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A recent class action lawsuit claims that Walmart negligently allows scammers to steal Green Dot prepaid Visa card information.
Walmart offers several prepaid Visa cards, including products through Green Dot Bank. According to a recent Walmart, Green Dot class action, these cards may be susceptible to fraud.
Plaintiff Guillermo Espinoza says he purchased two $500 prepaid Green Dot Visa cards in February 2019, which he intended to use to pay his rent in March.
The day after he purchased the Green Dot cards, Espinoza reportedly attempted to make a payment on his rent only to be denied several times due to “insufficient funds.”
Espinoza allegedly went back to his local Walmart and asked an associate for guidance. The employee reportedly told him to try again later in the day or the next day, “stating that she believed it may just take a few days for the cards to activate.”
In the same day, Espinoza reportedly called the toll free number on the back of the cards and was told by the automated system that his cards had an available balance of $499 and $500, respectively.
On March 1, Espinoza reportedly repeated the process and learned that one of his cards had a posted transaction for $498.74 at a Walmart in Hemet, Calif. His other card reportedly had a “nearly identical” transaction for a $497.74 charge at the same Walmart.
“Upon seeing the charges to the Plaintiff’s Greendot cards, Plaintiff was furious, confused, and anxious as he needed the funds to pay his rent,” the Walmart, Green Dot class action claims.
Espinoza reportedly attempted to dispute the fraudulent charges with Green Dot but the bank allegedly directed him towards Walmart. He says he called the Hemet Walmart where a floor manager told him that similar “scams” had recently occurred. Information from the prepaid cards was reportedly “compromised.” According to the Walmart Green Dot class action, the manager allegedly told Espinoza “…as soon as they get activated a hacker can liquidate the gift cards.”
Following this conversation, Espinoza was allegedly directed to corporate Walmart’s fraud hotline. He reportedly opened up an investigation with the hotline and filed a police report. After sending his information to the hotline on March 2, Espinoza was reportedly forced to wait while the company investigated. He allegedly called every three to four days to request updates but was given no information.
On March 15, Espinoza reportedly checked again on the investigation and was told that Walmart could not do anything to help him because they were “not liable for those Visa gift cards.” He was then directed back to Green Dot Bank despite having already talked to the company. Green Dot allegedly said they too were not liable for the cards and suggested that this sort of scam was common.
According to the Walmart, Green Dot class action, Espinoza was told that scammers obtain the Green Dot card information prior to genuine purchases. After customers purchase the cards, scammers reportedly attempt $1 purchases to see if the cards are activated. After the products are activated, scammers are allegedly free to spend the rest of the available balance.
Espinoza argues that Walmart and Green Dot Bank do not sufficiently protect the information on the pre-paid cards, making them susceptible to scams and fraud.
“Walmart chooses to sell its Greendot funded Visa Debit Cards in unsecure packaging, wherein the identifying information is exposed to any third parties who come in contact with the Visa Debit Card prior to selling the cards to unsuspecting consumers,” the Walmart class action claims.
Espinoza seeks to represent a Class of California consumers who purchased Green Dot Visa prepaid cards from Walmart with balances of more than $50.
Did you purchase Walmart Green Dot Visa cards only to have the funds fraudulently stolen from you? Share your experiences in the comment section below!
Espinoza and the proposed Class are represented by Ahren A. Tiller of BLC Law Center APC and Abbas Kazerounian of Kazerouni Law Group APC.
The Walmart, Green Dot Prepaid Cards Class Action Lawsuit is Espinoza v. Walmart Inc., et al., Case No. 3:19-cv-01972-MMA-RBB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
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366 thoughts onWalmart Class Action Says Green Dot Prepaid Cards Are Compromised
My details are similar, two 500$ loaded on my two cards, and the next day 0$. The green dot fraud team told me to send cards and receipts to get refunded. Still nothing, my and my family suffered for weeks to overcome this.
My Father purchased a Pre Pai card and loaded $500.00 on it at Walmart in Eaton, Ohio. When he went to use the card the card the funds had been spent already. We contacted Green dot and they refused the refund over the phone stating the funds were used up. They have been no help at all and keep sending an email stating they will contact us again in two days which never happens. My Father is 79 years old and lives on a very tight income. We have a claim number .
1/17/2024, $552.11 was directly deposited into my account and 1/18/24 someone used my routing and account number to take $550.00. I’ve used the Walmart greendot debit card since 3/2020 without any issues. I’ve filed a dispute claim with Walmart greendot bank and filed a police report with my local police. I feel violated and will go to the local news if I have to. This is a shame; I’ve had to lock my credit with all 3 agencies and my other cards. The scammers called me from the saved Walmart number in my phone a few times before the hit; and I’ve spoken with several (5) representatives before the ball started rolling. A report to the FTC and BBB is next. So please include me in this lawsuit I’ve had to take off a day of work to make sure my other accounts were safe. It’s a lot to deal with!!!!
