Social Security Debit Card Gains Traction

I got my Direct Express card last month and had my Social Security check direct deposited to it and yesterday, payday, there it was right on time in my new account.

Today I paid all but one bill online using the card and shopped and took out cash at the register. So far the only people not accepting the card is my car insurance company, The Hartford and I just wrote them to ask why. There is no reason for them to not take it. The card is a Mastercard and the funds are there or there not. It's a prepaid card so there is no risk to a business. Monday morning I'm calling my bank and quitting my account and stopping the bleeding of all the overdraft fees. Banks that gouge people for so much need to be stopped. I could borrow money from the mob and pay less in fees and interest! This is a good card to get.

Robspace1 of WA 5:43PM April 03, 2010

What happened to Shirley Delaney is exactly what has been happening to me with my direct deposit US bank account. I have recently switched to the direct express card because the unauthorized transactions have, in my case, led to some very expensive overdraft charges. I suspect, as Shirley, that the bank or some one with in the bank may be responsible after all they would not only be getting the unauthorizes amount they claim they would also be entitling themselves to the accumulation of overdraft charges that result. I feel that the integrity in the banking institutions is a thing of the past. The banking business has became a game of hiring attourneys to find loop-holes in the laws that allow them their preditory lending practices such as accumulative overdraft fees as the result of an unauthorized charge. Untill their is a consequence or penalty imposed for the unauthorized transactions on our plastic we can only expect more of the same to come. Its a free shot at stealing money for those with the equitment and capacity to do so. I have never been offered anything for the errors besides an appology and a bunch of paperwork to fill out denying the transaction. Immagine if the consequence for shoplifting was the same as the consequence for unauthorized transactions and all you had to do was appologize and put the merchandise back but only if and when you got caught. This is the nature of our plastic world. The rich are afforded the opportunity to be sneak theifs from the poor and there is never a consequence for getting caught.

cal of ID 4:11PM February 03, 2010

I thought that I would have the convenience of using the Direct Express card to make online payments to save on paper bills. No way! All of my accounts for credit related bills will not Accept a Debit card, but ONLY a Bank Account. And so, to further, avoid the $1.50 phone transfer to the Bank account I have to go anyway to the bank, for them to withdraw and deposit into my account, which Direct does NOT charge for (but Only a bank teller can do this to my knowledge.) If that is not enough, the bank gets sick and tired of paying all my my checks out in the checking account and they are now charging me almost $10.00 to maintain the checking and savings account which would otherwise remain free if I had Direct Deposit. Some incentive. However, at least they DO answer the phone when I have a question.

So, guess what? I'm changing my deposit from Direct Merchant to Direct Deposit and foregoing the false "convenince" of that card, Besides the hair pulling of trying to get ahold of a "live" customer service rep.

Sharon of NV 5:41PM October 05, 2009

This all-electronic, all direct deposit, all debit card mentality must stop. So long as Social Security exists, they better keep sending out the paper checks. They're still the best and safest means of handling payments. And they provide the greatest ease of use to the recipient.

Jeff of ID 7:26PM August 04, 2009