My3cents.com - H&R Block Emerald Card Complaint - Emerald Card Rip Off - HR Block Debit Card

My3cents.com - H&R Block Emerald Card Complaint - Emerald Card Rip Off - HR Block Debit Card:

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RENO, NEVADA -- Do not do your taxes with HR BLOCK. I have had my taxes done for over 15 yrs and the last 3 yrs I have nothing but problems. That emerald card they can put the tax return on is fast as heel and they seem to take money off even faster. I tried to wire money off my card to someone and now I have $1500.00 in limbo. Western union decided I could not wire the money and all the funds are pending 21 days later.  I'm still waiting I have spent over $26.00 trying to get this settled. None of there customer service reps know anything I have been hung up on they have lied to me etc.... Beware of HR Block liars, cheaters, and they don't give a damn. I'm still waiting for my money. I will never return to HR Block, I suggest the public does not either.. Maybe if we boycott them they will care about there customers.   Comments (16) Ads by Google Did you find this review helpful?      Yes      No Got something to say? Help other consumers by sharing your experiences on My3cents.

M3C User Discussion Posted by Principissa on 2008-02-19 These tax loans are nothing but a scam. You pay more in interest than your original refund was worth. You're better off going to a CPA or if you cannot afford a CPA your local employment office may do them for free. Posted by GothicSmurf on 2008-02-19 Beat me to it Principissa. OP- would you pay your bank $29.95 (or more) when you want to make a WITHDRAWAL? Here's the truth on them http://www.my3cents.com/showReview.cgi?id=33128 Posted by Leela on 2008-02-19 I don't believe the poster was referring to a loan. The emerald card is a prepaid Mastercard. When you get taxes done at H&R Block, instead of waiting for a check, you can get your refund this way. Posted by GothicSmurf on 2008-02-19 It is a loan, but stated something else. Its an anticipation loan. Posted by Stew.old on 2008-02-19 It's my understanding and I could be wrong but the emerald card is a debit card product to allow direct deposit for those without a checking/savings account in order to avoid expensive check cashing fees. Posted by GothicSmurf on 2008-02-19 We're both partly right. It is a prepaid card, but anticipation loans can be put on there as well. Posted by Suusan B. on 2008-02-19 Everyone is right - - the Emerald Card is a pre-paid debit card that is designed for anticipation loans as well as a way to avoid check cashing fees for those without checking accounts. However, it is impossible to tell by this review what exactly happened as all they say is that Western Union won't accept it for a wire transfer and that H&R Block are liars and cheaters. Posted by rockmom on 2008-02-27 OMG YESSSSSS!!!! I have spen numerous hours on the telephone trying to resolve an authorization issue myself. I made a purchase at bestbuy, and due to crappy customer service in the store there, cancelled the purchase an hour later. After harrassing the customer svc people at bestbuy and finding out the credited it back, I then turned my attention to the people at HR block. They then directed that I needed to gather this laundry list of items that Best Buy had to fax to them ON COMPANY LETTERHEAD, they stressed that part several times, and then within a couple of days it would be credited back. I get the bestbuy people to do this, after another hour on the phone with them and a CASE being created. I call HR block this morning and I get some clone that sounds like a computer, I actually thought she was for a second, and she then informs me I won't see my credit until March 10th!!!! That is exactly a MONTH from the day I made the purchase. A MONTH!!!! It takes 30 seconds to remove the money from the acct, but a month to put it back!!!!! And we are only talking about dropping an auth, not even making a credit. I have been a loyal customer for 16 years, but after this experience I amy have to reconsider, or at least refuse the damned card. NEVER AGAIN, I will take my check thanks.... Posted by rockmom on 2008-02-29 And the Hand R drama continues. These people really don't know what the hell they are doing at all. I am STILL fighting to get my lousy 149.28 returned to me, and have been on the phone all day trying to do it. I have escalated it up to the Better Business Bureau.. I am done. Posted by tigergrl1 on 2008-05-08 If you are getting direct deposit on your Emerald Card you will have to wait for a paper check for your stimulus payment, even though you are supposed to get them quicker with direct deposit. This just shows you how much of a rip-off this card is. I talked to a lawyer and we are informing the IRS and filing a lawsuit against H & R Block/Emerald Card. Posted by jinack101st on 2009-01-22 ok, let me clear up some things here. First, if you want to recieve money fast from your refund while NOT paying loan fees, have the IRS Direct Deposit it in your account in 8 - 15 days. OR wait for the check to be mailed to you in approx. a month. If you want your money faster then that you MUST take a LOAN to get it. If you take out a loan, ANY loan then there will be finance and interest charged. I will agree that the % of interest charged on these loans are high, but remember many of those