📘 ESA Updates & Helpful Links

Here you'll find helpful links to official ESA information, the parent handbook, and ClassWallet tools. We'll continue updating this page as new resources or changes become available, so feel free to check back anytime or bookmark it for easy reference.

📌 This page may be updated as new information becomes available. Feel free to check back anytime or save this link for future reference.    

Clickable Links to ESA Key Resources

• 🔹🔗[Arizona Department of Education – ESA Program]        Need help with your ESA account, application status, or purchases? The support team is available to assist you during extended business hours.

• 📞 Typical Support Hours (EST):
  • Monday to Friday: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
  • Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

  📬 ESA Support Email:
  ESACallCenter@azed.gov

  📍 Mailing Address:
  Arizona Department of Education
  Empowerment Scholarship Account Program
  1535 W. Jefferson Street, Bin #41
  Phoenix, AZ 85007

  📱 Phone: (602) 364-1969
  

  📝  🔗ESA Support Center »                                                                                                                   For the latest updates or to open a support ticket

• 🔹 🔗[ESA Parent Handbook ]

• 🔹 🔗[ESA Applicant Portal]

• 🔹 Enter ClassWallet through the  🔗[ESA Applicant Portal]                                    Call : (877) 969-553   email: help@classwallet.com                                                Monday - Friday: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST                                              Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm EST                                                                                            💬 Need help? Chat with ClassWallet directly — it's faster.

  🕐 The ESA HelpDesk goes through the Dept of Education and can take weeks. 

• 📞 Akimbo Customer Support (ClassWallet Card)

  Phone:1-855-449-2273
  Hours: Monday – Friday, 7 AM – 7 PM Central Time (CT)

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  💡 Tip:

  When calling, let them know you're using the ClassWallet ESA debit card so they can direct you to the correct support team faster.

Amazon Orders

• If you need help with an Amazon order in the United States, the official Amazon customer service phone number is:

  📞 1‑888‑280‑4331

  This 24/7 toll‑free number connects directly to Amazon’s U.S. support team for order-related inquiries, account problems, returns, refunds, and more.

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  Helpful Tips Before You Call:

  • Be ready with your order number (e.g. #123‑4567890‑1234567).

  • Have the email address or phone number linked to your Amazon account on hand.

  • Calling from the phone number on your account often enables smoother identity verification.

  • Amazon’s automated system opens the call, but you can request to speak to a live agent. Persistence helps .

  • The least busy time to call tends to be Sundays; Mondays are usually the busiest.

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  Other Support Options:

  • Live chat support via Amazon’s “Help” or “Contact Us” page is often faster for non‑urgent matters.

  • Email or social media channels (like X/@amazonhelp or Facebook) are available, though response times may vary.

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  Avoiding Scams:

  • Amazon will never call you first asking for passwords, gift cards, or payment updates. If you receive such a call, it's almost certainly a scam. Always initiate contact by logging into your account directly and visiting Amazon.com’s help pages

• Customers may also see alternative toll‑free numbers like 1‑888‑280‑3321; both are valid but the primary line is 1‑888‑280‑4331 .

🏫 ClassWallet ESA Debit Card – Why Payments May Decline

The ESA debit card provided through ClassWallet is limited to approved educational expenses.
If your card is declined — even if your account has enough funds — the issue is likely the merchant’s business classification, not your card.

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❓ What Is an MCC Code?

🧾 A Merchant Category Code (MCC) is a 4-digit number assigned by credit card networks (like Visa or Mastercard).
It tells the system what kind of business the vendor is — for example: “bookstore,” “tutoring,” or “toy store.”

ESA cards are programmed to only work with education-related MCC codes.

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⚠️ Example Scenario

A vendor may sell classroom tools and educational games,
🛒 but if their MCC code is set to “toy store,”
🚫 the ESA card will decline the purchase — even if the items are eligible.

✅ The same vendor's online store or catalog might use an MCC like “bookstore”, which works with ESA cards.

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🔍 Why ESA Can't Fix It

• ❌ ESA, ClassWallet, and Akimbo cannot change a merchant’s MCC code

• ✅ Only the vendor can update their MCC by contacting their payment processor or merchant account provider

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💡 What You Can Do

• ✅ Ask vendors if their business is categorized as educational

• 💳 If your payment is declined, save your receipt and submit a manual reimbursement through ClassWallet

• 🧠 Learn about MCC codes here:
  🔗 CreditCards.com – What Is an MCC Code?

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🟦 Using Venmo – How to Enable "Goods & Services"

To ensure your Venmo payment works with ESA rules, the “Goods and Services” option must be enabled. If it doesn’t appear:

✅ Step 1: Verify Your Identity

• Open Venmo → Tap “Me” → Tap the gear icon (Settings)

• Scroll down to “Identity Verification” and complete it

• The person you're paying must verify their identity as well

• Without verification, you’re limited to $299 per 7 days

✅ Step 2: Accept Terms for Purchases

• Go to Settings → Get Help → FAQs → Buying & Selling

• Tap “Can I use Venmo to buy and sell merchandise?”

• Follow the blue link to accept the User Agreement and enable “Goods & Services”

🔒 Optional: Add Extra Security

• While in Settings, activate Face ID, PIN, or two-step verification

📌 Visual Guide on Facebook ›

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💲 **Paying via PayPal – What You Need to Know**

Most ESA parents use their **ESA debit card** to pay vendors who accept PayPal.

If you're paying a **business PayPal account**, the card may be **declined** if:
- The vendor's **MCC (Merchant Category Code)** is not in an ESA-approved category
- Even if the service is educational, ESA funds will not go through unless the MCC matches categories like:
- “Education”
- “Books”
- “Tutoring”

🔧 **Tip:** Ask the vendor:
> “Is your PayPal account set up under an educational business category?”

📩 If not, ask them to send an **invoice or receipt**. You can then submit it for **manual reimbursement through ClassWallet**.

📝 *If the account’s MCC isn’t education-related, your ESA debit card payment may be declined automatically.* 

🏫 ClassWallet ESA Debit Card – Why It Declines

The ESA card is limited to approved educational expenses only. Transactions will be declined if:

• The merchant’s MCC code doesn’t match ESA-approved categories

• You’re attempting to pay through unsupported platforms or business accounts

💡 Tip: If a valid educational purchase is declined, save the receipt and request a manual reimbursement through ClassWallet

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📞 Need More Help? Contact Support

🟦 Venmo Support

• 🔗 Venmo Help Center

• 💬 In-app Chat: Tap Me → ☰ Menu → “Get Help”

• ☎️ Phone: 855‑812‑4430

  • Hours: Mon–Fri, 8 AM – 8 PM CT

💲 PayPal Support

• 🔗 PayPal Help Center

• 💬 Live Chat: Log in → Help → Contact Us → Message Us

• ☎️ Phone: 888‑221‑1161

  • Hours: Mon–Fri, 6 AM – 6 PM PT