- Report: #990713
Complaint Review: Bluebird American Express - Salt Lake City Utah
Reported By:
John R -
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.A.
Submitted:
Updated:
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Author Confirmed
Why?
Bluebird American Express
4315 South 2700 West Salt Lake City, 84119 Utah, United States of America
Phone:
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Bluebird American Express Bluebird Debit Card, American Express Centurion Bank Misleading Advertising Salt Lake City, Utah
I am writing this so that many will not get caught up with this prepaid debit card. The bank that is the controller is NOT FDIC insured. They are a commercial bank with American Express as the major holder. This is why you can not have any government checks directly deposited to this card. You will not know this easily because it is buried in the disclosure in the FAQ provided on the website. I unfortunately did not notice this, as I am sure many others won't until it is to late! The direct deposit page makes no mention of this at all! I arrived at the funding page through the correct link and clicked on the print page. This page displays a check with the information you need to establish a direct deposit (bank routing number and account number). This was submitted to Social Security on the 20th of November, 2012. The change did not occur until 3rd January 2013 as any change in direct deposit must be made before the 15th of any given month.
To my surprise or fate the deposit has been rejected by Bluebird (American Express Centurion Bank). This now creates an extreme hardship as this money must be returned to treasury and redeposited in a bonifide fdic insured bank account. In other words your money will be unavailable to you for approximately 2 weeks.If you live on a fixed income DON'T even entertain this O cost card. Social Security will not notify you that this is NOT an acceptable deposit vechicle. Shame on American Express for hiding behind their misleading ads for nothing more then gaining market share in the prepaid debit card market. The hardships created by this "buried information" is yet to be felt!!!
To my surprise or fate the deposit has been rejected by Bluebird (American Express Centurion Bank). This now creates an extreme hardship as this money must be returned to treasury and redeposited in a bonifide fdic insured bank account. In other words your money will be unavailable to you for approximately 2 weeks.If you live on a fixed income DON'T even entertain this O cost card. Social Security will not notify you that this is NOT an acceptable deposit vechicle. Shame on American Express for hiding behind their misleading ads for nothing more then gaining market share in the prepaid debit card market. The hardships created by this "buried information" is yet to be felt!!!
5 Updates & Rebuttals
Christopher
Meridian ,Mississippi,
Bluebird by American Express is the BEST on market.
#2REBUTTAL Owner of company
Mon, June 02, 2014
ve /evaluat OWNed a ndworksexperimented with several prepaid debit/Credit cards.
BLUEBIRD.COM .. Bluebird by Amex is by far the best one I've experienced and conducted business. Sorry about previous person's complaint but this card has been my little bank account. NO monthly fee. NO charge to deposit funds up to a thousand daily (which is the daily deposit limit. U have unrivaled protection with your funds in this account. Having a fraudulent claim/dispute? Amex Bluebird is by more legal documents.
Direct deposit DOES work. I HAVE IT FOR THIS CARD..(NOT ONE problem) !
Western Union
is very eperiance
I Own several other prepaids and this far surpasses Visa.
Amex Is..I repeat IS IN BY BANCORP AND WELLS FARGO
John R
Daytona Beach,Florida,
U.S.A.
Adding insult to injury
#3Author of original report
Tue, January 08, 2013
I just got off the phone from Social Security who has informed me that the Treasury had still not received the Declined Deposit from this company. I immediately thereafter contacted BLUEBIRD/AMEX customer service and after 15 minutes was informed that the deposit would be returned after 2pm today. In other words this declined deposit was held 3 business days before return was even considered. I wonder what explanation or where in the AGREEMENT this is stated!
Social Security, as of 12pm today, has issued a non receipt of funds for my account and will reissue the funds in 3 to 5 business days to the new direct deposit receiver (who bty does accept US TREASURY issued checks) and does not conveniently leave it off their advertisement!
I admit that one should take 1/2 hour out of their life to read the entire Agreement, run it by their attorney and then and only then sign or enter into an agreement as simple as a Direct Deposit and never assume anything. However maybe companies having nothing to hide should make things a bit clearer in their initial offering instead of burying it in the details unless they have some negative to hide! Sorry, but not all of us are privy to being contract attorneys.
John R
Daytona Beach,Florida,
U.S.A.
Buried in the SMALL print!
#4Author of original report
Tue, January 08, 2013
Yes I am aware that any company can hide behind the "SMALL" print that one agree's to. It would take a Philadelphia lawyer to sort through the pages of legalize written to protect only the company! I have NEVER encountered this problem with any other debit or pre-payed card company. Why would any one assume/read that a direct deposit from the UNITED STATES TREASURY would NOT be accepted by a notable company such as American Express and for that matter doubt that they are not FDIC insured.
Maybe instead of writing such trivia and quoting section numbers BURIED in the disclosure a company would better word the enticements for Direct Deposit to include "Except All Government Issued Checks" and the inclusion of "Not FDIC Insured" where one would easily know and be able to make an informed decision before delving into the "AGREEMENT"! Your basic advertisements make no mention of that FACT! So who is kidding who here?
Chaplain Bob Walker B. Th.
Lake Worth,Florida,
USA
AMEX should refuse the linking of accounts
#5Consumer Comment
Tue, January 08, 2013
IF AMEX will not accept SS payments then they should have a way to prevent people from even assigning the payment to them. Refuse the payment before it is even finished being applied for. This is a huge company that works with banks and government, so they should know.
AMEX computers should catch this before the customer is finished putting in the info.
instead of burying it in a multi page disclaimer....
coast
USAThe terms are not 'buried'
#6Consumer Comment
Fri, January 04, 2013
When you registered your account you checked the box next to: Click here to confirm you reviewed, met and agree to our Member Agreement
Two excerpts from the Member Agreement that you confirmed you reviewed, met and agreed to:
Section 9a
Payments by the U.S. government may not currently be direct deposited to your Account. This includes Federal wages, salaries and retirement benefits and Federal benefits such as Social Security, SSI, Civil Service Retirement, Veterans Affairs compensation and pension, Federal worker's compensation, etc.
Section 13c
You will not receive interest or any other earnings on funds in your Account or Sub-Account. Funds in your Account or Sub-Account are NOT insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
