(Des Moines) Nearly four million Americans received their stimulus payments by prepaid debit card instead of a paper check or direct deposit.
The debit cards created a lot of confusion, and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office heard from about 200 Iowans with questions and concerns regarding potential fraud, customer service access, fees, and other problems with the cards.
Many consumers believed their card to be fraudulent or a solicitation and discarded it. They later had difficulty getting a new card without the card number.
The U.S. Treasury Department is addressing those concerns. First, they’ve waived the $7.50 replacement fee for the first replaced card and changed the phone system to help recipients reach a live customer service representative. Consumers should call 800-240-8100, press “2” when prompted to report a lost or stolen card, and enter the last six digits of their Social Security number.
U.S. Treasury Officials have now taken the following measures:
*increased the daily limit for cash withdrawals from $1,000 to $2,500, which should cover most consumers.
*allowed recipients to transfer all of the money from the EIP card to a bank account for free.
*verified that cards issued with an incorrect last name (such as a spouse’s name) are still valid.
The cards have nearly all been mailed out, according to the Treasury Department.
