Scams and Terrible Customer Service

[cardsfansince82]

This is a new one on me, so I thought I would put this out there just so everyone is aware of it. At first I wasn't too upset because it didn't cost me any money per se, but the more I think about it the more it pisses me off.

So I was given a gift card a few months back. It was still in the original packaging when I opened it the other day to go use it. It's for Macy's, and when I go to check out at the store they tell me it has a zero balance. It's one that didn't come from Macy's itself, but rather one from a third party that you see in kiosks at Target or the grocery store or whatever where you can buy cards for a bunch of different stores and restaurants. Macy's is able to tell me that the balance was spent somewhere in California which obviously was not done by me. And they say that since those cards are sold by a third party they are not responsible.

Basically my only recourse is to call the person that gave me the gift and hope they still have the receipt, and then go back to the actual store where they purchased it and then *maybe* I would be able to file a claim and get my money back. To me, that is total bull [expletive]. These are called gift cards. You have to know it is awkward as hell to have to call someone and ask them that, and also expect people to keep receipts from stuff like that. I don't even remember for sure who gave me the card and I doubt they have the receipt.

Even more maddening, the back of the card didn't even have one of those scratch off things or anything. It had a three digit security code, but it is just printed on the card right next to the regular numbers. You can already see half the numbers as it is through the back of the package and it's probably not too difficult to hold it at an angle to see the rest, or even open and reclose the package without showing any obvious signs of tampering. So if you are able to do that, you can just write down all of the numbers from all of the cards at the kiosk and wait a bit for the cards to be sold. Then I guess you just go online and start entering card numbers on Macy's website, or maybe know someone who works at the store to enter them there. I'm still not totally sure how this all works.

I think it is ridiculous that they would sell these cards with so little protection for the purchaser as well as so little recourse for the gift recipient. It makes no sense to me that you would produce something that already has everything the thief needs to know before the card is even purchased or activated. It didn't necessarily cost me anything, but the person who bought it for me definitely got screwed. Something to be aware of when you are buying gift cards in the future. I guess you should either buy them directly from the company where it is being spent, or make sure that there is some sort of additional step that has to take place after the card is purchased for it to be used. And keep any receipts. And I guess spend any cards you are given as fast as possible.

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Another problem is the visa gift card whose value erodes over time if you don't use it.