Eppicard – Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards

There are currently 19 U.S. states that use Eppicard to process and distribute state payments. Many Eppicard users are being targeted by scammers. Should states be using Eppicards to distribute benefits?

Resource for this article: Eppicard – Scammers target state payment debit cards

How Eppicard is used

States contract with the private company that runs Eppicard . Many states distribute child support payments, unemployment, and other state benefit payments by loading the Eppicard. For the most part, an Eppicard is much like a debit card – it is attached to an account that is electronically debited when the account is used.

Eppicards targeted by phishing

Emails and text messages in Ohio have been targeting Eppicard users, trying to get them to provide their Eppicard information to scammers. These messages tell users they need to update the information associated with their Eppicard. These scams usually look very legitimate, warning that the Eppicard user can’t get a personal loan or access their money if they don’t update information. If Eppicard customers use the fake link or text message to "update" information, the scam artist empties their accounts. The company, state governments, and the FBI have all warned that it is important to only trust the official website for information on your Eppicard.

Eppicard for benefits not a good idea?

Eppicard is a contractor, not an actual state department agency. Eppicards can be much simpler to use than checks, because they look and act just like a debit card. Some Eppicard users claim that the practices of the company seem more like a Rush Card than a state “service”. Eppicard charges as much as $ 1 for every ATM transaction. If you call Eppicard customer service, the company deducts money from your account. Card replacement, denial of funds, overdraft fees and even balance inquiries end up with charges. Eppicard may be simple for a state to distribute their benefit, but are these fees really serving the citizens?. Most states, but not all, provide some form of alternative to the Eppicard.

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  • services sprite Eppicard Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards
  • services sprite Eppicard Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards
  • services sprite Eppicard Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards
  • services sprite Eppicard Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards
  • services sprite Eppicard Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards
  • services sprite Eppicard Scammers Target State Payment Debit Cards

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 28th, 2010 at 11:42 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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