topic Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card in Personal Finance

Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

batsy71 — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 02:38:03 GMT

I came across their website which claims 5% cash back on their debit card.

https://www.garden-fi.com/personal/bank/checking

It seems to good to be true. It is not clear to me if this is a legit website or what. Has anyone tried or done business with them?

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

DakotaM — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 03:13:10 GMT

Well they seem suspect to me, to say the least.

Their contact us page lists their address as P.O. Box 000000 City, State 00000-0000 and routing number also 000000. Also their cell phone number begins with 555, which is not a valid area code. If I click enroll, I supposedly have "special offers", which takes me to the dev site they apparently used to make this website.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

AndySoCal — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 03:13:16 GMT

@batsy71 It looks it is a bank with a single branch at 6525 Chancellor Dr Suite 101 Cedar Falls IA 50613. The website also says FDIC insured but with the information on the web site I cannot find them on the FDIC website. Also they do not have a routing number posted on the web site either. My guess is it is a new start up bank or something close to it.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

Citylights18 — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 03:21:36 GMT

This quest for yield is turning up a lot of questionable places to put your money.

Rates wont be high forever so I wouldn't bother with it.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

SouthJamaica — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 04:44:20 GMT

@batsy71 wrote:
I came across their website which claims 5% cash back on their debit card.

https://www.garden-fi.com/personal/bank/checking

It seems to good to be true. It is not clear to me if this is a legit website or what. Has anyone tried or done business with them?

I guess the answer to your question is no, no one's ever heard of it.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

Lou-natic — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:14:40 GMT

Well the address is for a building in Cedar Falls IA and the sign out front says it is for Veridian Credit Union and Jack Henry & Associates.

The credit union seems to be legit www.veridiancu.org

According to whois.com Jack Henry & Associates owns garden-fi.com and registered it 5/26/2020.

The domain handler is

Jack Henry & Associates

8 Cadillac Dr Suite 300

Brentwood TN, 37027

You can see this information here

Their website is https://www.jackhenry.com/ And they are listed on the NASDAQ as JKHY.

I'd say that it is legit but not yet operational or was somebodies "pet project" that never got finished or something along those lines.

But then again a lot of big name companies have been scammed in recent years by shady outfits.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

Guyatthebeach — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:15:25 GMT

Batsy71,

I think their website looks a little fishy to me. Interesting when you try to do a branch location search, only an ATM location is listed.

I bet you can find some better options.

Guyatthebeach

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

Anonymous — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:49:50 GMT

When you look the company up, they have Suite 101 in an Office Park Building in Cedar Rapids Iowa ...

Be aware the lack of big brick and mortar keeps costs low and it could make it easier to call it quits. They could pack and run so remember: "buyer beware"! Also, will add, if it "looks too good to be true, ..."?

In the end, you need to be comfortable with your decision and since there is a lack of experince related to this organization fairness dictates to be sure of what you know? It could be the best Debit Card product ever ... ?

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

TyrannicalDuncery — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 05:34:50 GMT

Awesome response, thank you @Lou-natic! I made a reddit post that links to your response, I hope that's okay. Let me know if you want me to take it down.

Here is some obvious info in case it saves people time. I think I'm going to be too scared to try it myself.

Here is a similar weird fintech site that also has an app by Jack Henry Associates. The site is similar in many ways: Save | Bloom (getbloom-fi.com)
In case anyone is wondering, I tried downloading the Android app and there is no additional information (like contacts, FDIC/NCUA, program info, social media, etc) without logging in. (And you need an account to log in.)
On the website, I tried enrolling.
- Some things that might be relevant to hacking security:
  - It looks like they are not asking for my social security card right off the bat, just the SSN. I'm not sure about that because I didn't go any further.
  - It also mentions that you might need a debit card or credit card number, so hopefully you can fund that way?
  - It does ask for a photo ID, like passport or driver's license.
- The first page of the application also randomly lists an address: PO Box 8896 Lenexa KS 66214.
- That address is right under a broken link to an image file called garden-logo-color.svg, so I assume that's supposed to be one of their addresses? I can't find anything about that address.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

FireMedic1 — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 10:16:10 GMT

Wouldnt touch either one with a 10 foot pole. Enough red flags to move on. How dare they take our name Garden.

Garden:

Phone Number
555.555.5555
800.222.2222

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 000000
City, State 00000-0000

Debit Card Assistance
Activation: 555.777.7777
PIN Change: 866.888.8888

Credit Card Assistance
855.111.1111

Routing Number
000000000

Bloom:

Routing Number 123456789

Bank NMLS # 0987654321

Phone # 123-456-7890

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

Lou-natic — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 20:17:14 GMT

@TyrannicalDuncery wrote:
Awesome response, thank you @Lou-natic! I made a reddit post that links to your response, I hope that's okay. Let me know if you want me to take it down.

Here is some obvious info in case it saves people time. I think I'm going to be too scared to try it myself.

Here is a similar weird fintech site that also has an app by Jack Henry Associates. The site is similar in many ways: Save | Bloom (getbloom-fi.com)
In case anyone is wondering, I tried downloading the Android app and there is no additional information (like contacts, FDIC/NCUA, program info, social media, etc) without logging in. (And you need an account to log in.)
On the website, I tried enrolling.
Some things that might be relevant to hacking security:
It looks like they are not asking for my social security card right off the bat, just the SSN. I'm not sure about that because I didn't go any further.
It also mentions that you might need a debit card or credit card number, so hopefully you can fund that way?
It does ask for a photo ID, like passport or driver's license.
The first page of the application also randomly lists an address: PO Box 8896 Lenexa KS 66214.
That address is right under a broken link to an image file called garden-logo-color.svg, so I assume that's supposed to be one of their addresses? I can't find anything about that address.

