Direct Express
Reviews and Complaints

If you're considering using Direct Express, I urge you to proceed with caution. My personal experience with this service has been nothing short of frustrating. From delayed deposits to unhelpful customer service, Direct Express has left me feeling let down. The lack of communication, unresolved issues, and overall inefficiency have made me question why this service is still in operation. I strongly advise potential users to explore other options before committing to Direct Express.

I AM WRITING TO TELL PEOPLE THAT I DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM GETTING MY DIRECT EXPRESS CARD BUT When it came to activating the card. Which normally you just call a phone number and its activated that is not was required this time they wanted a birth certificate and photo I.D. i already leave messages for Kristen Gillibrand a senator and Phillip Weigner a state attorney in Denver Colorado and have already told the federal Trade Commission about how I have been treated. I am college educated to and have gone to fundraising dinners in Washington D. C. at the white house Jaquelline Kennedy garden room, When i lived on first street in Elmira new York. 5332 Paul w. Bjorck

Why haven't I changed to a different bank. I'm almost sure I can even though I get government funds. They have some of the worst customer service reps. There have been times that I can't connect with them over the phone for 2 days. First on hold then after ten minutes they hang up. It isn't right that you can't talk to your bank when you've just been hacked and your money is steadily dwindling from your account by someone other than you. I did get my money back from them for that hacking, but
It took a while. I also can't figure out where my leftover money goes at the end of the month. My summary only shows the amount I receive monthly, and subtracted from that number are the debits. I asked where my money was going, that after 3.5 years I should have accumulated some cash, and to this there was no answer. He politely excused himself and hung up the phone. I'm thinking that they have been ripping me off for some time. If you are with this bank I would like to know if the same is happening to you.

It's a good websit to help u out when I need help and helps other's and needed more websites like this

Been with them for 7 years now, never have I had a problem with them. Maybe I'm been lucky but nothing to complain about

If you like to spend countless hours on the phone to get your SSA MONEY by all means use them, like you have any other choice!

I have been on hold for almost 3 hours with no answer because they have done something to my card and I can't use it even though I have funds.

I've had nothing but great service for eight years. Satisfied users never bother to review.
Keep that in mind as you read reviews. They serve VERY many people.

The frustration of trying to reach this group on the phone is unbelievably frustrating. Their procedures are without thought and require great vigilance and follow through. Avoid using at all costs.

I had fraud on my direct express account while i was incarcirated $3,000 was stolen out of my account when i got out of jail i filed a fraud/idenity theft with direct express i even faxed them over FIVE TIMES proof i was in jail when this happen they turned me down and said thier was no fraud done i put in a complaint FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES and each time they closed my case the first time they investigated it for TWO DAYS AND CLOSED IT the second time they investigated it they closed it in TWO DAYS i have ssi and now im fored to pay back that money to ssi they are taken $80 amonth out of my check till the $3,000 is paid back i since left them and went to a REAL BANK direct express is the most horrible company to deal with i would suggest anyone who is useing them or thinking of useing them to think TWICE

