PA UC Money Network card keeps locking randomly - can't access benefits for days
Is anyone else's Money Network card from PA UC locking them out constantly?? This is driving me INSANE. My card has locked 3 times in the last 4 days for absolutely no reason. Each time I have to waste an hour on the phone with card services to get it unlocked. The worst part is I can't even log into the Money Network app - keeps saying "account locked" no matter what I do. I've tried resetting my password twice already. I have bills due tomorrow and I can't access a penny of my benefits! The last rep I talked to couldn't even explain why it keeps happening. Anyone dealing with this nightmare or know how to fix it permanently?
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Sasha Reese
same thing happened to me last week! i called them and they said its a "security feature" but its really just annoying. mine locked after i tried to buy gas and groceries back to back. something about unusual purchase patterns? ridiculous!
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Christian Burns
•That's so weird because I literally just bought gas with mine before it locked the first time too! But then the second time, I hadn't even USED the card in 2 days and it still locked. Makes zero sense. Did they tell you any way to prevent it from happening again?
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Muhammad Hobbs
This is a common issue with the Money Network cards. Here's what's probably happening: If you enter your PIN incorrectly even once, their system flags it as potentially fraudulent activity. Also, making purchases in quick succession at different merchants (like gas station then grocery store) can trigger their fraud detection system. To prevent this: 1. Always double-check your PIN entry 2. Space out purchases by 30+ minutes if possible 3. Call Money Network at 888-233-5916 and ask them to note on your account that you're having these issues 4. Request they adjust your fraud detection settings Also, consider setting up direct deposit instead - it's much more reliable than the card.
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Noland Curtis
•thanks for the info! i didnt know u could ask them to change the fraud settings. gonna try that tomrrow
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Diez Ellis
my card got locked 6 times in one month!!! THE WORST. i finally gave up and switched to direct deposit to my regular bank account. so much better now, no more problems.
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Christian Burns
•I'm seriously considering switching to direct deposit too. How long did it take for that to go through? I'm worried I'll be stuck without access to money during the transition.
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Vanessa Figueroa
I went through this exact situation in January. The Money Network cards have an extremely sensitive fraud detection system that often misidentifies normal spending patterns as suspicious. Here's what fixed it permanently for me: 1. Call Money Network and specifically request a "fraud alert reduction" on your account 2. Update your contact information so they can text you instead of locking the card 3. Set up a "travel notification" even if you're not traveling - this reduces sensitivity 4. Register your card fully on the website (not just the app) The system is designed to err on the side of caution, which is good for security but terrible for usability. If you keep having problems after trying these steps, direct deposit is definitely the more reliable option.
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Christian Burns
•Thank you SO much for these specific tips! I didn't know about the "fraud alert reduction" option - definitely going to ask for that specifically. Would you happen to know if changing to direct deposit affects your benefit amounts or timing at all?
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Abby Marshall
have u tried using the website instead of the app? sometimes the app glitches but the website works fine. happened to me once where i couldnt login to the app for like a week but website let me in no problem
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Christian Burns
•I actually tried that yesterday and the website gave me the same error. But I'll try again today - maybe it was just down temporarily. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Sadie Benitez
This is why I HATE the PA UC system!!! They make it IMPOSSIBLE to get your own money!! First you have to wait WEEKS for approval, then they give you these garbage cards that don't work half the time. I've been locked out of mine SEVEN TIMES in 3 months. Even when I call to get it fixed, half the time I can't get through to anyone. The whole system is designed to make you give up on getting YOUR OWN MONEY that YOU EARNED!!
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Sasha Reese
•preach!! i swear they do this on purpose to save money. if people give up trying to access their benefits the state doesnt have to pay out!
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Drew Hathaway
I was having this exact problem last month. After my card locked for the 4th time, I couldn't get through to Money Network at all - kept getting disconnected or waiting on hold for 2+ hours. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual rep at Money Network within 20 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 The Money Network rep was able to permanently adjust my fraud settings and explained that multiple login attempts from different devices can trigger the lockouts. They fixed it on the spot and I haven't had any issues since. Might help if you're still struggling to get through to someone.
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Christian Burns
•Oh wow, I've never heard of this service before. After spending literally 3 hours on hold yesterday I'm willing to try anything. Did they explain why the app keeps locking too? That's what's driving me crazy - even when the card is unlocked I still can't access the app sometimes.
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Drew Hathaway
•Yes, they explained that the app and card security systems are actually separate! So even if they unlock your card, you might still need them to reset the app access separately. Make sure to specifically mention both issues when you call. The rep I spoke to said they can note your account to prevent the automatic lockouts from happening so frequently.
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Noland Curtis
i switched to direct deposit after 2 months of card probs... took about 10 days to switch over but soooo worth it!
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Muhammad Hobbs
One more thing that might help - Money Network has specific times when their call volume is lower. Try calling Tuesday-Thursday between 10:30am-11:45am or 2:15pm-3:30pm Eastern time. Those times have consistently shorter wait times based on my experience helping clients with these issues.
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Christian Burns
•This is super helpful, thank you! I'll try calling tomorrow morning during that window. Fingers crossed I can get this resolved before the weekend.
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Christian Burns
UPDATE: I finally got through to Money Network this morning! For anyone else having this problem - ask specifically for "reduced fraud monitoring" on your account. Apparently they can set different security levels and mine was on the highest for some reason. Also found out my app login issues were because I was trying too many times without realizing it (kept hitting login thinking it didn't go through). They reset everything and so far it's working! Thanks everyone for your help!!
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Sasha Reese
•thx for updating! gonna call and ask for the same thing
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Vanessa Figueroa
•This is excellent news! Glad you got it resolved. One more tip: if you update your contact preferences to allow text notifications, they'll text you to verify suspicious transactions instead of automatically locking the card. That's been a game-changer for me.
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