Direct Express - do not let the name fool you. Do not use them. Internet

Direct Express hold your social security benefit hostage so they can charge fees, without any regard that the benefit is the only income for some elders.

We were suppose to get the debit card on November 15, 2013 but never did. We waited until January 9, 2014 to call customer service, thinking maybe it is delayed due to the holiday season. We were told the card was send back to them since they did not include the apartment number in the address. We confirmed the address and asked them to resend it. They said there is a fee for re-issueing the card, we explained that we never received the card and it is not our fault they didn't include the apartment number. We should not be charged the fee. Customer service said it will not be charged. We will receive the card in 5 to 10 bussiness days. 

Ten business days later, we still haven't receive the debit card yet, but we did recieve their postcard saying a new card will be issued. Called customer service again, they said the card was sent back to them since the building number was not included in the address. At this point we were confused how they get the address correct on the post card but not on the mail with the debit card. We re-confirmed the address again and were told to expect the card in another 5 to 10 bussiness days. We had them checked the balance to make sure the benefit is still in the card. They confirmed the balance, minus the fees for re-issueing the cards. We explained again that we never recieved the cards and it was their own fault that they need to re-issue the cards, but were told that they can't do anything because another department will have to review and make a decision on whether to reverse the fees. 

We asked if they can expedite the card since they screwed up, and we need the money. We were told we will have to pay the UPS shipping fee since we requested expedited service. They can't waive the fee because
they just don't do that. We asked if the fund can be transfered to a bank account so we can access it, but were told they do not do that. (We know this to be a lie since we also spoke with customer service at Social Security
Administration and they told us Direct Express can do a one time transfer.) We asked to speak to a manager, but were hang up. Called back again and were hung up again when we asked for the manager.

February 5, 2014, the card is more than two months late and it still hasn't arrive yet. We called customer service again and finally agreed to pay the UPS shipping fee to expedite the card because we are sure we will NEVER
EVER receive the card and the money if we do not do that. Of course customer service slap another fee for re-issueing the card. She said since we requested expedited service, she has to cancel the card that we never
received and re-issue another one.

I advise you not to use Direct Express so you don't have to suffer the same experience. We had to stay home, limit our expenses and stretch our available funds for the last two and a half months to make things work.