It’s time for another Twinquisition! We gather here today to discuss the Twitter Inquisition of “Uncle” Rush! Silencio en la corte! Silence in the court!
Read: Twinquisition #1: Shelby Mueller
So I’m drinking my coffee and I boot up Jezebel to see what the tea is for the day. What do I see? A brewing controversy and social media disaster for Russell Simmons and his RushCard, a prepaid Visa card that to get cardholders their money “up to 2 days faster” than their paychecks. Unfortunately, it’s been at least seven days and an untold number of cardholders still can’t access their funds, or worse, they’re told that their accounts don’t exist, with their money disappearing into thin air. Via Jezebel:
One product on the last category, the Russell Simmons-founded Rushcard—which puts people in a labyrinth of jacked-up transaction feesfor the privilege of getting their paycheck two days early—froze thousands of its users out of their accounts last week, leaving them stranded and moneyless during an absurdly protracted period of the company trying to get their system back up after what they’re calling a botched “technology transition.”
If you aren’t sure why this is more than just an inconvenience, I urge you to read the Jezebel article because Jia Tolentino breaks down why this is a crisis for quite a few of the RushCard cardholders. Chances are most RushCard consumers are using the card, championed by Simmons as some sort of financial savior and/or gamechanger for the working class, because they do not have access to banking accounts at banking institutions like Bank of America or Chase, which aren’t the greatest either. Those institutions just happen to know better than to go this far, plus they can’t prey on everyone. The RushCard, however, is designed for people with very few recourses already. They just can’t up and leave like someone with options at BoA or Wells Fargo can. This is what makes this whole situation much worse. Most RushCard cardholders have nowhere else to go that will accept them, not with networks like ChexSystems acting like the Cerberus to the banks’ underworld.
Thankfully, Twitter is a great place to vent, and bring attention to all kinds of fuckery, and those affected wasted no time letting it be known that they were in one hell of a bind.
8th day no money and pay day again awesome another weeks check gone #rushcard @UncleRUSH
— Betzy O (@BetzyOh) October 19, 2015
What if the people working for #RushCard quit? Some of us may never see our money. For real. Have worried myself sick. This isn’t a company.
— Lorraine Burnett (@LBurnett32) October 15, 2015
“It declined my card & I knew that I had funds in there.” Mother shares #RushCard horror story on Ch. 2 at 11. pic.twitter.com/Eo51VNdhcB
— WSB-TV (@wsbtv) October 15, 2015
#RushCard has been holding my money for a whole week!!!
— Reen Da1 (@RINA_APPLEBAUM) October 19, 2015
Going to have to cancel my #RushCard . Been with them for so long,but un uh,I can’t have people messing with my $,& can’t reach customer svc
— Shae (@TrynaKeepPushin) October 19, 2015
Personally, I think Simmons should use his own money to rectify this problem. #PayUpRush should be the new hashtag. Good luck to all involved, and don’t forget to email the FTC, your Attorney General, and even look into the FDIC and your local newstation. Godspeed…