# Economic Stimulus Debit Cards from Money Network Cardholder Services **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619 "2020-05-28T20:03:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/1 "2020-05-28T20:03:47Z")
Check your mail for a plain white envelope from Money Network Cardholder Services. I wasn’t expecting a stimulus payment at all, I didn’t think we qualified. So I almost threw this out thinking it was a scam. But a quick search seems to indicate that it’s a real thing. > **[Economic Impact Payments being sent by prepaid debit cards, arrive in plain...](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/economic-impact-payments-being-sent-by-prepaid-debit-cards-arrive-in-plain-envelope-irsgov-answers-frequently-asked-questions?mod=article_inline)** > > IR-2020-105, May 27, 2020 > > WASHINGTON – As Economic Impact Payments continue to be successfully delivered, the Internal Revenue Service today reminds taxpayers that some payments are being sent by prepaid debit card. The debit cards arrive in a plain... > **[Treasury is Delivering Millions of Economic Impact Payments by Prepaid Debit...](https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1012?mod=article_inline)** > > WASHINGTON— This week, Treasury and the IRS are starting to send nearly 4 million Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) by prepaid debit card, instead of by paper check. EIP Card recipients can make purchases, get cash from in-network ATMs, and transfer... I have to activate it and check the balance, since we weren’t expecting anything I have no idea how much to expect. Did anyone else receive a payment via this method? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/2 "2020-05-28T21:57:46Z")
OK, so it checks (ha!) out and we got a pretty decent sized amount. Wasn’t expecting it, and since we’re both working we don’t particularly need it. We may donate it somewhere, we’re both a bit stunned. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/3 "2020-05-28T22:07:37Z")
I wanted a stimulus payment. We didn’t think we qualified either. But it came Tuesday. Like you I thought it was junk mail or AARP mail. I like it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/4 "2020-05-28T22:08:11Z")
Yep. Just received ours today. Just as suspicious at first. Just as surprised it’s legit. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/5 "2020-05-28T22:12:36Z")
Very clever to disguise it as a possible scam. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/6 "2020-05-28T22:22:42Z")
I looked everywhere on the papers. No Trump signature. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/7 "2020-05-28T22:27:41Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Very clever to disguise it as a possible scam. I was ready to cut it up but the card itself looked good, so I did the web search. The two biggest problems are that the return address is from no where you’d expect, and the website isn’t a .gov address. Pretty odd choices, but here it is. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/8 "2020-05-29T00:10:20Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I looked everywhere on the papers. No Trump signature. Just wait. You should soon[get a letter](https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/4/26/1940386/-Notice-1444-IRS-Pays-for-Trump-Campaign-Mailing) from the Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service. The envelope is marked **Notice 1444 (EN-SP)**. It includes a letter with Uncle Donny’s signature on it explaining that your stimulus payment has already arrived. When mine came in the mail the family texted me at work concerned. I spent the better part of the day wondering whether I was the lucky guy selected for an audit or something. Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/9 "2020-05-29T00:24:05Z")
I just wonder how many folks shredded them. I almost didn’t notice what mine was. **Iggy** , I’ll watch out for the letter. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/10 "2020-05-29T02:12:47Z")
I’ll BOLO for it too. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/11 "2020-05-29T05:38:55Z")
Waitaminnit. I’m confused I think. What stimulus payment are we discussing here? Is this the original $1200 that nearly everyone gets, that a lot of people got about a month ago by direct deposit? Or is this a different payment that I somehow missed hearing about? ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/12 "2020-05-29T09:42:21Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Waitaminnit. I’m confused I think. What stimulus payment are we discussing here? Is this the original $1200 that nearly everyone gets, that a lot of people got about a month ago by direct deposit? Or is this a different payment that I somehow missed hearing about? The former. Those who did not have direct deposit information on file with the IRS are still in the process of receiving the initial stimulus payment. Some got a paper check but the government has now started sending pre-paid cards to others. So far a second stimulus has not been approved by the full Congress. The [House has passed the HEROES Act](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/28/a-second-round-of-stimulus-checks-could-be-coming-how-to-prepare.html), another stimulus package with a second round of stimulus payments, but the Senate has objected to some of the provisions. Trump has indicated opposition to some of the provisions but has indicated willingness to sign off on some sort of a second round of stimulus payments. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/13 "2020-05-29T13:33:13Z")
This is definitely the first and only stimulus payment we’ve received. I wonder if we got the debit card because we’ve paid taxes the past few years, meaning we sent payment from our bank account during our e-file, not gotten direct deposit of a refund. I would have assumed the IRS had the info they needed to do direct deposit, but maybe not. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economic-stimulus-debit-cards-from-money-network-cardholder-services/854619/14 "2020-06-16T05:46:30Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > This is definitely the first and only stimulus payment we’ve received. I wonder if we got the debit card because we’ve paid taxes the past few years, meaning we sent payment from our bank account during our e-file, not gotten direct deposit of a refund. I would have assumed the IRS had the info they needed to do direct deposit, but maybe not. This was my assumption as well. Thanks to this thread I know what to look for, since I already got the confirmation letter. I had thought we had given the IRS our account info, long time ago. Oh well.