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 โinsufficient funds.โ
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, โstating that she believed it may just take a few days for the cards to activate.โ
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 โnearly identicalโ transaction for a $497.74 charge at the same Walmart.
โUpon seeing the charges to the Plaintiffโs Greendot cards, Plaintiff was furious, confused, and anxious as he needed the funds to pay his rent,โ 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 โscamsโ had recently occurred. Information from the prepaid cards was reportedly โcompromised.โ According to the Walmart Green Dot class action, the manager allegedly told Espinoza โโฆas soon as they get activated a hacker can liquidate the gift cards.โ
Following this conversation, Espinoza was allegedly directed to corporate Walmartโs 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 โnot liable for those Visa gift cards.โ 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.
โWalmart 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,โ 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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372 thoughts onWalmart Class Action Says Green Dot Prepaid Cards Are Compromised
Yes Green Dot Bank is the worst when it comes to discussing item not purchased by the cardholder.
Add me please.
Hi,
Itโs always disappointing for us to hear that any of our customers are unsatisfied. We would appreciate it if you gave us a chance to review your account and find a way to make things right. reach out to our technical support on 3182390632 for further assistance.Thank you all for understanding
Thank you,
Green Dot Bank
Purchased a $200 greendot card at walmart on July 18, 2020. Canโt activate, as it will not take my birthdate. As much as a like giving a ****load of my information on the web and by whoever answered the number listed on back of card, enough is enough. Hours on the phone. Never a supervisor. Anyway, as Iโm old, got a nice neighbor to help jump through yet more hoops and take pictures of receipt and card. Will say, in about a dozen calls made to greendot, the only two that actually, in my mind, tried to help were male. (If you get a female, hang up and try again.) You know, the worst part is a lost my dad one month ago. He in Florida, I in Wisconsin. Just the unknowing. Everyone needs to be ackowledged. Itโs the unknowing and the sense of just: Please let me know know you heard and are going to undo the wrong. Good luck guys as I think weโll need it!
add me in
I tried to register the card online And it wouldnโt allow me. The next day I called the number on the back of the card to see if I can register it. The card was wiped out! It said 2 purchases were made at Macyโs and color pop cosmetics within a day.
I tried to speak to someone about the card being stolen but several people with a thick Indian accent keeps Telling me that they couldnโt hear me (even though I could hear them perfectly fine!) and they just kept hanging up on me. So frustrating!! I hope karma bites these scammers in the a**
I have green dot and have had some odd things on my card..add me to this lawsuit
Yes, same here! Got it as a gift and the money was gone the day after it was bought!!
Yes my prepaid Walmart Visa Gift card had fraudulent charges on there โ money taken in a matter of 2 days. Walmart will not report my fraudulent charges until I register my card โ but the system wonโt allow me to register it. You canโt speak to anyone in the US. Its very frustrating
Bring shot guns down to Walmart and demand to get your cash back let Wal-Mart seek out help from green dot
Purchased a $200 greendot card at walmart on July 18, 2020. Canโt activate, as it will not take my birthdate. As much as a like giving a ****load of my information on the web and by whoever answered the number listed on back of card, enough is enough. Hours on the phone. Never a supervisor. Anyway, as Iโm old, got a nice neighbor to help jump through yet more hoops and take pictures of receipt and card. Will say, in about a dozen calls made to greendot, the only two that actually, in my mind, tried to help were male. (If you get a female, hang up and try again.) You know, the worst part is a lost my dad one month ago. He in Florida, I in Wisconsin. Just the unknowing. Everyone needs to be ackowledged. Itโs the unknowing and the sense of just: Please let me know know you heard and are going to undo the wrong. Good luck guys as I think weโll need it!
Yeah, just donโt try to buy the shotgun with a greendot card!
Green Dot closed my account with over $7000 in it without reason or notice! I cannot get a live person on the phone as when I call I am asked to enter my card # then my SSN. I am then told my account has been closed and I cannot open any new accounts with this bank then I am hung up on! I want my money ASAP!!!
They stole 1000 of my dollars green dot secured credit card please add me
I added money to my account they stole my money I made a purchase and they didnโt have the item so they refunded the money sent me a email and so now green dot refused to release any money this is sad even n a pandemic lord have mercy yโall are just sad u reap what u sow