So, you shredded your stimulus debit card? Here’s what to do.

Don’t feel bad if you accidentally cut up your federal stimulus payment. You’ve got a lot of company. It’s not your fault you thought the prepaid debit card was a scam, or just more junk mail.

The federal government misled at least 4 million people about how they would get their stimulus. For months, the IRS and Treasury said to watch for direct deposits and checks in the mail.

Then, the week of May 18, the feds started issuing payments on Visa prepaid debit cards that didn’t come from the Treasury.

The cards came from “Money Network Cardholder Services,” which a lot of people have never heard of.

So many cards ended up in shredders, trash cans and recycling bins.

I heard about the problem last week. And since I wrote about it Friday, I’ve heard from 16 more people in the Lehigh Valley area who got cards and threw them away. Others suspect they tossed theirs, but can’t be sure.

A lucky few were able to retrieve them from their shredding pile or recycling bin at the last minute after reading my column.

The challenge many people face is how to replace cards they destroyed, or how to check whether they were mailed a card that they might have discarded.

It is possible to get a replacement.

Pat Mazza, the Easton man I interviewed last week after he shredded his card, told me he called Money Network/MetaBank, which is issuing the cards for the Treasury, and arranged to have another sent.

He retrieved the paperwork with the card from his recycling bin, so he had the bank’s number.

For those who don’t have any information about the card, here’s what you should do:

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says people who lost their card or believe it was stolen should call Money

Network/MetaBank at 800240-8100 (TTY: 800-241-9100). The card will be deactivated so nobody can use it.

That’s the same advice offered by Money Network/ MetaBank on its website, eipcard.com/faq.

Select the “lost/stolen” option from the prompts on the automated phone directory. The first replacement card is free. Subsequent replacements cost $7.50.

If you are unsure of the status of your stimulus, the IRS website allows you to track your payment at irs.gov/coronavirus/ get-my-payment. You have to enter your Social Security number and birthdate to use the service.

Even some people who recognized that their stimulus cards were legitimate aren’t happy. They’ve told me about difficulties cashing them out at banks or ATMs.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau put together tips for how to activate and use your card, including how to transfer or withdraw your balance, at bit.ly/3exqHqy.

Be aware that when you activate your card, you will be asked to provide six digits of your Social Security number, instead of the customary four digits, to verify your identity. That also isn’t sitting well with some card users.

If you aren’t careful, you could ring up bank fees when using your card, reducing its value and essentially giving the bank a portion of your stimulus. But that should be avoidable if you understand the pitfalls.

The cards don’t have monthly maintenance fees, or fees for making credit or debit purchases.

Cash withdrawals at innetwork ATMs are free, but there is a $2 fee for using an out-of-network machine, after a free initial one. It costs a quarter to check your balance at any ATM. Money can also be withdrawn from tellers at banks in the Visa network, but only the first withdrawal is free. Subsequent withdrawals cost $5.

One final piece of advice: If you get a prepaid stimulus card, don’t discard it after you’ve spent the money. One person I heard from said her bank advised her to keep it because if there is a second round of stimulus payments, it may be loaded to previous cards.

Morning Call columnist Paul Muschick can be reached at 610-820-6582 or paul.muschick@mcall.com