Lets clear somethings up. You will get hung up on if you use foul language. If your card is locked send in your ID for ID verification. We run it throw a system and it has to be approved through the system not a person! If its denied resend it or use another for of ID. Social Security card and birth certificate is the best way to be approved fast. IDS CAN NOT BE FAXED NO MATTER WHAT WILL BE DENIED OF TOP! Birth certificate and social security card can be faxes. ID can not be expired or have a different last name. Majority of the time if your card is on hold the system did because of your error. We dont call anyone if we expect fraud. We send out letters! Nobody sits behind a computer watching yall every transaction. Disputes are done by investigators they do a full inspection. The paperwork does come slow as hell HOWEVER you can submit your own paperwork ask your rep. WE CAN NOT CHANGE DUE DATES NOBODY CAN INCLUDING SUPERVISORS! The provisional credit is never promised when you turn your paperwork in it gets you eligible for it. ITS NOT PROMISED TO KEEP. If your claim is denied the money will be chargedback. IF YOU DONT HAVE MONEY TO COVER IT YOU WILL GO IN THE NEGATIVE. If you have had multiple ppl you receive money for and had a bunch of cards sent out over the years YES ITS HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CARD TO REPLACE BECAUSE YOU CANT HOLD ON TO A CARD! When it comes to declined transactions we do whitelist card unless you are across seas. WE ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY CASHAPP PAYPAL VENMO GOOGLE PAY APPLE PAY OR FACEBOOK/META PAY. If it works cool. If it declines we can not do nothing about it. Use another payment option. If you dont have one get one. YOU WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH HIGH VERIFICATION THIS IS GOVERNMENT MONEY! If we would just say okay i will unlock your account or whitelist your card to anyone who calls in yall would be mad because someone is lying saying they are you. We need to make sure you are who you say you are. Fraudulent transactions is common on any card. Download the direct express app and keep your card locked. Being locked through the app is for your safety and you can unlock it at anytime. You can also lock your card through the automated system. WE HAVE HIGH CALL VOLUME! Do you know how many people have ssa or ssi? Not only that we just dont deal with ssa and ssi. We deal with ALL STATE BENEFITS. We as reps understand your not mad at us but the yelling and foul language that yall give is very uncalled for. Thats why majority of yall get hung up on. PER OUR POLICY AT DIRECT EXPRESS WE AS CALL CENTER REPS DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE ANY TYPE OF VERBAL ABUSE! YOU WILL GET HUNG UP ON! IF YOU CALL IN WITH AN ISSUE AND WE GIVE YOU A SOLUTION BUT ITS NOT THE ONE YOU DONT LIKE NOT OUR FAULT IF YOUR NOT ACCEPTING IT OR WILL NOT ALLOW A REP TO SPEAK YOU WILL GET HUNG UP ON! We are here to help the best we can! We are doing our job just like some of yall did. WE ARE NOT A BANK WE ARE A PREPAID CARD SERVICE! Yall complain about how bad the customer service is but yall as customers are ridiculous! Thinking we can hit a button and things will appear on our screen. We are not going to go against policy and lose our job because you can't verify or want your money back from a dispute. BE MORE RESPONSIBLE. If you cant get a representative payee and have someone else in charge of your money or again GET ANOTHER PAYMENT OPTION.

DirectExpress should be ashamed of themselves for taking advantage of a 68-year-old woman with health conditions. Direct Express service reps, investigators, and management should learn how to respect and have compassion with individuals that have health issues who take medications that causes them to lose concentration and make errors while filling out the claim report. They should have the decency to contact the customer for follow ups and/or corrections. I wish I could give DirectExpress zero stars.

DirectExpress has the worst customer service reps, investigators, and managers that I had dealt with, has caused unnecessary stress, and now has manifested additional health issues. I had to open a claim report because someone stole my debit card and my driver license and provided the necessary supporting documentation confirming the theft. However, DirectExpress investigators & reps have been giving me the run around by not providing details, contracting each other, falsely accusing me being in collusion with the fraudsters, and out denying my claim.

You said I went over my limit of transactions ! I didn't know anything about thus! I have NEVER seen anything from you in the mail ever! Now this morniing I was able ton make a $5 purchase on facebook just fine but on ebay a few hours later card is declined! Another Co.(natural life 0 I was trying tonbuy a weighted blanket and said card is declined , I put my name in wrong!4X's REALLY! I DO KNOW MY OWN NAME! DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET THIS PROBLEM RIGHT? This happened all day 10/03 & 10/04

I truly despise this company! It took me 4 months to finall close my account with them! I would unlock my card and make a transaction! Then someone ( thief in the company) would do a doordash! Where no pin is needed! Guess who told me? Customer service! But someone in San Francisco? I live in Texas. It’s been since Dec 22 that almost $600 was taken out. Took me 3 months to get it back. Then other small transactions were taken out! But that’s money I live by! Thieves within the company! Paying their own bills on my dime! Add me to your future lawsuit

Finall closed account and opened one with Chase! What a relief

[protected]@gmail.com

Sleepless nights in El Paso Tx

prior to this unauthorized transaction direct Express found simular transactions involving same B,S to be unauthorized. ,this transaction was pending while i was on phone with Direct Express and thought it would go away with card cancell. it did not and $132.46 was unauthorized and taken from my account again. today April 16,2024 I once again had to cancell my card to get the ball rolling . Is there anything that can be done to stop these preditors from raping people everywhere from this crime? i am willing to help in any way needed!

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I received a new card back in October of last year I was able to activate the card but now I can't take mo ey from an ATM or get cash back at retailers or even add money to my PayPal or Cashapp account. I never had this problem and it's been a big head ache since I got the new card. I tried calling for support but it tells me to try to call back. It's a big mess

There are favors, and then... there are FAVORS. Trust me when I tell you that if you are considering using Direct Express, or if you have for some reason been led to believe that you HAVE to use Direct Express, I am about to do you the biggest favor, EVER. I am even not exaggerating (that much).