I just loaded 500 on a Walmart money card for my daughter for Christmas, came directly home to activate card, found out it was hacked before I could even activate/register the card.
I was scammed a total of $222.10. First was on 9-1-23
I stopped at gas station in my home town to put gas into my lawnmower gas can, I inserted my walmart prepaid MasterCard thru Green Dot Bank into gas machine and stopped $13 bc gas can was full. I later checked my account and noticed an authorization fee of $122.10 pending and the $13 in a yual gas I got pending
About an hour later both transactions are debted and taken out my balance. Then again on 9-29-23. I only purchased $31 of gas at a Murphy Express in Lafayette LA but I was charged $100 Authorization fee along with the $31 I had been waiting longer than 10 days from 1st illegal transaction and nothing so I called number on bk of card regular CSR couldn’t help me bc they were not able to see the authorization amounts so I transferred to a manager who as she sees my authorization amounts and that they are available to be put bk on my card. She told me I will get my money BK in 2 days. I even received an email the next morning on 10-17-23 saying issue was resolved and i could u use my card again. Well today is 10-21-23 and still nooney. I’m in the negative too behind this bc they charged they $5 monthly and I sure haven’t put any money on that prepaid card since I was lied more than once and hung up on 2x , once was the supervisor just yesterday. The CSR SO NOT WANT TO TRANSFER ME DIRECTLY to a supervisor right when I call when I tell them I have a dispute # but they get sassy and want me to explain the same story over again only for them to make me wait and later tell me they can’t see the authorization amounts so they must transfer me to a supervisor. I am disgusted . And angry I can’t even afford to buy groceries and I have a 17 yr daughter and I’m a single mom. I feel stupid for having this prepaid card for over 8 years now and I’m just reading about that class action lawsuit from 1999. *** attention Varo prepaid card which is another prepaid card I have used Green Dot Bank too! I have an appt with Chase Bank in an hour to open myself a real checking account and normal debt card. Screw Green Dot Bank! I will pass this news on to everyone I know and anyone I see buying a prepaid debt card at Walmart. I’m closing the VARo card but will keep the Walmart prepaid card open for another bout 40 days bc I read online that disputes could take up to 45 days before you could receive uour money back on your card. I hope all of us get our money back. I fell for the woman who is sleeping in her car with her children bc of her bill money they stole from her. I hope an attorney contacts me bc yes I want to sue these bastards for my money BK plus the pain and anguish me and my daughter have to deal with right now with lack of groceries. Does anyone know who else to call about this. Oh the Chat on the Walmart card app gave me. Different phone number to call saying I needed to speak to a live agent w/ the Designated Dispute team at 866-795-7597. They didn’t help me either . They were just as rude and lied to me then hurry up and hang up the phone. Justice has to be served to this Green Dot Bank in Austin Texas is where the main corporate office is. ***be sure to spread this info to our family and frnds and strangers so they too don’t get stuck in our situation
I pray everyone gets their money back and I pray for Green Dot Bank and WalMart to let GOD into their lives bc it’s obvious these ppl have demonic spirits in and around them to be able to do this kind of crime with no remorse for the single mothers on a budget like myself and the many other victims of this scam. Oh and I checked the BBB website and what do you know Green Dot is not BBB ACCREDITED and they have lengthy complaints just like mine and the others who have committed here
Call your Attorney General and FTC or FCC possibly both
Green Dot kept me out of my account for more than two months with no reason as of why. They had a terrible accident and all our monies were locked up due to their failures to put failsafe in place
Same company just scammed me out of $80 and said there’s nothing they can do for me. They said the card was not registered in my name and there was no funds left on the card. Told me they would send a refund check within 10 business days, 15 days later when I called to check the status of the refund they said since they weren’t able to recover the money, there’s nothing they can do for me.
I purchased debit Visa cards at Walmart as a gift and kept one for myself. I went to check the balance and can’t get any information from either Walmart or Green Dot. I can’t get through to a human at Green Dot and Walmart says to contact Green Dot they can’t help me. I guess I am just screwed out of the $ I prepaid for the card. Never again will I buy any kind of gift card from Walmart! I got screwed once before with a pre paid Vanilla Gift card as well. If Walmart is going to sell them then they should face the liability too!!!
My employee was phone scammed into buying a $500 moneypak card. Before she scratched the card I intervened. When I scratched the card the first 2 numbers fell off. I went back to Sheetz to get a receipt… everytime I talk to moneypak they change their story. They say I need a new receipt and when I get a new receipt they tell me the card has no funds left on it! No one else has had access to this card! Moneypak has my $500!!
I Juanita understand what you are going throw. WE been going throw it sent 08/08/23 and still are. We can’t get any one to help us. We have had to borrow money for gas food and are bill’s. We would love to hear from a attorney that can help us. We have proof of ever thing and witness to ever thing we are going throw. Thank You.