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Anne Elk BrontosaurusTheorist
Joined: 07 Sep 2018 Posts: 2423 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:12 pm
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Did you get yours? No? Are you sure? I almost threw mine in the trash a couple weeks ago b/c I was unaware that instead of a check being sent from the Dept of the Treasury (like last time), it was coming in the form of a debit card issued by some bank I never heard of.
I'm a pretty compulsive reader of online news (no TV), and didn't see anything about this new format. If you were already set up to receive your tax refund (or other gov't benefit) via direct deposit, you're going to get your stimulus payment that way. If not, you'll be getting one of these. My bank told me that numerous other customers thought these were fake. I know of at least two people who tossed the letter, and now have to jump thru hoops to get it re-issued. Aside from looking bogus right out of the envelope, the fact that the letter details circumstances involving "charges" really makes it all seem bogus. Plus the envelope w/no return address. This is what it looks like:
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2338 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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neek
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:17 pm
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Glad we're set up for direct deposit, given how frequently the mail is stolen
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cdestroyer Member
Joined: 14 Sep 2015 Posts: 1251 | TRs | Pics Location: montana |
well now,,, think a minute!! If it had a return address of federal anything and only had a check inside and got stolen could it be cashed by the thief????? or better yet a debit card which only has to be called in to get it authenticated, easy enough to cash!!!!! So no return address to give it away.....and yes a bank charge to transfer funds which any bank will charge no matter which bank!! $6 bucks from people I here from here... Atm fee of a couple dollars plus bank transfer fee of a couple bucks....no biggy
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Anne Elk BrontosaurusTheorist
Joined: 07 Sep 2018 Posts: 2423 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:42 pm
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^^^ Gov't issued check envelopes are pretty identifiable from what you see in the "window" where your name & address are printed. This debit card has to be activated by a phone call, and they prompt you to input the last 6 digits of your SSN. I solved the mail theft problem decades ago - with a PO Box. The fact that this little-advertised m.o. change happened when it did makes cynical old me suspect it was by design, but that's treading into forbidden discussion territory.
Neek wrote: | Glad we're set up for direct deposit, given how frequently the mail is stolen |
One thing that threw me off was wondering why I didn't get the first one via direct deposit, b/c for the last two tax returns, I paid electronically. (I always have to pay more.) Turns out that's not the same thing. That's more like a one-time payment to a vendor that doesn't keep your account info on file.
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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flatsqwerl Member
Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 1049 | TRs | Pics Location: tacoma |
Anne, i thought the exact same thing when I got it in the mail. I was just about to toss it but then went online and checked it out. I have direct deposit/withdrawl for my taxes, but self employed and I still got the funny 'cash card'.
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Anne Elk BrontosaurusTheorist
Joined: 07 Sep 2018 Posts: 2423 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 5:47 pm
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Flatsqwerl - see my edited entry above. I was self-employed, too, and thought I was good to go. But nope!
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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moonspots Happy Curmudgeon
Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 2456 | TRs | Pics Location: North Dakota |
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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 6:10 pm
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Anne Elk wrote: | . If you were already set up to receive your tax refund (or other gov't benefit) via direct deposit, you're going to get your stimulus payment that way. If not, you'll be getting one of these. |
I wonder if these were designed this way so that the funds are spent, not socked away in the bank, etc? I was listening to some radio program a while back and the comment was made that much of the first batch of checks were saved, not spent, which wasn't the Intent.
"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
neek wrote: | Glad we're set up for direct deposit, given how frequently the mail is stolen |
My family had 4 cards come in the mail but not mine, it's lost or stolen and they won't put a trace on it until after 2-24....on the website it said it was mailed on 1-4, same as my other family members. The lady I spoke with said if it was lost or stolen they would issue me another, I guess like a stolen credit card. But the thieves do need your SS# in order to activate it.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Anne Elk BrontosaurusTheorist
Joined: 07 Sep 2018 Posts: 2423 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 7:05 pm
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moonspots wrote: | I wonder if these were designed this way so that the funds are spent, not socked away in the bank, etc? |
I've head that explanation too, but the funds can be withdrawn from ATMs. One person I know looked for where the "no charge" ATMs were located, nearest to her. A bank? Noooooo ... 7-11 convenience stores, and only certain ones. Yipe! Maybe the gubmint wants to track people to see what they're spending their stimulus loot on. Which is really none of their bizness. I've never been so broke to have ever needed welfare, but maybe this is how the gov't administers things like food stamps, etc...you get a debit card instead.
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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Kim Brown Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 6899 | TRs | Pics
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You can have the money transferred from the card to your bank.
From what I understand, a lot of payments were bouncing back because people had changed their bank account information since they last filed their tax return. So they just decided to send cards to the remaining recipients regardless of whether or not their bank account was still current on their tax return.
It was not a coordinated, well though-out effort. Lucky for me, mine was direct deposit; unfortunately for so many people who really need that money - they are still waiting; many having thrown away that envelope as Anne Elk almost did.
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
Snarky Member
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:25 pm
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Kim Brown wrote: | You can have the money transferred from the card to your bank. |
It's true -- however with our credit union, due to COVID they currenly limiting in person services to a few select branches -- Tukwila :/
So we went to closer in network ATM and withdrew cash, dropped in an envelope and made a cash deposit at the same ATM. Kinda silly. Had to make two trips to navigate around the maximum daily withdrawl amounts.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
Snarky Member
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 8:34 pm
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Anne Elk wrote: | I've never been so broke to have ever needed welfare, but maybe this is how the gov't administers things like food stamps, etc...you get a debit card instead. |
Yes and those EBT (electronic benefits cards) are a huge improvement over issuing essentially a separate paper currency. Regular US currency keeps getting revised to make it harder to counterfeit. Among other things the use EBT cards eliminates the problem of counterfeit food stamps.
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Olympic Hiker Member
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 389 | TRs | Pics
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I will have to run this past my parents. They haven’t gotten their second stimulus payment yet. They are stumped since they got the first one in approximately a week after the IRS started dispersing it by direct deposit.
Me on the other hand got both stimulus payments by direct deposit 3 business days or less from the time the IRS started dispersing the money.
If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
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Cyclopath Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012 Posts: 7744 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
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Fri Feb 12, 2021 10:37 pm
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Thanks for posting this, Anne Elke.
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Anne Elk BrontosaurusTheorist
Joined: 07 Sep 2018 Posts: 2423 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
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Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:26 am
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Cyclopath wrote: | Thanks for posting this, Anne Elke. |
Happy to be of service ... we have to look out for each other, in all kinds of ways. Can't have our taxpayer loot sittin' unclaimed and earning interest for some bank. BTW - the service rep at my credit union advised not to pitch the card after getting the money out of it - as it may be "recharged" for the Biden stimulus.
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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