This company needs to be investigated and shut down.
Here is a copy of the first email I sent to ePassporte once I discovered there was a problem.
Last week I requested that my funds be transferred back into my checking
account and received a message CONFIRMING THAT THE TRANSFER HAD BEEN MADE. It was not made and I subsequently received a $27 overdraft charge from my bank.
When I logged back onto ePassporte the day after I received the overdraft charge, I discovered that my account had been suspended 'due to unusual activity.'
I have never used this account and want this matter resolved IMMEDIATELY — I would also like a letter sent to my bank informing them that you did not transfer the funds as requested.
I had a very unsatisfactory conversation with someone by the name of Reginald P. Yesterday afternoon. He refused to give me the telephone number or name of anyone in the Verification Department to get this matter cleared up.in fact he wouldn't even give me his last name.
I received a message from them in return. This is what it said:
"ePassporte monitors your account closely to insure that your funds are protected from fraudulent use. Your account has been temporarily suspended, pending our investigation due to unusual activity. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Please contact
ePassporte as soon as possible.
Regards
ePassporte Cardholder Services"
I called Customer Service again and the manager I spoke to told me that I had to 'verify my account.'
I also got another message from them:
"Thank you for your email. Unfortunately the only way to get the account unblocked is by you providing the information requested. Once the requested information is received the account will be unblocked.
I hope this information is helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further inquiries.
Best regards
Ana A"
The information they required was a fax of my driver's license, a voided check from my bank account, and a copy of my last bank statement.
I didn't feel comfortable about faxing them that information, but they told me that was the only way I could get the money transferred back to my bank account. I complied — and the next day I received the following message from them:
"We apologize for the delay. You will not be able to conduct any transactions, loads, or withdrawals while the account is in "Fund Protection Mode." Once the procedure to have the account unblocked takes place, you will then be able to withdraw the funds. Please contact us for
further questions and/or concerns.
Thank you for using ePassporte.
Regards
Leandro C.
EPassporte Cardholder Services
[email protected]
Fax: 1-310-564-1751
Toll-Free from US: 1-877-372-7790
International and US: 1-310-301"
That was two weeks ago and they still haven't returned the money to my bank account.
When I log in to my ePassporte account, I get the following message:
"Welcome
For security purposes your Account has been placed in a temporary fund protection mode.
For more information and further instructions please contact our Account Holder Services Department at your earliest convenience.
We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause."
When I've tried to reach them again by phone, I get stuck in this endless loop:
"Your call is being transferred to the first available agent. We are experiencing a high call volume and there may be an extended hold time. We apologize for the inconvenience. Your calls and emails will be answered in the order they are received. Etc. Etc."
The last time, after staying on hold for over a half hour, I called the other telephone number they had listed from a different phone. This time my call was answered within about five minutes — while my cell phone was still giving me the agent not available message! Before talking to me, they had to 'verify' my userid, address, four digits of my bank account, and the phone number I had listed with them — which curiously enough was the number to the phone with the call still in progress and in an endless loop. I am led to believe that after they make you jump through hoops, they then block the telephone number that is in their records, so you can't talk to anyone.
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