There are companies which are terrible to do deal with and which you should avoid at all costs. Well, Direct Express takes that "Terrible to Deal With", runs with it, and finds the muddiest pit imaginable, then digs down, way down, into the realm of "Even Worse Than Terrible to Deal With". In fact, it's almost as if they invented the concept, and then perfected the practice of being Even Worse Than Terrible to Deal With.

My granny is adamant that she does not want to sell her house and in that she wants to keep being as independent as possible, which at her age, is not very independent at all anymore. As such, I handle most of her finances, her grocery shopping, etc. For a while, we would receive her SS check in paper form, but then began to receive notices with the check, that we HAD to set up a form of direct deposit. These notices (shame on you, SSA!) 'pushed' Direct Express to the point where any reasonable person would think the Social Security Administration and Direct Express are associated - They are NOT; or that Direct Express is a government entity - it is NOT.

Simply, if you believe that you are required to enroll with them, this is NOT the case. The Direct Express card and Direct Express itself, is a third-party OPTION for federal benefit recipients to receive their benefits electronically.

I opted for using them because I am the payee on her account and my bank account is in my married name, and mostly because I did not bother to read the fine print (shame on me) and thought the SSA and DE were associated and thought the entire thing would be easier because of it. I was wrong.

The main and most concerning things about Direct Express, is that it is EXTREMELY difficult, IF NOT DOWNRIGHT IMPOSSIBLE, to get through to them over the phone - while at the SAME TIME, their online presence and "help" options are practically NONEXISTENT.

You literally call in, have to go through several phone options, only then to be told that they are "experiencing heavy call volumes" (always) and to "call back", right before you are summarily disconnected and have to do it all over again. 'HOW is this possible' you may ask. I ask myself the same. If this is the card/company of choice for the SSA (and by the way they push and almost market the use of it, you'd say it was), HOW can it be so damn awful? Not sure, but it is.

After having registered her, we waited 14 days (two weeks) for a card which did not arrive within the 7-10 days we had been told to expect it by. I made three calls before I could reach anyone and was told that their system showed it was in "the mail pan", and I kid you not, this person told me that we might have to wait up to FORTY days. I thought to myself, that cannot possibly be right. Don't many recipients live from SS check to SS check? What if my granny did not have us to fall back on? I then attempted to call again just in case that forty-day information was incorrect. This time it took 11 times (just in case that was not clear, that is ELEVEN calls) before I could actually get a line in, and before I could speak to anyone.

Note here, that they have two different numbers ***311 and ***115). The second is WAY busier than the first, but on the first number they do not have nearly all the information that the people on the second number have. (The person who told me we'd have to wait up to forty days was at the first number).

Upon reaching someone at the second number, I was told it had been sent out and that sometimes they just run late and to give it a few more days before calling to have it canceled and reissued. Both our homes are subscribed to the USPS Informed Delivery service which sends me images of what mail pieces to expect, and I had not seen an envelope which might have been the card within the images they send, however, I decided to wait, mostly because the idea of starting the entire process over was a little too much. Thankfully, it arrived a few days later. (Day 19 or 20).

After we received it, thinking that we did not want to have to call back twenty times each time if we ever needed anything in the future, we decided to just change the direct deposit from Direct Express to my bank. After a few (MORE) calls, I was told that I needed to contact the SSA to do that. Upon contacting the Social Security Administration, I was told that my 93 year old great-grandmother would have to GO IN AND VISIT a SS Office in order to make the change.

Save yourself the headaches. If you have a good bank you trust, make sure you avoid dealing with Direct Express at all costs.

I work for a public housing agency in Washtenaw county Michigan. I
Assist my previously homeless clients with maintaining their housing
And ensuring they can pay their bills and afford their other expenses.
Recently, a client of mine who receives SSDI experienced a seriously
Troubling process of proving their identity and restarting service of
Their Direct Express debit card through which they receive their SSDI
Benefit.

The issue began with Direct Express contacting my client over the
Phone, not indicating what issue had occurred with the card, only that
It was no longer functioning and that in order to restore it, they
Would have to call the customer service line. As I am sure you are
Already aware, the customer service line for Direct Express includes
An inordinate wait time, however this is not where the issue is. The
True problem was that when my client called, they were treated rudely,
Hung up on several times, and only after several attempts, given a
Case number and told to email Direct Express documentation which my
Client does not currently have (an in-date state Identification card).
In lieu of this, they were told to send in a copy of their birth
Certificate and social security card. My client does not know how to
Even work a computer, much less use an email address; this is when
They contacted me.

