Stimulus Debit Cards Being Mistaken As Scam

**401don** · May-27-20, 06:33 PM

How dumb is the Federal Gov't that they didn't, at the very least, forewarn people they were doing this:

https://www.freep.com/story/money/20...il/5267885002/

**Honky Tonk** · May-28-20, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

How dumb is the Federal Gov't that they didn't, at the very least, forewarn people they were doing this:

https://www.freep.com/story/money/20...il/5267885002/

This just goes to show you how out of touch the Government is with everyday people's lives. This is the first time I heard that the money was coming via debit card. I get bombarded weekly with "preapproved" credit cards, debit cards, cash incentives to transfer my debt to a different credit card. Why would they send this out, no explanation, marked with some bank name, to people? All I read about was the Democratic outrage that Trump's signature was on stimulus checks, and if you had direct deposit with the IRS, money would be directly deposited. Unless the article is eliminating facts from the story, this is a pretty dumb way to handle the stimulus.

**Meddle** · May-28-20, 05:41 AM

I got my check defaced with IT's name weeks ago, despite them having all the information necessary for DD.

**Maof** · May-28-20, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

This just goes to show you how out of touch the Government is with everyday people's lives. This is the first time I heard that the money was coming via debit card. I get bombarded weekly with "preapproved" credit cards, debit cards, cash incentives to transfer my debt to a different credit card. Why would they send this out, no explanation, marked with some bank name, to people? All I read about was the Democratic outrage that Trump's signature was on stimulus checks, and if you had direct deposit with the IRS, money would be directly deposited. Unless the article is eliminating facts from the story, this is a pretty dumb way to handle the stimulus.

It was on the IRS website. I believe, if they didn't have correct banking information, whether it was a closed bank account or not having one at all, it would be sent in the form of a check or pre-paid card. What they should have done was enclose a letter with the card or sent a letter before the payment was sent.

**Meddle** · May-28-20, 06:20 AM

Q45. Will IRS be sending prepaid debit cards? [[added May 20, 2020)

A45. Some payments may be sent on a prepaid debit card known as The Economic Impact Payment Card The Economic Impact Payment Card is sponsored by the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, managed by Money Network Financial, LLC and issued by Treasury’s financial agent, MetaBank®, N.A.

If you receive an Economic Impact Payment Card, it will arrive in a plain envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services.” The Visa name will appear on the front of the Card; the back of the Card has the name of the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A. Information included with the Card will explain that the card is your Economic Impact Payment Card. Please go to EIPcard.com for more information.
https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/econ...rmation-center

https://www.eipcard.com/

Leave it to the Goobermint to goober things up.

**Richard** · May-28-20, 09:20 AM

^ looks clearly spelled out to me,easy to follow the instructions.

There may be a disconnect from the days when the CC companies used to just send you a card,if you wanted to keep it you used it,if not you cut it up and trashed it.

**Meddle** · May-28-20, 09:51 AM

A competent Treasury would have stated:

If you receive an Economic Impact Payment Card, it will arrive in US Government Official Business envelope from “United States Treasury.” The Visa name and the Official Seal of the United States will appear on the front of the Card; the back of the Card has the name of the issuing bank, United States Treasury.

**Zacha341** · May-28-20, 09:55 AM

Mine came as Direct Deposit over a month ago followed up with a CARE letter signed by the POTUS. Another friend finally received their hard check yesterday. Timing and method is for sure varied.

Originally Posted by Meddle

I got my check defaced with IT's name weeks ago, despite them having all the information necessary for DD.

**Meddle** · May-28-20, 10:14 AM

^^ My check and letter both had official US Government insignia, not 'Don's Debit Card Issuing Station'.

Wonder how much that bank contributed to The Don's stash.

**401don** · May-28-20, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Richard

^ looks clearly spelled out to me,easy to follow the instructions.

There may be a disconnect from the days when the CC companies used to just send you a card,if you wanted to keep it you used it,if not you cut it up and trashed it.

You know darn well there is a direct correlation between the percentage of those most likely to receive a debit card who are less educated, less likely to have a chequing account or less likely to have provided it to the gov't, less likely to refer to the gov't website [[some may not have internet), etc.
The gov't clearly could have anticipated this and sent out a letter 1st as well as got their message out through the media.

