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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
I have two accounts with them they blocked one of my accounts that has a lot of money in it due to her browser dropping accident then went to blocking my card every dollar in it just sitting documents after documents of verification when I had two different IDs made both denied from the government me and my kids are sleeping on the streets I can’t feed my kids and I can’t get no one to help me not to mention while the account’s been blocked the last 4 days I woke up with charges to my account and it’s locked on my app to also
Green dot is refusing to acknowledge my Walmart Visa was fraudulently used. Customer service is awful, they talk in circles and just want to waste your time. It was clear my card was compromised before I registered it. The paper insert states that the card must be registered before making an attempt to do an online purchase but the thief who used my card didn’t register it and was able to make 15 internet purchases. They contradict their own policy. I’m convinced that they in fact are the scammers. Please do yourself a favor and don’t purchase a Walmart Visa gift card that is backed by GreenDot. Walmart should be embarrassed and cut ties with them.
Add me and won’t get your money back they both should be sued Green Dot and Wal-Mart for letting scammer have our privacy information and not giving back what was stolen. After a while they just ignore your calls or put you on hold and dis connect your call.
My calls this week have been disconnected and I’ve been hung up on twice. Fourth time in a year I’ve been hacked.
I want to sue Green Dot and Walmart or join a Class Action. They stole $200 from me and have repeatedly declined my requests for a refund.
I was scared and green dot or Walmart does nothing even knowing this is happening. We’re you able to file anything to sue against both?
I have been with Green Dot for a couple of years now. On 4/12/2023 I had an online vendor scam happen to me. I reported it to Green Dot immediately and they refused to help recover my money and even blamed me for using my card to make a purchase. 3 weeks later the scammers hacked my entire account and tried to clean me out. Green Dot alleged they would shut my account down and send me a refund of the thousands of dollars left in my account provided that I verify my identity through email to them. I did so immediately and they emailed me back the next day telling me they could not process my refund request. I’m locked out of my account and have no way of getting help as no part of the government seems to have jurisdiction over them. My minor son’s disability money was also taken. This is outrageous that an alleged lawfully registered bank can allow people to be robbed, have their identities compromised, and then turn around and further harm and rob them. There is all these alleged laws to protect people but no entity agency or court is protecting people from this constant happening by these banks.
I’ve had over $3000 taken from me and still not resolved
I had $1,000 taken from me when I called the customer service number on the back of the card. I purchased 2 cards with $500 on each, I wanted to combine both balances into one so I could pay my mortgage. I called customer service and told the worker what I wanted to do and she said she would transfer me to someone that could help me. After waiting on hold for about 10 minutes my call was terminated. Within 30 seconds my phone rang and a man told me he was with money card and recounted to me what I wanted to do exactly as I stated to the First Lady. I said that was what I wanted to do and he said that he was the person I was being transferred to. Long story short, after I went through the process he lead me through my money was gone. I called support again and was hung up on time after time. Everyone I was able to talk to were not concerned tha the fraud began within their organization and they would not help me. I called at least 15 times because my call was terminated. These people have no regard for the customer and don’t even care that they employ scammers and thieves on their own staff.
They did me like that too
Walmart Class Action Says Green Dot Prepaid Cards Are Compromised… Yes, I agree and Walmart and Green Dot doesn’t care. I purchased a Walmart Money Card Debit Visa on 01/16/2023 for $1.00 and loaded it with $200.00. Walmart’s receipt stated that my card has “been activated”. However, thereafter, I was told by a Walmart employee at the service desk that I would have to furnish my personal information, including my name, birthdate and social security number. I have made numerous phone calls and have exchanged emails and provided requested attachments by email to the Green Dot Complaint Department, all to no avail. I was told that my funds on my card had been depleted. I was told that I would have to go to the Police Department for a sopenia of the records retained by Green Dot for the card I own. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide in this matter.
I am hard of hearing. I have used a green dot pre paid credit card through Walmart for years. About 5 yrs ago my account was hacked. They handled it professionally at that time so I kept using it. Now 2023, my card has been hacked twice within a month. I used the chat to dispute the charges since I’m hard of hearing. Both times, I was disconnected for taking too much time to type my answers to their questions. I went ahead and filled out a dispute form. My card is now locked until the charges are taken care of and then I’ll be closing the account. I had autopay for my utilities and it has resulted in late fees.
After MANY, MANY phones calls to Wal-Mart between “Customer Service” and the Dispute Department I was told because I did not register the card prior to the transaction I could not file a dispute. I asked “How could I file a dispute when I had not received the card yet?” No answer for that. The card was purchased and sent to me as a gift, prior to be receiving it – still in its original, unopened package – the money was taken off of it. No help at all with WM, no their problem. This is truly frustrating that no one wants to assist or even cares about the theft happening, most likely, within the company who issues the cards. Total scam for selling cards that are used by someone who gets notified when money is loaded onto a card.
I bought a green dot prepaid visa walmart card over a year and half ago for $1000…I have not used it one time thiers like $965 left on it..and they have it locked where I can’t use it at all…They have given me numerous ways to have it unlocked. ..It never works .They just steal or keep people moneys…Whats so sad….I’m disabled now…and could really use that money..but I’ll never see it..How is it right for a bank to keep money that doesn’t belong to that…When I got that card it was for emergencies…It cane from a wrongful death lawsuit of my only son….So they are basically keeping money that cost my only son his life….I don’t see how these people sleep at night…