I supplied Direct express with the necessary documentation
Immediately, sent to the email (***@usdirectexpress.com) within an hour
Of being informed of the situation. For 3 days, Direct Express refused
To admit to my client that they had received the documentation,
Despite me sending it on their behalf no less than 6 times. After
These 72 hours had passed, they then informed my client that they HAD
In fact received the documentation, but due to 72 hours having passed,
Their "window" had closed and their claim had been denied. I sent the
Documentation to them again, several times, and attempted to call
While with my client in person. We were ignored, hung up on several
Times, and had to wait hours to call again to get in touch with
Someone to help us.

After all of this effort, we still were not given any helpful
Information and were hung up on by representatives multiple times;
Each time meaning we had to wait in the queue again. One particularly
Problematic call was after giving the representative all necessary
Identifying documentation and being put on hold 3 times, the
Representative came back to the call only to tell us that her "system
Was not working" and to call back later before hanging up on us when
We asked to speak to a supervisor.

We only received assistance once calling "***435", a complaint
Line which I only found by digging through the internet; something my
Client could never have done on their own. The individual who we
Reached informed us that the case would be escalated and to await a
Call. We informed this representative of the time-sensitivity of the
Issue as my client's phone was about to be shut off due to
Non-payment, medications could not be purchased and their other bills
Could not be paid.

After several more hours, I was called by Direct Express, NOT my
Client, and they told me that they had received the escalation but
Could not speak to me. Luckily, I was near my client and ensured they
Spoke to the representative. This representative who identified
Herself as "Pauline" was combative, rude, and made my client very
Uncomfortable. She asked first for the social security card and birth
Certificate of my client (What I had already sent) and we resent these
Documents. She then said that the picture of the social security card
Had to be in color. Again, we resent the documentation to her
Specifications. Then she stated that we had to take pictures of the
Documents, front and back on a table, and would no longer accept the
High-detail scans I had sent her. Each time she came back to us from
Being on hold, she asked for something new which was conflicting with
What had been previously asked for.

I was unable to stay with my client at this time due to another
Appointment. While in my absence, Pauline called back once again and
Asked my client "security questions" which they had never set and did
Not know the answer to. Pauline then summarily denied the application.

Now desperate and exhausted, my client asked what they could possibly
Do to regain their social security benefit. Pauline stated that only
New pictures of the two documents and questions answered correctly
From my client's birth certificate would work. At this time, I was
Able to return and although Pauline refused to speak to me on my
Client's behalf, we were able to, once again, send them new pictures
Of the documents to prove their identity.

Only after this final time did something seem to work and Pauline
Confirmed the card was once again active.

This is a system that without me being there to help my client, would
Have provided no way at all for them to regain the use of their debit
Card. It was a life-threatening emergency which could have been
Avoided by Direct Express having offices where client's could meet in
Person, or for my client to be able to set up their own security
Questions, or even improved contact with the Social Security
Administration to confirm their identity from their benefit letter.

I am sincerely concerned for how many people this must be happening to
Across our nation. Direct Express has proven through this situation
And countless other missteps, some of them currently pending in
Litigation, that they are either incapable or unwilling to uphold
Their obligations as partner with Social security. They have failed
Social security recipients, they have failed their clients, and thus
They have failed the American people. We all deserve better treatment
Than how my client was treated.

I ask that it be made more of a priority to investigate the extent to
Which Direct Express is abusing their position as card servicer for
The elderly and disabled. I cannot stress enough how exhausting and
Frustrating of a process this was even to a trained professional like
Myself. I can hardly imagine trying to traverse the minefield of
Expectations, changing requirements, and outright unprofessionalism
Which are all commonly displayed by Direct Express.

My old directexpress card got hacked my old card # is [protected]

On the 3rd of january I checked my account they said I had $10.00something

I just got my social secuity check 0f $1,202.00 plus they said there was a pending charge at $1,202.33 cent pending on my account I ask the to stop it I didn't ok it that it was a scam the said the couldn't I don't under stand why they couldn't it's my account, they said the had to let go through then I can go after the one that hacked me i'm on social security and they took my whole check I live check to check. Plese get my money back.

Direct Express immediately closed out the card that there were suspicious charges on. That was helpful. However, Now it has been over a month and I am unable to pay rent due to not having a card in order to pay it with. So i am being punished for money being stolen from me. They only have one number, their instructions are very unclear, and no one at the number provided can ever seem to help me. My suggestion is to never report fraud transactions on your card and just cancel it to have a new one sent. Otherwise their unhelpful staff wont care if you are able to eat or pay bills. Not their problem.

my card got locked and waiting on a new card but they won't give me my money I'm on ssi with mental illness and this is just another knife in my back i had a rough year they could just give me me my money i got bills to pay and good luck trying to get through to customer service i did one time and they wanted me to get to the bank and call back to unlock the card for get this 2 minutes to get my money off there of course no one answered. we need to do something to protect those on ssi this is getting stupid and not right and should be illegal and if there was small charges that were fraud they should of sent me a letter in the damn mail but nope. anything to screw us over I'm very upset beyond belief. going to lose everything i guess and be homeless like the government wants.