**Richard** · May-28-20, 12:01 PM

We are discussing in hind site,everybody is shocked that the federal government is not a well oiled machine?

This is the first time in history that the United States government handed out so much free money on the scale of providing it to hundreds of millions at the same exact time.

Where is guide book on that?

**401don** · May-28-20, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

We are discussing in hind site,everybody is shocked that the federal government is not a well oiled machine?

This is the first time in history that the United States government handed out so much free money on the scale of providing it to hundreds of millions at the same exact time.

Where is guide book on that?

That's the thing. I wonder why it never occurs to anyone in gov't to take that extra couple of minutes to ask a few people if they anticipate any problems before launching into something so radically new and costly as sending out millions of debit cards. Actually, I do know why - total lack of accountability.

**Zacha341** · May-28-20, 01:10 PM

^^^^Yep. Can you imagine the federal government administering health care full-out! Having said that I think overall the gov. did well considering the numbers of mailing and tracking info that had to processed for eligibility!

**Honky Tonk** · May-28-20, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

We are discussing in hind site,everybody is shocked that the federal government is not a well oiled machine?

This is the first time in history that the United States government handed out so much free money on the scale of providing it to hundreds of millions at the same exact time.

Where is guide book on that?

If I were sitting in the Stimulus Check Distribution meeting, and the subject of debit cards came up, and it was suggested they be sent out, in a plain brown wrapper, with some bank's name on it, no explanation, it would have sent up red flags. But then, that's just me.

**Zacha341** · May-28-20, 01:23 PM

Here's the official US GOV link for the status of your Stimulus Check/ Card:

https://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof-wmsp/login

**Meddle** · May-28-20, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

That's the thing. I wonder why it never occurs to anyone in gov't to take that extra couple of minutes to ask a few people if they anticipate any problems before launching into something so radically new and costly as sending out millions of debit cards. Actually, I do know why - total lack of accountability.

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

If I were sitting in the Stimulus Check Distribution meeting, and the subject of debit cards came up, and it was suggested they be sent out, in a plain brown wrapper, with some bank's name on it, no explanation, it would have sent up red flags. But then, that's just me.

Unfortunately, it really isn't 'new' and they haven't [[yet) learned their lesson. I was really hoping this card that has been issued for several years now would have had some kind of official design, but ....

https://fiscal.treasury.gov/directexpress/

So, why didn't they send THIS card out instead of the new one?

**Honky Tonk** · May-28-20, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Unfortunately, it really isn't 'new' and they haven't [[yet) learned their lesson. I was really hoping this card that has been issued for several years now would have had some kind of official design, but ....

https://fiscal.treasury.gov/directexpress/

So, why didn't they send THIS card out instead of the new one?

Don't forget, Meddle, you're dealing with the same organization, that up until a few years ago, was using your SS# as your Medicare#. There it was, stamped on the card and all over your paperwork.

**Richard** · May-28-20, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

If I were sitting in the Stimulus Check Distribution meeting, and the subject of debit cards came up, and it was suggested they be sent out, in a plain brown wrapper, with some bank's name on it, no explanation, it would have sent up red flags. But then, that's just me.

yea,that is part of the job application process,any sign of common sense is automatically regulated to the round filing cabinet.

I am thinking if they had actually made it known loudly,people would be knocking over mail trucks and robbing mailboxes.

You can go to the dark web and buy everybody’s SS number,but as with any government project,if you can help 8 million out of 10 million it is considered a success.

**DeLemur** · May-28-20, 05:46 PM

This is a relatively simple procedure. Sure its a lot of money but all it needed was a letter. The Executive branch didn't handle it well. The SBA loan and small business support process was also a total mess. Handled by the banks, who restricted certain people or dropped the ball. Both have been badly handled.

Originally Posted by Richard

We are discussing in hind site,everybody is shocked that the federal government is not a well oiled machine?

This is the first time in history that the United States government handed out so much free money on the scale of providing it to hundreds of millions at the same exact time.

Where is guide book on that?

**Gistok** · May-28-20, 05:50 PM

What if they sent out the $1200 checks with the same info that was on the card? That's right... they didn't. It would have made too much sense not to do so.

Someone must have forgotten to drain part of the swamp....

