Government gives prepaid debit cards for benefits, consumers get slapped with fees
Photo of ATM users (Image by Flickr user Toolshed4 (cc:by-nd))
Governments have distributed some $53 billion in unemployment benefits and child support payments via prepaid debit cards. Those cards are exempt from new consumer protection rules, and banks are cashing in. Some users are charged for any ATM usage, others for checking their balances and some for not using the cards enough. Suzanne Martindale of the Consumer Union explains how the fees work.
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