From CNN: If you’re out of work like Steve Lippe, who was laid off from his job as a salesman in January, you know you already have problems. But looking at the fine print that came with his new unemployment debit card, he became livid.
“A $1.50 [fee] here, a $1.50 there,” he said. “Forty cents for a balance inquiry. Fifty cents to have your card denied. Thirty-five cents to have your account accessed by telephone.”
…The National Consumer Law Center says fees range from 40 cents to a high of $3 per transaction.”
And where are these fees going? Banks like JP Morgan Chase which has contracts with seven states and is negotiating with two others. But hey, you’re unemployed. If you don’t want to pay the fees, just wait ten days for a check.
BTW, in many states, child support payment debit cards nickel and dime you to death this way, too, lest we forget which segments of society must always benefit off the backs of the unfortunate. In both instances, you can opt for direct deposit, but it’s hard to know about the fees until your card arrives. Which I’m sure is accidental.
