Editing Debit card (section)

====Governments====
As of 2013, several city governments (including [[Oakland, California]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://consumerist.com/2013/03/20/oakland-residents-will-be-slammed-with-fees-if-they-use-city-ids-as-debit-cards/|title=Oakland Residents Will Be Slammed With Fees If They Use City IDs As Debit Cards|work=Consumerist|date=20 March 2013|access-date=11 April 2013|archive-date=28 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428081850/http://consumerist.com/2013/03/20/oakland-residents-will-be-slammed-with-fees-if-they-use-city-ids-as-debit-cards/|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://consumerist.com/2013/03/21/chicago-transit-prepaid-debit-cards-also-fully-loaded-with-fees/|title=Chicago Transit Prepaid Debit Cards Also Fully Loaded With Fees|work=Consumerist|date=21 March 2013|access-date=11 April 2013|archive-date=26 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130326233859/http://consumerist.com/2013/03/21/chicago-transit-prepaid-debit-cards-also-fully-loaded-with-fees/|url-status=live}}</ref>) are now offering prepaid debit cards, either as part of a municipal ID card (for people such as [[illegal immigration|illegal immigrants]] who are unable to obtain a state [[driver's license]] or DMV ID card) in the case of Oakland or in conjunction with a prepaid transit pass (in Chicago). These cards have been heavily criticized<ref>{{cite web|url=http://consumerist.com/2013/04/09/oakland-decides-it-doesnt-need-all-those-fees-on-its-combination-iddebit-cards/|title=Oakland Decides It Doesn't Need All Those Fees On Its Combination ID/Debit Cards – Consumerist|work=Consumerist|date=9 April 2013|access-date=11 April 2013|archive-date=15 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415045221/http://consumerist.com/2013/04/09/oakland-decides-it-doesnt-need-all-those-fees-on-its-combination-iddebit-cards/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://defendyourdollars.org/posts/2645-city-of-oakland-takes-a-step-in-right-direction|title=City Of Oakland Takes A Step In Right Direction|work=Defend Your Dollars|access-date=2013-04-11|archive-date=2015-12-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208063141/http://defendyourdollars.org/posts/2645-city-of-oakland-takes-a-step-in-right-direction|url-status=dead}}</ref> for their higher-than-average fees, such as excessive flat fees added onto every purchase made with the card.

The U.S. federal government uses prepaid debit cards to make benefit payments to people who do not have bank accounts.<ref>[http://bankcreditnews.com/news/federal-government-chooses-direct-deposit-and-prepaid-cards-over-mailing-checks/9413/ “Federal government chooses direct deposit and prepaid cards over mailing checks”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423044908/http://bankcreditnews.com/news/federal-government-chooses-direct-deposit-and-prepaid-cards-over-mailing-checks/9413/ |date=2013-04-23 }}, BankCreditNews, 15 Apr 2013, Accessed 2013-04-22.</ref>

In July 2013, the [[Association of Government Accountants]] released a report on government use of prepaid cards, concluding that such programs offer a number of advantages to governments and those who receive payments on a prepaid card rather than by check. The prepaid card programs benefit payments largely for the cost savings they offer and provide easier access to cash for recipients, as well as increased security. The report also advises that governments should consider replacing any remaining [[cheque]]-based payments with prepaid card programs in order to realize substantial savings for taxpayers as well as benefits for payees.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bankcreditnews.com/news/aga-report-finds-government-prepaid-cards-offer-numerous-advantages/11472/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722053001/http://bankcreditnews.com/news/aga-report-finds-government-prepaid-cards-offer-numerous-advantages/11472/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 22, 2013 |title=AGA report finds government prepaid cards offer numerous advantages |date=July 12, 2013 |publisher=Bank Credit News |access-date=2013-07-18 }}</ref>