How do I dispute a charge with Direct Express?

Introduction

A Direct Express debit card can provide a safe, handy way of accessing your federal benefits without minimum balance requirements, bank accounts, or credit checks. However, if you have found a charge on your Direct Express card that you did not make, or if a charge was higher than you had agreed to pay, then you need to know how to dispute that charge with Direct Express.

What You'll Need

If you get the transaction dispute form back in to Direct Express within 10 business days of your initial call, they may issue you a provisional credit to help you get by while the investigation is ongoing. However, this is entirely at their discretion, and is certainly not guaranteed.

Go to the Direct Express home page, enter your user ID and password in the text fields provided, and click on the "Login" button to log into your Direct Express account.

Direct Express home page
Before you even begin the dispute, you should first secure your account against further loss.
To change your card's PIN, continue with the next step.
To lock your lost or stolen card, skip to step 4.

Go to Account Services.

Select the option to change your PIN and follow the prompts.

Skip to step 7.

Click on the picture of your Direct Express debit card.

Click on "Actions."

Click on "Lock Card."

When you lock your card, it can't be used to make additional purchases or withdraw money from ATMs. However, you can still receive your federal benefits while your card is locked.
When you speak to a Direct Express customer service agent, tell them that your card is missing, that you have locked it, and that you need a new card sent to you. You should receive your new Direct Express debit card in 7 to 10 days after making your request.
If you find or recover your card, you can always unlock it again later.

Gather together the information you will need for the call.

You should have the merchant's name, the amount of the charge, the transaction number, and the date of the transaction.

Call a Direct Express customer service agent and request a transaction dispute form.

Direct Express customer service
The agent will ask whether you want the form sent via email or traditional mail services.

Check your mail for the transaction dispute form.

If you get the form by email, you will need to print it out once it arrives.

Fill out the form.

Return the form to Direct Express.

You can either email it to them or fax it to them.
If you send it by email, you will need to scan the form first.

Wait for Direct Express to contact you about the results of their investigation.

The investigation should take up to 10 business days from the date Direct Express receives your form.

Conclusion

To check on the status of your transaction dispute, or to ask any other questions you have, call a Direct Express customer service agent to get answers. Your can reach one from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm CT from Monday to Friday. The customer service center is closed on weekends.