Money Network Card suddenly declined everywhere - EDD funds inaccessible since yesterday

same here!! my card stopped working last nite. tried to get gas and got declined, embarrassing af. checked my balance online and my money is there but cant use it?? wtf??

THEY DO THIS EVERY FREAKING TIME!!! The Money Network cards have these "security freezes" that happen WITHOUT WARNING. I've had my card frozen 3 times in the last 4 months for "suspicious activity" which was literally just me using it at different places in the same day. You have to call their stupid number and wait HOURS to talk to someone who can unfreeze it. The whole system is designed to make it hard to get YOUR MONEY. EDD should be ashamed partnering with this garbage company.

Hi there - I work at a career center and hear about this issue quite often. Money Network cards do have automated security measures that can trigger freezes. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call the number on the back of your card (888-393-5866) 2. Select the option for "card locked" or "suspected fraud" (I believe it's option 2 in the menu) 3. You'll need to verify your identity with your SSN and date of birth 4. Ask them specifically to remove the security freeze Also, I recommend setting up direct deposit for future payments if possible. You can change this in your UI Online account under "Payment Preferences." Direct deposit is typically more reliable than the Money Network cards.

My brother in law had this happen and it turned out someone tried to use his card number online? Money Network froze it without telling him. Took him like 3 days to get it worked out and get access to his money again. Something about fraud protection but they don't bother letting you know!

I've been through this exact situation last month. Tried calling Money Network for 2 days straight and couldn't get through to a real person. Then I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual human at EDD in about 15 minutes. The EDD rep was able to conference call Money Network with me and got my card unfrozen while I was on the line. Saved me days of stress. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km The EDD rep told me these automated freezes happen a lot, especially if you use your card at a new location or make larger purchases than usual.

I can help clarify what's happening with the Money Network cards. There are several security features built into these cards that can trigger automatic freezes: 1. Using your card at a new merchant you've never used before 2. Making purchases in multiple geographic locations in a short timeframe 3. Making a purchase larger than your typical spending pattern 4. Multiple failed PIN attempts 5. Suspected duplicate transactions The frustrating part is Money Network doesn't notify cardholders when these freezes happen. To prevent this in the future: - Set up transaction alerts through the Money Network mobile app - Consider switching to direct deposit (can be set up in UI Online) - Keep a backup payment method available for emergencies - Call Money Network immediately if your card is declined unexpectedly For your current situation, you'll need to contact Money Network directly at 888-393-5866. Select the fraud department option, as they're the ones who can remove security holds.

happens to me like every other month lol. they freeze it if u look at it wrong. i just wait till i can finally get thru on the phone. sometimes if u call super early like 7am u can get someone faster

update: got my card working again! had to call like 9 times but finally got thru. they said it was frozen cuz i tried to use it at a gas station i never been to before. so stupid!!!

This is such a widespread issue that EDD really needs to address with Money Network. I've been helping people with this same problem for months at our local resource center. The fact that they freeze cards without ANY notification is completely unacceptable when people are relying on these funds for basic necessities like food and rent. For anyone still dealing with this - try calling Money Network at different times of day. I've noticed mornings (7-9am) and late evenings (after 8pm) tend to have shorter wait times. Also, if you have a smartphone, download their app and try to set up account alerts - sometimes you can see freeze notifications there even if they don't text or email you. And please, PLEASE switch to direct deposit if you can. Go to UI Online > Benefit Programs Online > Unemployment Insurance > Payment Method. It takes 1-2 payment cycles to take effect but it's so much more reliable than these problematic cards.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I just went through the exact same thing last week and it was absolutely maddening. My card got frozen because I used it at a different grocery store than usual, and Money Network didn't bother to tell me. I spent two days thinking there was something wrong with my account before I finally got through to someone who explained it was a "security measure." What worked for me was calling the Money Network number (888-393-5866) first thing in the morning around 7:30am - the wait time was much shorter then. Make sure to press the option for fraud/security issues, not just general customer service. They'll ask you to verify your identity and then can remove the freeze right away. Also, I immediately switched to direct deposit after this happened. You can change it in your UI Online account under payment preferences. It takes a couple payment cycles to kick in, but it's SO much better than dealing with these card freezes. Hang in there - you'll get through to them eventually!

