece of our money that I can't even get my own now? Who gives a contract to a company to deal with taxpayers that has no way to connect to by phone or mail?
serenity
August 09, 2020

In reply to by Poquottics

I am also having a problem with activating my card how do I get it active and who do I need to contact
Josephine Tayson
August 05, 2020
How can I get my card
Shirish Mishra
August 10, 2020
I also received the debit card and facing the same activation failure issue as some folks mentioned above. Can someone please suggest how to get this card activated? Unable to activate. Call the Money Network number and cannot ever get a human. Type in card number and last six of social and it Just tells me that they cannot process the request at this time then says good bye and hangs up. Time and time again this happens. I want a check!! No way to get a human to speak with, absolutely no customer service rep.
leli_67@
February 10, 2021

In reply to by Shirish Mishra

Hello. Im having the same issue now with activating my card. Were u able to figure it out?
Chris M.
January 18, 2021

In reply to by Shirish Mishra

Hi Shirish, were you able to get your issue resolved? I just received our card and it's also not allowing me to activate it even after entering the card numbers as prompted. This is really a frustrating process.
Ethan
January 21, 2021

In reply to by Shirish Mishra

I also can’t get card activated. Were you eventually able to get card activated? If so, how?
williamjbabin
August 10, 2020
I did NOT receive a DEBIT card. Was I supposed to? The whole process has been terrible. I got a couple of payments, and then nothing. Can someone please call me to clarify this stuff?
stevg
August 13, 2020
There is NO customer service. Just a voicemail system that just disconnects you. How can you get to a live person to find out what is happening with your card?
MRSMES
August 13, 2020
IF I got the visa card, I may have shredded it because of all the scams out there. In the meantime I have moved put of state - so now what????
cannot activat…
February 10, 2021
finally got my card, have tried to activate all week: "Unable to process at this time. Goodbye. " EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. no explanation, no indication what's wrong, no instruction what to do, just a totally broken system, hangs up every time, no money, no "stimulus", this is a cruel joke the federal government is playing on the american people
Kimmie
September 06, 2020
I didnt get my all card at all how ado I get one
Esbrn
September 28, 2020
I have received my debit card, activated it, and the card has been declined. I can not find a Phone Number to actually talk to a person to see what the problem. I have called several different places. Please advise me what to do.
Pstarla377
February 19, 2021
I haven't got one yet
PatrickHagan
October 07, 2020
The Money Network Cardholder Services for my EIPCard is not good for people with bad hearing. Just before I got the EIPCard I lost my hearing so I could not activate my EIPCard by calling (800) 240-8100. I tried the alternate TTY number (800) 241-9100, but all it does on my T-Mobile Smartphone is say Hold and then log off after 1 minute and 43 seconds every time I tried calling. I have send letters to both addresses in Omaha and Atlanta, but got no response. I even contacted FISERV who owns Money Network. All I want to do is activate the card and move the money to my Chase Checking account. It seems EIPCard is not good for people with hearing disabilities. Do you have any suggestions about how to activate my EIPCard. P.S. The IRS had my Chase Banking account so I do not know why I was sent a EIPCard. Thank you.
Sadashiv
October 14, 2020
I could never activate my card. The website to active never worked, the customer service phone number never worked. No help line, nothing. Please help!
Crawfordtwana0…
October 14, 2020
I never RECEIVE any letter or funds from eip,
EVE
January 05, 2021
i received a economic Impact card but when I call to try to activate and give my info it says they cannot help me and then it hangs up?!! i thought that maybe I didn't activate in time as I held on to it for a while so I asked for a replacement card and the same thing happened to me again!!!??? I am now on hold for Social Security but due to the virus there is no one that can help me?! I think that there is some issue with my social security number as when I tried to get a social security account online it would not let me sign up. How do I clear up issues that may be happening with my social security number and my EI card. I would like to get the money owed to me!! phew! This is so frustrating !!!
PERRY9777
January 07, 2021
When u get your card in the mail and someone else went in your mailbox and got your card do they have to have your social security number to activate it
jacksontammy63
January 26, 2021
I am giving my SS number and it is saying it is wrong but it is my number please email my as number is the one I use
Frustrated
January 08, 2021
I received my EIP and followed the instructions in the letter. It said they were unable to activate my card at this time. Then the line disconnected. What now?
CwOVxEas
January 26, 2021
I tried to activate my card. Called the number on the letter for doing so. No answer. Cut off. Please to activate my card A.S.A.P. Thank you. RAM
Cecilia@30
January 11, 2021
Hi im trying to activated my EIP card and it won't let me is saying put your 6 digit ssi and im putting it and it says is wrong..
Dan
January 12, 2021
Happy New Year! Same problem that folks were having last summer. Called the 800 number, the automated system tells me they cannot activate the card at this time. Can't reach customer service Rep either. I'm assuming the card has to be activated before customer service is available. I guess I'll try again tomorrow.
Don't use your…
January 13, 2021
I need 4 -digit number.
Curious about …
January 13, 2021
The card I received in the mail has both my name and my wife's, when I went to activate it the automatic reply said my SS # did not match their records, and hung up on me, I am unable to a real person on the line and would like to know how to fix this issue.
Skisdo
January 14, 2021
Got one in mail today and every time I call to activate it I get a message that they don’t recognize my phone number and it hangs up on me. I can’t even get an option to speak to someone. The website gives an error when I attempt to register online. I guess you really don’t want us to access our funds.
FTC Staff
February 10, 2021

In reply to by Skisdo

If you have blocked your phone number, like some people do for privacy reasons, the EIP calls system may not recognize your phone number. You can disable the block yourself or ask your phone carrier how to do that, and call again.

nauerb1
January 15, 2021
I keep calling the line to activate my card and every time get the message that due to high call volume I have to call back later. Is this a common problem? Is there a good time to call. It is pretty frustrating to be told I have money but I can't access it.
nauerb1
January 15, 2021
I keep calling the line to activate my card and every time get the message that due to high call volume I have to call back later. Is this a common problem? Is there a good time to call. It is pretty frustrating to be told I have money but I can't access it.
13ravens
January 17, 2021
I wish you had just sent me a check. It would have been much easier for me as I am not a technological person and I wouldn't have an account that I don't want.
Donracingfan3
January 17, 2021
My 91 year old mother received a debit card which is stupid to give to elderly person. I have tried to activate the card with no success. There is no customer service to contact. It says the soc sec number does match their records. Two of us have tried. No way to contact customer service even though recording says there is.
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