News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BBB – Rockford Regional Office
Rockford, IL 61101
815.963.2226
815.323.8419 (cell)
815.963.0329 (fax)
www.bbb.org
Contact: Dennis Horton
BBB - Rockford Regional Office
[email protected]
BBB Warning: The Naughty and Nice About Gift Card Buying
CHICAGO – December 20, 2016 – It’s crunch time for Christmas shoppers and that can mean two things
panic or purchase gift cards. A National Retail Federation survey says that well over 60 percent of
consumers would prefer to get a gift card this Christmas. The survey also says that shoppers will spend
nearly 28 billion dollars buying them.
The cards most likely to be purchased by consumers, restaurant cards, department and specialty store
cards, as well as generic cards that can be used anywhere – such as those issued by Visa or
MasterCard.
“At one time giving gift cards seemed as thoughtless as giving cash,” says Dennis Horton, director of the
Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau. “But today, from the giver and the recipient’s
point of view, they are quick, convenient, and preferred. Plus, they are generally safe if precautions are
taken,”
Before you purchase a gift card, Better Business Bureau advises consumers:
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Research before buying. The best place to purchase a gift card is directly from the retailer,
whether in-store or online. Consumers can also research businesses at bbb.org to see a
company’s BBB Business Profile, which includes its history of complaints and customer reviews.
BBB recommends avoiding discount and online auction sites, as gift cards there may be
counterfeit or stolen.
Read the fine print. Fully understand how the card works. Find out if there are any fees
associated with buying or using the card and if any fees will be deducted from the card after it is
purchased.
Inspect the card before buying. Verify that protective stickers have not been removed and that
the PIN Number on the back of the card is not exposed. Report any damaged cards to the store
selling the cards.
Provide a gift receipt with the gift card. Give the recipient of the gift card a gift receipt (or
original if a gift receipt isn’t an option) in case the card is lost, stolen or there is a discrepancy with
the balance.
Beware when purchasing cards online. Used, counterfeit and fraudulent gift cards are being
sold on auction websites. Fraudulent sellers often overstate the value of real gift cards they are
selling on auction websites, so buyers don’t get what they think they are paying for.
If you receive a gift card this holiday season:
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Know the terms. When you get the card, read the card for any conditions. Check for an expiration
date or fees.
Check the date. If it appears that the value of your card has expired, or that fees have been
deducted, contact the company that issued the card. They may still honor the card or reverse the
fees.
Obtain proof of purchase. Ask the person giving you the card for the original purchase receipt, or
the card’s ID number and keep this information in a safe place.
Use before you lose. Use your card as soon as you can. It’s not unusual to misplace gift cards or
forget you have them. Using them early will help you get the full value.
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Treat your card like cash. If your card is lost or stolen, report it to the issuer immediately. You
may not recover any of the value that was on the card. Some issuers will not replace cards that
are lost or stolen, but other issuers may, for a fee. You may need to show proof of purchase and
the ID number on the card. Most issuers have toll-free telephone numbers you can call to report a
lost or stolen card.
If you have a problems or complaint:
If you have a problem with a gift card, contact the company that issued the card. If you can't resolve the
problem at that level, you may want to file a complaint with the appropriate organizations or authorities:
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File a complaint with the Better Business Bureau at http://ask.bbb.org/
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For cards issued by retailers, contact the Federal Trade Commission or call toll-free: 1-877-FTCHELP. Or you may file a complaint with your state Attorney General (for a list of state offices, visit
naag.org).
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For cards issued by national banks, contact the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Customer
Assistance Group by calling 800-613-6743 or sending an e-mail to:
[email protected]. The OCC charters, regulates, and supervises national
banks.
For more important consumer information and to find trustworthy businesses AT NO COST and visit
http://ask.bbb.org/, also like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and add us on Pinterest.
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ABOUT BBB: For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau has been helping people find
businesses, brands and charities they can trust. In 2015, people turned to BBB more than 172 million
times for BBB Business Reviews on more than 5.3 million businesses and Charity Reports on 11,000
charities, all available for free at bbb.org. The Council of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella
organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as home
to its national programs on dispute resolution, advertising review, and industry self-regulation.