I discovered that Hughes Net took 220.00 unauthorized off my card December 3rd, 2023. I haven't used Huges Net for seven months, I changed to Comcast. They sent me a box which I returned all equipment, which I only used the internet. They were holding seventy-four dollars of my money until the equipment arrived. It arrived and they let me know and the amount was given back to me. This shows all the equipment was returned. I have not received any mail from them in these months then I called Master Card and found out they had taken the money from my card. The other company that took off 49.00 I have never heard of.

On November 28 on about 1:00 pm I called direct express to discuss a claim that I was denied, I ask questions to the representative and she was very nasty with translating the notice I received so I can understand why the fraud department came to a conclusion that there was unauthorized third party but was told there wasn’t she continue getting annoyed cause I wanted answer.. she proceed to hang up our called..

Ok I called on 11/01/2023 to my card to see if my money was in already and they told me yes a deposit of $914.00 had been deposited on time ok so I waited until my ride came in the morning but when me and my brother got to the bank there was no money in my account ok so I went home .so I called when I got home but there was a lot of calls I didn't get thought ok so I waited until the next day maybe something was going on with my card so I went back the next day and the same thing happened no money was in my account ok so I went back home and called DIRECT EXPRESS but couldn't get through again so by this time I was lost ok

October 12 $400.00 was taken out of my account at Speedway#PSF3 without my authorization. I checked my account and then seen it was missing.

On October 13 another $400 was taken out at Speedway#52-PS3

On October 7 my ex spouse went to Speedway on Needmore in Dayton, OH to withdraw $400. The $400 never came out. I notified an employee and all they would tell me was to call the 800 number on the atm. i called the number and it got disconnected.

On nov 2nd I noticed someone was taking 4.99 out quite a few times in nov and oct. I talked to someone after calling all evening. He supposedly canceled my card and I paid around 13 dollars to get in 2 days. Today the 4th I got on to see if my money was there and noticed This person is now taking 9.99 quite a few times a day. It shows the last 4 digits of my new card. How can he do this? It says google Tony Pai. I know its not something I did, I am not that stupid. So far its 75.00 and I live on a little over 800 a month. Please someone help me! I am 70 yrs old and cant deal with this. Sandra Black

I was locked out of my debit account with zero specification as to why, I had to send in id for verification which keeps getting rejected despite crystal clarity of the images. Nobody will communicate to even explain why I was randomly selected to be denied service. Even closing the account isn't an option with troll employees on a power trip kicking away identification forms. Funds were transferred to this dumpster fire of an account mistakenly and were withheld during this circus. Left waiting 45 days to have it forcefully removed.

my back pay is on that card its lost it says julia howard now i am my own payee a jerry david romero and need my back pay off of that card put on my flare acct ace debit card acct.#[protected] rt#. [protected] please hurry i really need that money thank you and dont put julia name on it or they wont accept i finnally became my own payee after visiting the doctor, im happy ty.

jerry romero

You sent me a card with an invalid number. Now I can't pay my rent or even buy me any food. Why do you want to starve me to death & make me homeless? I need my money. I need a card with valid numbers please.

This october your automated customer service says my card has an invalid number. This happens whenever I call [protected] to use my card. I need a card with valid numbers please. Please send me a card with valid numbers to 4200 lakeland blvd #156 mattoon il 61928 today.

I turned in all the paperwork as I was told to do with dates and figures about the charges on my card. I wish your company would get the paperwork and review it one more time . Wells Fargo did go back thru theirs where I filled against the same person in 2013 and they said it should have been paid to me then . So they just recently cut me a cashier's check for the charges that were not mine plus interest for the years I waited for them . I had told the truth on the charges that had occurred on my debit card and thank them very much for going back in time . I'm sure this occurs a lot now days due to the stress on people but I assure you my claim was genuine

direct express locked my card called customer service i was pt on hold for 3 hours next day i tried again 31/2 hours later still have not talked to a person now i have to pay 100. dollars in late fees because direct express refuse to answer the phone and help any one,. customer service there is none and disabled and seniors pay a heave price for direct express hate foe customer [protected]