This is exactly why I switched to direct deposit after my first Money Network card freeze! I had the same thing happen - used my card at a new restaurant and then tried to buy groceries later that day, and boom, declined everywhere. Took me 3 hours on hold to get someone who could unfreeze it. The worst part is they act like they're doing us a favor with these "security measures" but don't bother to actually secure us by letting us know when our cards are frozen! For anyone still struggling with this, I found that calling right when they open (7am Pacific) gives you the best chance of getting through quickly. Also, if you're tech-savvy, you can set up the Money Network app and sometimes see freeze notifications there even when they don't text you. But honestly, just switch to direct deposit as soon as you can - it's night and day difference in reliability.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - my Money Network card was working fine yesterday morning, then suddenly started getting declined everywhere in the afternoon. I checked my balance online and my payment is definitely there, but I can't access any of it. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like this is a common "security freeze" that happens without warning. I'm going to try calling at 7am tomorrow using the tips from this thread. It's absolutely ridiculous that they can freeze our cards without any notification when people are depending on this money for rent and groceries. Definitely switching to direct deposit as soon as I get this sorted out. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions!

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! My Money Network card worked fine on Tuesday, then Wednesday morning it started getting declined everywhere - at the grocery store, gas station, even trying to get cash from an ATM. The balance shows my unemployment payment is there when I log into the website, but I literally cannot touch a penny of it. I've been reading through everyone's advice here and it sounds like these "security freezes" are way more common than they should be. The fact that Money Network doesn't even notify us when they freeze our accounts is absolutely insane - how are we supposed to know what's happening? I've got rent due this weekend and I'm honestly starting to panic. Going to try the 7am calling strategy that multiple people have mentioned here. Fingers crossed I can get through to someone who can actually help instead of being on hold for hours like yesterday. And yeah, definitely switching to direct deposit after this mess gets sorted out. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in dealing with this broken system!

This is happening to SO many people right now - I can't believe Money Network is allowed to just freeze our cards without any warning whatsoever! I work at a local nonprofit and we've had at least 6 people come in this week alone with the exact same issue. It's honestly criminal how they can lock people out of their own unemployment benefits when folks are trying to buy food and pay rent. What's really helped our clients is calling Money Network at exactly 7:00 AM Pacific time - the hold times are way shorter then. Also, when you get through, immediately ask to speak to the "fraud department" or say your card is "frozen due to security measures" - this gets you to the right person faster than going through general customer service. For everyone dealing with this nightmare, please know you're not alone and it WILL get resolved. But seriously, switch to direct deposit as soon as you can. I help people set it up all the time - just go to your UI Online account, click "Payment Method" and enter your bank info. Takes 1-2 payment cycles to kick in but you'll never have to deal with these ridiculous card freezes again.

This exact same thing happened to me last month and I was absolutely panicking! My Money Network card got declined at the grocery store checkout with a cart full of food - so embarrassing. Turns out it was one of those automatic "security freezes" that everyone's talking about here. What finally worked for me was calling at 7am sharp (set an alarm!) and immediately pressing the option for fraud/security issues. Had my SSN and DOB ready to go. The rep confirmed my card was frozen because I used it at a new coffee shop that morning, then tried to buy gas across town later - apparently that triggered their system. They unfroze it while I was on the call and it worked immediately after. The whole experience was so stressful and unnecessary. These cards are supposed to help us, not create more barriers to accessing our benefits! I switched to direct deposit right after and it's been smooth sailing ever since. Hang in there everyone - you WILL get through to them eventually and get this sorted out!

I'm so sorry this is happening to you and everyone else dealing with this! I had my Money Network card frozen about 3 weeks ago and it was absolutely terrifying - especially when you're depending on that money for basic needs. Mine got frozen because I made two purchases about 2 hours apart in different parts of the city, which apparently looked "suspicious" to their system. The 7am calling strategy that everyone's mentioned here is 100% accurate - I tried calling at different times of day and early morning was the only time I could get through in under an hour. When you call, have your SSN, date of birth, and the card number ready. Ask specifically for the "fraud department" or say your card has a "security hold" - this gets you to the right department faster. What really bothers me is that Money Network could easily send a text or email when they freeze accounts, but they choose not to. It feels like they want to make it as difficult as possible for us to access our own benefits. I switched to direct deposit immediately after getting my card unfrozen and haven't had any issues since. You can set it up in UI Online under payment preferences - takes about 2 payment cycles to kick in but it's so worth it. Hang in there! This will get resolved, but the system is definitely broken and needs to be fixed.

