Need advice on debit card problem

NV_

Bronze
Aug 4, 2003
710
6
0
I recently got a debit card (U.S. based card- the one you get at walmart for a few bucks) and after using it a few too many times to withdraw money from the ATMs (every few days for about a month here in S.D.), the card was frozen and I was told by the debit card company that a U.S. based card cant be used that often to withdraw money internationally (BS I say but whatever, their card, their rules).

After being told that, I stopped using the card for a about a week. When I logged into my online account for the debit card, $170 USD balance magically appeared in the account. Thinking I had somehow goofed up or that my sister in the U.S. had somehow forgot that she deposited the 170USD, I went ahead and used it. A few days later after talking with my family, we came to the conclusion that the 170 bucks was an error on their part.

I decided to stop using the card but just checked the account and the balance is up to $350USD!?!?! Again, no one has deposited money in this account.

My question is, since this is a debit card and im now positive these are errors on their part, how responsible am I for this money IF I use it? Can they charge me this money later on? Way I see it, its a debit card, money is in my account, it's their problem.

Not really sure whats going on but I could really use this money to pay some bills... lol

Sorry this was so long winded but I just didnt know where else to seek advice...
 

amparocorp

Bronze
Aug 11, 2002
900
86
0
"i'm sorry mam but that card was stolen from me while i was in the DR and i didn't have a phone # to call in the US to report the problem. i told a dominican policeman about the theft and he just shrugged his shoulders and asked for 100 pesos for lunch, so then i went to the police station but i couldn't find anyone that spoke english." and, possibly, that balance is 350 pesos. good luck!!!
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
Did you provide your SS number when you got the card? I know it's a debit card, but Patriot Act and all kind of BS requires your data even for CVS card.

If they don't have your SSN, you are on the safe side.
 

boca chica dave

New member
Sep 25, 2004
272
4
0
You can purchase these cards in the U.S. at convience stores etc. you pay cash for the card to use at gas pumps, impress some girl that you have credit and so on. I did'nt realize they were rechargable. If your family has'nt given any personal info towards the purchase-- i'd say grab it all and an early Christmas for you.
 

NV_

Bronze
Aug 4, 2003
710
6
0
AFAIK the social security was taken when they purchased the card.

Truly dont know what to do... Apparently every 3 or 4 days they are depositing around 160 bucks USD into the account. Ive had tons of credit and debit cards and this is the first time ive ever seen this type of error..

Im very tempted to use the money but dont want it to come back and bite me in the rear when they realize their system is giving away money.
 

blkronin

New member
Sep 30, 2008
36
6
0
The number rule I go by is that if it is not my money, I will not use it. It could come back to bite you in the *ss. Even if it doesn't, karma is a bitch.
 

Celt202

Gold
May 22, 2004
9,099
944
113
AFAIK the social security was taken when they purchased the card.

Truly dont know what to do... Apparently every 3 or 4 days they are depositing around 160 bucks USD into the account. Ive had tons of credit and debit cards and this is the first time ive ever seen this type of error..

Im very tempted to use the money but dont want it to come back and bite me in the rear when they realize their system is giving away money.

A spotless credit rating is far more valuable than a few hundred dollars. It's not your money.
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
If it is prepaid card, it most likely is post-it loose-it transaction. Meaning, if you post money to a wrong card, sorry you are out of luck. Looks like somebody is recharging your card, thinking they are actually recharging a different card. If they have done that several times, legally, they are out of luck. (They could do a claim if they put money on the card once, and they realize their error and claim the money with the card issuer). But if they do several deposits, legally, they cannot claim the money as error (look on this from a different point: You deposit money on YOUR card, over and over then spend it, and then you come to claim that you deposited in error - the card issuer would hold you responsible, because for them, you are trying to get money back - They would most likely even not accept a claim that a depositing person and card holder are non related, too easy to get somebody to deposit money in order for the cardholder to later claim a refund).

While I am not saying that it is correct for you to use the money, I am saying that legally, after several recharges, the card issuer would not accept the claim from the person who made the deposits in error.

FYI, if you make a wire transfer to a wrong account (e.g. you enter account number incorrectly, wrong bank, etc.), and the money is credited to a wrong account, the bank CANNOT just debit the money from the wrong account after you realize your error and inform the bank. The transfer receiving bank has to actually get a specific written permission of the account holder who received the money in error in order for them to be legally able to debit the money. If they don't get the permission, they legally cannot debit the money from that account.

The wisdom of this: Always double check where you are sending money or what accounts you are recharging.

P.S.2: even if you pay your Codetel bill they ask you two or three times to reconfirm the number. If you pay the wrong number, you are out of luck, you have just paid somebody else's bill.
 

NV_

Bronze
Aug 4, 2003
710
6
0
Thanks for all the advice. I'll be leaving the money in there for a couple weeks, if nothing changes, my car needs a couple new tires... :p
 

J D Sauser

Silver
Nov 20, 2004
2,940
390
83
www.hispanosuizainvest.com
Well, we should all lite up a candle... after all it's the first time in my memory we had a post about a card "problem" where we come to discover that the actual "problem" at hand is TOO MUCH money! Good for you! :)

But then, even "found" money is not legally yours, unless you have at least attempted to find it's rightful owner, which is easy, just call the number on the back of your card. Mistakes, just like the ones usually not so much to your favor, are to be fixed... refunded, eventually.
Now, IF you could buy that thing without revealing in any way your identity, just like buying a bag of chips at the C-store for CASH, and they don't even have your picture and your car's picture at the pump while you did that transaction, I fear for them, lucky you will not get that pinned on yourself.
However, if they can, for what ever reason (did you ever used it online for an order?) link it to you, they WILL some day let you know that there was an ERROR / MISTAKE and that they would like the money, which was not rightfully yours, back.


... J-D.
 
Last edited: