Money Network debit card locked but reps claim nothing's wrong - how to access my benefits

same thing happened to me last month!!! their system is garbage. try calling early morning like 8am exactly when they open. ask for a supervisor immediately dont waste time with regular reps

I've dealt with this exact issue before. There's actually a security hold that gets placed sometimes that the regular reps can't see or don't understand. Call Money Network and specifically request their 'account security department' - don't accept talking to regular customer service. If they say that department doesn't exist, hang up and try again with a different rep. Also, make sure your address on file with Money Network exactly matches what EDD has - even a small difference can cause this problem. In the meantime, you can request an emergency cash transfer that takes 24 hours instead of the regular 3-5 business days, but you have to specifically ask for it using those exact words.

Like others said, this is actually a common issue with Money Network cards, but calling EDD directly probably won't help since they'll just refer you back to Money Network. What I'd strongly recommend is trying Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an EDD rep quickly - I was dealing with a similar Money Network disaster and needed EDD to verify some information. Was getting nowhere for weeks until I used their service to bypass the phone queue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once you get an EDD rep on the phone, explain that Money Network's system is showing no restrictions but your card isn't working. Ask them to verify your identity information and possibly update the account flags on their end. Sometimes the problem is actually on EDD's side but Money Network reps can't see it.

Everyone here is missing THE MOST IMPORTANT THING: check if you activated the card correctly! When I first got my Money Network card I thought I activated it but I actually didn't complete the whole process. You need to set up a PIN during activation and if you don't, the card will show as active but won't work anywhere. Call the activation number on the sticker on the front of the card (not the regular customer service number) and go through the whole process again. I bet that's your problem.

This is a classic case of what's called an "administrative freeze" on Money Network accounts. It happens when there's a mismatch between your verification data and transaction patterns. The regular customer service reps aren't trained or authorized to see these security flags - that's by design. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call the number on the back of your card 2. When prompted for your card number, enter it incorrectly 3 times 3. This will route you to a security specialist instead of regular customer service 4. Explain that you believe there's an administrative freeze on your account 5. They'll need to verify your identity with additional questions This worked for me after facing the exact same issue. The freeze is triggered by their algorithm when certain patterns are detected, but the system doesn't notify regular reps about it. The security department can lift it immediately once they verify you. Alternatively, you can request a replacement card to be expedited to you, which sometimes bypasses whatever triggered the security flag in the first place.

UPDATE: Finally got this resolved! After trying several of your suggestions, what finally worked was getting through to EDD (using Claimyr like someone suggested) and having them confirm there was actually a secondary verification required that Money Network wasn't seeing on their end. Once EDD cleared that flag, I called Money Network, requested a supervisor, and they were able to see that my account was now fully verified. They did an override and my card started working within an hour! Thanks everyone for your help - this community saved me from missing my rent payment!

OMG don't even get me STARTED on Money Network!!! Their whole system is TRASH and EDD should be ASHAMED for using them!!! I went through 3 MONTHS of hell last year with them constantly locking my account for "suspicious activity" which was just me buying GROCERIES. The WORST part is how the left hand doesn't know what the right is doing - customer service gives you one story, their security dept gives you another, and EDD has no clue what's happening with either. I literally had to file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before anything got fixed. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - names, dates, call reference numbers. The whole system is designed to make us give up but DON'T!!!!!

So glad to see this got resolved! I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now - my card has been declining for 4 days even though Money Network says there's no problem. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service to get through to EDD since I've been getting nowhere with their phone system. Quick question though - when you talked to the EDD rep, did they tell you what specific flag was causing the issue? I want to know what to ask for when I call. Also, for anyone else reading this, another tip is to check if your address in the EDD system matches EXACTLY what's on file with Money Network - even apartment numbers formatted differently can cause problems. Thanks Grace for updating us with the solution!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm bookmarking this for future reference. Grace, I'm so glad you got it resolved - that must have been incredibly stressful with bills coming due. For anyone else dealing with this, I want to add that you can also try contacting your state assemblyperson's office if you're getting nowhere with both EDD and Money Network. They often have direct contacts at EDD who can escalate issues quickly. I had to do this for a different EDD problem last year and they got me connected to a supervisor within 24 hours. Also, if you're really stuck, consider opening a complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs - they take payment card issues seriously and can put pressure on Money Network to resolve things faster. The system shouldn't be this broken but at least we can help each other navigate it!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this exact nightmare multiple times! The secondary identity verification hold that Grace mentioned is becoming super common lately - I think EDD tightened their security after all the fraud issues. One thing I learned is that even if you've been getting benefits for months, certain triggers can cause this hold to kick in - things like logging into your EDD account from a new device, changing your phone number, or even just the system randomly flagging your account for "review." The frustrating part is Money Network literally cannot see these EDD-side flags, which is why their reps keep saying nothing's wrong. For future reference, if anyone hits this issue again, asking EDD specifically about "identity verification status" and "account security flags" seems to be the magic phrase that gets them to actually check the right system. So glad this community exists to help navigate these ridiculous bureaucratic maze!

This thread is absolutely gold! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now where my Money Network card suddenly stopped working after months of no issues. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear this is a systemic problem with how EDD and Money Network's systems communicate (or rather, don't communicate). I'm going to try the Claimyr service that Aria mentioned to get through to EDD and specifically ask about "identity verification status" and "account security flags" like Luca suggested. It's ridiculous that we have to become experts on their internal systems just to access our own benefits, but thank you all for sharing your hard-won knowledge. Grace, I'm so relieved you got this resolved before your rent was due - that kind of stress is the last thing unemployed people need to deal with!

This whole thread has been incredibly informative! I'm currently on day 3 of my Money Network card being declined everywhere despite showing a balance, and I was starting to panic about my upcoming bills. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear this "secondary identity verification hold" issue is way more common than it should be. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service to bypass EDD's phone system and ask specifically about "identity verification status" and "account security flags" when I get through. It's absolutely mind-boggling that Money Network reps can't see these EDD-side flags - no wonder they keep giving us the runaround! Grace, thank you so much for posting this and following up with your solution. Without this thread I would have kept banging my head against the wall with Money Network customer service. Has anyone else noticed if there are specific times of day when it's easier to get through to EDD, even with the Claimyr service?

This entire thread is a masterclass in community support! I'm dealing with this EXACT same issue right now - Money Network card declining everywhere for the past 5 days, customer service keeps saying "no restrictions" while I'm sitting here with $2,100 I can't touch. Reading through everyone's solutions, I'm blown away by how helpful you all are. Grace, your detailed follow-up about the "secondary identity verification hold" is pure gold - I never would have known to ask EDD about that specific issue. I'm definitely trying the Claimyr service tomorrow morning and will use those magic phrases about "identity verification status" and "backend security flags" that everyone mentioned. It's absolutely criminal that we have to become system experts just to access our own benefits, but thank you all for sharing your hard-fought knowledge. This thread should be pinned at the top of the community - it's going to save so many people from weeks of frustration!

Wow, this thread is incredibly detailed and helpful! I'm currently experiencing the exact same issue - my Money Network card has been declining for the past week even though my balance shows over $1,400. After reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that this "secondary identity verification hold" problem is way more widespread than it should be. I had no idea that Money Network reps literally can't see EDD-side security flags, which explains why I kept getting the "no restrictions on your account" runaround. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service to get through to EDD and use those specific phrases about "identity verification status" and "backend security flags" that multiple people mentioned. Grace, thank you so much for following up with your solution - without this thread I would have wasted weeks calling Money Network over and over. It's ridiculous that we have to become technical experts on their broken systems just to access our own benefits, but this community knowledge is absolutely invaluable. I'll report back once I try these methods!