This is such a frustrating and unfortunately common issue with Money Network cards! I went through this exact same nightmare about 6 weeks ago - card working fine in the morning, then suddenly declined everywhere by afternoon. Like everyone else here, I had no idea what was happening because they don't bother to notify you when they freeze your account. After reading through all the helpful advice in this thread, I can confirm the early morning calling strategy really works. I called at 7:15am and got through in about 20 minutes versus the 2+ hour waits I experienced calling later in the day. Make sure to press the fraud/security option right away and have your SSN, DOB, and card number ready. The rep told me my card was frozen because I used it at a new gas station, then made a grocery purchase an hour later about 10 miles away - apparently that was enough to trigger their "suspicious activity" algorithm. It's absolutely ridiculous that normal daily activities can lock you out of your own benefits! I immediately switched to direct deposit after getting my card unfrozen and it's been infinitely better. No more worrying about random freezes or being unable to access my money when I need it most. You can change it in UI Online under payment preferences - takes 1-2 payment cycles but totally worth it. Stay strong everyone - this system is broken but there are workarounds, and this WILL get resolved!

I'm going through this exact same issue right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! My Money Network card was working perfectly fine on Monday, then Tuesday morning it started getting declined everywhere - grocery store, gas station, even the ATM. I checked online and my payment is definitely there, but I can't access a single penny of it. Reading everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is a widespread problem with their "security freezes" that happen without any warning whatsoever. The fact that they can lock us out of our own unemployment benefits when people are trying to pay rent and buy food is honestly criminal. I'm going to try the 7am calling strategy that so many people have recommended here - seems like that's the only time you can get through in a reasonable amount of time. Have my SSN, DOB and card number all ready to go, and I'll ask specifically for the fraud department like others suggested. This whole system is completely broken. The moment I get this resolved I'm switching to direct deposit - no way I'm dealing with these random card freezes again. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. It's awful that we all have to become experts at navigating this dysfunctional system, but at least we're helping each other get through it!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now and I'm honestly at my breaking point! My Money Network card was working fine yesterday morning, then around 2pm it started getting declined everywhere - at Target, the gas station, even when I tried to get cash from the ATM. I can see my unemployment payment sitting there in my online account, but I literally cannot touch any of it. I've been on hold with Money Network for over 3 hours today and keep getting disconnected. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like these "security freezes" are way more common than they should be. The fact that they don't send ANY notification when they lock our accounts is absolutely insane - how are we supposed to know what's happening? I have my electric bill due tomorrow and rent due this weekend. I'm seriously panicking right now. Going to try the 7am calling strategy that everyone's mentioned - hopefully I can get through to someone who can actually help instead of being stuck in phone tree hell. And yeah, I'm definitely switching to direct deposit the second I get this mess sorted out. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and solutions. At least knowing I'm not alone in this nightmare makes me feel a little less crazy!

This is absolutely infuriating and I'm so sorry everyone is dealing with this! I had my Money Network card frozen last month for the most ridiculous reason - I bought coffee at a new place near my doctor's office, then stopped for groceries on the way home. Apparently using my card in two locations within a few hours triggered their "fraud protection" system. The worst part is they don't tell you ANYTHING when it happens! I spent a whole day thinking there was something wrong with my account or that someone had hacked it. Finally got through to them after calling at 6:45am (even earlier than the 7am that others mentioned) and they acted like freezing my card without notice was totally normal. What really helped me was downloading their mobile app and setting up every possible notification - at least now I get alerts for transactions so I can tell if something weird is happening. But honestly, the direct deposit switch was the best decision I made. Set it up right after getting my card unfrozen and it's been seamless ever since. For anyone still struggling to get through - try calling RIGHT when they open at 7am Pacific, have all your info ready (SSN, DOB, full card number), and immediately say "my card has a security freeze" when you get connected. Don't let them transfer you around. You shouldn't have to become a customer service expert just to access your unemployment benefits, but here we are!

I'm so sorry you're going through this! I had the exact same thing happen to me about 2 weeks ago - card working fine in the morning, then completely dead by afternoon. It's absolutely maddening when you can see your money online but can't access any of it! After reading through all the helpful advice in this thread, I can confirm the early morning calling strategy really works. I called at 7:05am and got through in about 30 minutes. The rep told me my card was frozen because I used it at a new pharmacy and then made a purchase at a different store a few hours later - apparently that was enough to trigger their "security system." What really bothers me is that they could easily send a text or push notification when they freeze accounts, but they choose not to. It feels intentionally designed to make accessing our benefits as difficult as possible. I immediately switched to direct deposit after getting my card unfrozen - you can do it in UI Online under payment preferences. Takes 1-2 payment cycles to kick in but it's been smooth sailing since then. Hang in there! This nightmare will be over soon, and definitely make that switch to direct deposit so you never have to deal with Money Network's broken system again.