applying for the "Rapid Refund" loans CANNOT GET LOANS anywhere! The bank (HSBC) that approves these loans takes a loss every year on loans that were not covered by the refund received from the IRS. WHY? Because of the number of people who LIE to the tax preparer OR who forgot information like child support owed, back taxes, missing w2... etc. As for calling employees of H&R Block liers and cheaters, that is like saying ALL Irish are drunks or that ALL blacks are N*****s or that all priests are child molesters!!!! There may be a few who are bad, but the large majority are well trained, concerned people trying to HELP others. It is truely sad when all are condemed for the bad behavior of a few. As for the last post from tigergrl1, I doubt that her lawsuit (IF real) will go very far as: 1. The IRS set the rules on the stimulus check being seperate. 2. H&R Block clearly notes that in the contract YOU SIGN when it comes to the LOAN you are requesting and applying for. So in closing IF you want your money FAST, you will have to pay a price for it. If you want it ALL back, then wait the 8-15 days for the Direct Deposit or for the mailed check. Quit blaming others for your decisions! Thank you. Posted by Ghost of Doc J on 2009-01-22 Excellent rebuttal. I frequently walk by a tax-preparers office where these loans are offered. The terms and conditions of the loans is summarized in 1" high letters on his window sign offering the service. While these short term loans are not cost-efficient, there is no way the interest on them can be more than the amount of the principle amount (the refund). Well said! Posted by melissaf on 2009-02-03 I have been going to HRBlock for the past 5 years and have been getting the RAL loan every year. I have had the emerald card since the first year it came out and use it all year round. The fee's on this loan is not even $100 and if your impatient like me you're willing to spend that $100 to get your taxes back faster. I have never had a problem with this card at all (and once again I use it year round for all my bills). I do agree that they take a little longer on dropping like the account authorizations and such but my old bank account took about 2 weeks as well. And the reason you couldn't get your stimulus check on the emerald card is because the IRS said if you got an RAL you would have to wait for a paper check. Thats the IRS decision not HRBlock and also its good because many people throw their card away right after they have used all the money off of it. Also when you get your taxes done at the bottom page it says you can save money and wait 8-15 days for direct deposit next time. So if you hate having to give up your own money than stop getting stuff like loans and wait for it because nothing fast and quick will be for free. Posted by Frogchile on 2009-02-06 I was just looking Around online For Aswers and I stubbled into here. I just felt the need to respond to a few things that were said on here. We filed our taxes the first day Possible and Were told we would get it over that weekend. We understood that we were paying a Fee that was large and New that it was a BANK LOAN. The Monday After We were suppose to get our money We called and Were told that the money was just not there yet and The IRS still had it.The IRS Said they did not have it the Emerald Card did. We listened to that for another week Finally got a hold of someone that sent us to LP for the Card and They said we had not recieved our money Because our Indentity had not been veriftied. Even though they had our SSN and ID copies. But whatever they were going to send the money Back to the IRS which Would take up to 5 Days and then the IRS would cut us a check with in 8-15. Now we are Looking At a month Since our taxes were filed with What was suppose to be 1-2day Service and The IRS has no clue where our money is because the records show that the Emerald card people have the money But They swear the Money has been sent back to the IRS almost 2 Weeks Ago. So no one Knows where the money is AND no one is willing to take credit for the screw up. I understand that the Fees and The risk was mine and I will never Do that again BUT They should be held responisble for the Run around and Not handling there Business in a timely Fasion. I understand that it is not All H&R Blocks Fault that they use outside Bank Which I will leave unnamed But that Leaves they able to Say Hey We don't know anything We are just the ones that Helped you make a decsion that Affect you Whole life and We choose to leave out parts that were not beneficial to us. That does not seem like a Company that should be allowed to stay in business with out changing its ways of working. Posted by jodayle on 2009-02-10 Im so aggrivated about this whole H&R Block issue and the refund, the RAL blah blah..its just awful. So yes like everyone else Im waiting now 8-15 days for my refund after being lied to and false hopes by the BLOCK. SO now my question is..They have excepted my return(IRS) however it says there are prior obligations from somewhere that may delay my refund. We have called everywhere, treasury dept ect. and we dont owe antthing. What does this mean. Im so confused and dont know who to call Posted by BokiBean on 2009-02-10 Ouch. Prior obligations. I'd be thinking back child support or previous tax monies owed to the government. Just a guess though.