This is getting interesting. I wonder how many other financial websites exist that they have a hand in? jack Henry claims to have 6,800 employees, surely somebody out there knows something. When I check out their website it's very generic and earily similar to these bank sites they seem to be setting up. The whole thing is starting to give me Tom Clancy vibes...weird.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

TyrannicalDuncery — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 22:52:21 GMT

I haven't found any reference to that PO box, but google maps's default point for Lenexa KS is pretty close to one of Jack Henry's locations in Overland Park. (If I try to use street view right next to that Overland Park location, google maps says I'm in Lenexa.)
But their main HQ seems to be ~3 hours away by car in Monett, MO. So maybe just a coincidence. Based on 10 seconds on google maps, they appear to have locations across US at least.
I filled out their contact form asking for more info.
The location that @Lou-natic identified (6525 Chancellor Dr #101, Cedar Falls IA 50613) is marked as "Banno" by google maps; makes sense since that's a Jack Henry product. Maybe I'll try calling them at their publicly listed number +18778843327.
I was very impressed that @Lou-natic figured out that they were associated with Veridian; I wasn't able to find that myself on google maps but this article from 2018 states that they leased that space from Veridian. And here's a non-paywalled article about how some Banno alumni then became leaders of Moov, which partners with Veridian in some way.
Garden Fi says that it was founded in 1921. Veridian says that it was founded in 1934, and wikipedia says that Jack Henry was founded in 1976. So is Garden Fi's thing just BS/placeholder? Did they change their name? Are they just way off the grid? Are they just dating their existence from around the time they came under FDIC regulation/protection? IDFK
Bloom says that it is "backed by Garden, a community bank in Cedar Falls, Iowa." I assume they mean "a fintech or weird alternate name of a community bank (Veridian?) that has come connection to Cedar Falls, Iowa."
- I searched by address for Cedar Falls, IA here and found nothing called "Garden..."
- I tried something similar here and also found nothing called "Garden..."; also my search by URL found nothing for Bloom or Garden.
- I guesss those searches probably don't mean anything one way or the other, since the "real" bank is probably Veridian or something. But IDFK
Their EULA also seems pretty sketchy or unfinished: it ends in "TMS: My EULA change here./"

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

FireMedic1 — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 22:18:07 GMT

Lets end this. Even the wording to get a checking account is off.

You may need each applicant's:

✔ Social Security Number

✔ Valid ID (Driver's License, State ID or Passport)

YOU?!?!?! How bout about WE!!!!!!!!

We dont own the place.

RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

TyrannicalDuncery — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 01:28:33 GMT

Okay, one more update and I'll stop. I think Garden Fi is just a pretend bank that Jack Henry uses to test its tech:

https://jackhenry.dev/open-api-docs/accessing-the-digital-toolkit/

That site contains the following sentence: "To create a test user for the Garden demo institution, complete these steps:" (that link is in the original).

The above link (along with others from jackhenry.dev describing it as a demo) is my only non-circumstantial evidence. I could be wrong.

If I'm correct, I think it's a little concerning that they have an app and a website that will accept your SSN in a prompt. But maybe I'm the only one dumb enough to consider it in the first place (and I still didn't do it).

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

IcyCool7227 — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 04:45:51 GMT

There is an old post here from 2020:

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Personal-Finance/Has-anyone-heard-of-Garden-Digital-Banking/m-p/6170925?search-action-id=244706109057&search-result-uid=6170925

I just signed up for the Greens account now and it seems 100% legit! Everything completed successfully with the new account opening. They have other accounts I might sign up for. Though when I funded my opening deposit with $30 from Capital One Savor One cc it didn't show up at all yet the process appeared to have been completed normally.

it seems to be partnered with Toast of the Town National Bank and customer service phone is: (913) 341-3434. But yeah they should correct that on the main website so it doesn't appear shady.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

TyrannicalDuncery — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:25:38 GMT

Very interesting, thanks @IcyCool7227 . Do they actually have a 5% cash back debit card? Could you let us know if your deposit goes through, if you make a successful withdrawal, and if you get the advertised rewards?

If this is a troll, well-played . I cannot find "Toast of the Town National Bank" anywhere. Do you have a link or routing number? I can't find them easily with the FDIC search or the NCUA search.

If I google that phone number, I find Jack Henry & Associates. That would make sense.

Thanks for linking that previous post from 2020. I should have noticed that @sxa001 made that same point about Garden possibly being a demo institution.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

batsy71 — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 14:59:00 GMT

lol nice troll man.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

IcyCool7227 — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 22:05:47 GMT

The routing number is: 999988961. I'm not a troll but I called that phone number as my online inquiry wasn't answered yet and they told me they don't handle customer accounts. She did not hear of the Garden either yet it was the number that was auto emailed to me after being approved for a checking account. The deposit still hasn't showed either but it's strange that it appears in the Plaid network and able to be linked. I wonder if it's a product not yet completed? I'll see if I get my debit card in the mail.

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

TyrannicalDuncery — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 22:23:36 GMT

Very interesting! I appreciate you looking into it. I hope I didn't pressure you into it because I'm still skeptical of it. I hope it works out great for you! Sorry for thinking you might be a troll, it would have been funny if you were though. Good luck.

I can't find that routing number here, but maybe that's just because it's some other kind of entity besides a bank. Based on the formatting rules for routing numbers, I think that may just be the highest possible routing number, so maybe it's still a placeholder?

Re: Anyone heard of Garden-Fi bank? 5% cash back debit card

IcyCool7227 — Mon, 23 Jan 2023 22:27:08 GMT

Tyrannical I think you might be right that it's just a demo. I will see if there's any response and a debit card sent out within a week. If not then you know it's just a test bank thingie but why not spell it out in big letters that it's only a test banking product and not something somebody naive should sign up for?