By definition a "gift card" should be just that.  A gift. If you noticed in the thumb nail it states "without compensation. Gift cards come with all types of obligations and string attached. Most gift cards "eat themselves up" after a certain period of time. This process is called a dormant account fee. Usually after a given number of months of inactivity (not buying) there is a fee assessed.

The amounts range from $1.50 per month up to in excess of 6.50 per month.

The reciepient can be charged an activation fee that will range from $5 and up.

There are cards that you have to pay a fee to get your balance, ranging from $3. to $9.95

There are cards that have an expiration date. If you don't use it in a given time frame the card and all the money in it expires. The holder of the card is left with a piece of plastic. No money.

Keep this in mind the next time you return an item and instead of getting back cash the retailer /company stiffs you with a gift card.

The gift card is a method that retailers use to get the public to act as a liasion for them. By giving someone a gift you have limited the options of where that individual can purchase merchandise. Not only is the reciepent limited in where they can shop, once a purchase is made, personal information is obtained and this information is sold to hundreds of other businesses.

There are millions of dollars in gift cards where the individual has a dollar or two left on it and cant spend it. If one calls for a balance there is a "phone charge" (sound like the "call me" scam") that will exceed what is left on the gift card.

A typical scam gift card is the Kitty Kitty gift card that is designed for little girls starting at 10 years old.  This is another example of how big business aids the criminals win the war with identity theft. How simple would it be for someone to get the information off of the encoded strip on the back of the card from a 10 year old. The information would not be that of the child but of the giver, Gram and Gramps or Ma and Pa.

CONTACT ;  CONSUMERS@BUYERSCAMS.COM