**Richard** · May-28-20, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by DeLemur

This is a relatively simple procedure. Sure its a lot of money but all it needed was a letter. The Executive branch didn't handle it well. The SBA loan and small business support process was also a total mess. Handled by the banks, who restricted certain people or dropped the ball. Both have been badly handled.

The SBA and small business support process has been has been a total mess for the last 50 years.

like I posted it’s the federal government,people are kidding themselves if they think everything they do is that seamless.

Its not the executive branches responsibility,they just authorized the funding,if you want to attach blame you really need to drop down about 5 more levels of government.

**Richard** · May-28-20, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

What if they sent out the $1200 checks with the same info that was on the card? That's right... they didn't. It would have made too much sense not to do so.

Someone must have forgotten to drain part of the swamp....

They screwed up in the first place,should have taken the same stance as Roosevelt during the depression.

Pay money directly to the people and they will not go back to work,nobody gets nothing,supply the food banks and people can go stand in line to eat.

If they took the advice of the other party all of this would not even be an issue.

Even when handed free money people still look for something to complain about and use it to beef up a false agenda,they should have sent nothing out.

**Scottathew** · May-28-20, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Richard

They screwed up in the first place,should have taken the same stance as Roosevelt during the depression.

Pay money directly to the people and they will not go back to work,nobody gets nothing,supply the food banks and people can go stand in line to eat.

Normally I agree with you. But in this case, many places are shutdown.

COVID will pass, but the effects on the economy will remain. I think huge amounts of spending on infrastructure and renewable energy would be a great way to help folks get back to work while doing a great thing for the country.

Green energy could be our gift to the future, much like the interstate highway system has enabled so much of our economy.

**Richard** · May-28-20, 08:23 PM

^ yes but it will take 10 years to train the workforce into the green deal and millions will not make the grade.

We have the workforce now that is skilled enough to fire up manufacturing in this country while building products and providing a livable wage and then phase into more green.

The manufacturing experienced work force is aging out,think it is tough now wait until the dependence is on strictly green.

Its kinda like Detroit,you cannot survive on one horse,it has to be diversified.

Green can be apart of that equation,but as it stands now and with the amount of plastic water bottles sold every day,nobody really is all that committed to green anyways.

Green is not really about saving the planet,it’s about creating an additional revenue stream,just like technology did in the 80s and 90s.

The lesson learned was when you make it a mission to concentrate everything focused on that stream,millions get left behind in the process that will never be involved in that process outside of purchasing it.

We need to get back to the core substance of survival of millions that have been left behind,before we jump headfirst into another massive economic restructuring.IMHO

Manufacturing was dumped in this country because they thought technology was going to be the saving grace.

It created a lot of billionaires and millionaires fast but it also created an unequal amount that were pushed to the wayside,working for minimal wages and never able to experience their American dream,understandable there will always be that percentage,where we are at now is inexcusable,like they say,it’s not who we are.

Green will get the support it needs,after we commit to working with what we need to do now and today and stop the generational bleeding from continuing and start making the products in this country that we need.

If we do not then green will continue down the path it is currently at now,made in China.

Thats the deal.

**Scottathew** · May-29-20, 08:20 AM

We don't need a massive re-education to have a green infrastructure spend. The technology exists [[although it gets better everyday). A government work-based stimulus could have a few moving parts with different timelines.

Road infrastructure - Nearly immediate

Green manufacturing - medium to long term, we would need to build more manufacturing capacity for solar and wind

Building of the green infrastructure - medium to long term, we would need labor to take all the green equipment that was made and get it installed and connected to the grid

Green technologies and infrastructure are needed from my point of view, fossil fuels are going to drastically change the human race for the negative if we don't drastically cut back on them.

One of the big reasons manufacturing died here is because the ability to cheaply move things around the world has increased. Labor abroad is cheaper than American labor. As much as people in all sides of politics love America, buying American can be difficult or very expensive. It's one of those things where we say we love buying American, but don't actually do it. Just like "thoughts and prayers" is now just an empty thing people say, few are actually stopping and praying after they type "thoughts and prayers" into their Facebook application, and few are buying American after they say it's a good thing.

We can only hope that economic conditions improve in other parts of the world. As the worldwide standard of living and wages increase, the motivation to manufacture things far away goes down.