Store Gift Card Zero Balance

[Pedas2]

What is the name of your state?Arizona

Are there any consumer protection laws if a consumer's gift card suddenly has a zero balance? I purchased a store gift card 6 months ago, never used it and now it has a zero balance. Inactivity fees are irrelevant in this situation.

 

[FlyingRon]

So what reason did he store give you for it not having a balance? How did you obtain this card?

 

[adjusterjack]

Pedas2,

There are plenty of consumer protection laws regarding gift cards. But none of them mean anything if there's a zero balance.

First you need to find out why there is a zero balance.

 

[Pedas2]

I purchased the card directly from the store. No reason was given for not having a zero balance.

 

[Pedas2]

Pedas2,

There are plenty of consumer protection laws regarding gift cards. But none of them mean anything if there's a zero balance.

First you need to find out why there is a zero balance.

Card was most likely used by someone else. How would I prove that did not use the card? Card was in my possession entire time.

 

[Zigner]

Card was most likely used by someone else. How would I prove that did not use the card? Card was in my possession entire time.

You're out of luck.

 

[adjusterjack]

I purchased the card directly from the store. No reason was given for not having a zero balance.

Did you ask? Did you push for an explanation? Did you push for a record of the purchases made with the card? Did you talk to somebody in authority or just to the counter clerk? Is this a one-off local store or a corporate chain? If the latter, escalate to the corporate HQ.

Meantime, study up on how it might have happened.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=gift+card+thefts&t=h_&ia=web

There might not be anything you can do about it.

 

[quincy]

Card was most likely used by someone else. How would I prove that did not use the card? Card was in my possession entire time.

Do you have the store receipt? It should show that dollars were added to a card (card number, amount, date of purchase).

A card that does not have the amount added at the cash register and paid for by the purchaser is worth nothing.

You first, then, need proof of purchase, showing the card had at one time a dollar value. That should be the easy part. You second, then, need to show that no one used the card. That can be darn near impossible.

You must either show that you paid for a card but the cashier didn’t properly add dollars to it, or you need to show someone else used your card and then identify that someone else and then sue that someone else to recover your loss.

 

[zddoodah]

I purchased a store gift card 6 months ago, never used it and now it has a zero balance.

Says who? Did you go to the store and try to use the card only to be told by the cashier that the card has a zero balance?

Card was most likely used by someone else.

Like who? If someone else gained access to and used your gift card, that's between you and that person and not a concern of the store.

How would I prove that did not use the card?

We have no way of knowing. Maybe you can't.

Card was in my possession entire time.

Not the "entire time," right? I mean you didn't take it into the shower with you, did you? In any event, if this is (mostly) true, why do you think the [c]ard was mot likely used by someone else"? If it was in your possession the "entire time," how could someone else have used it?

 

[Zigner]

If it was in your possession the "entire time," how could someone else have used it?

When one uses a card online, one doesn't need the actual card, rather, they only need the relevant numbers.

It sounds to me like someone else had the numbers. Unfortunately, the OP is not going to be able to prove this very easily, if at all.

 

[zddoodah]

When one uses a card online, one doesn't need the actual card, rather, they only need the relevant numbers.

It sounds to me like someone else had the numbers. Unfortunately, the OP is not going to be able to prove this very easily, if at all.

I'm aware. Hence the questions.

If I ask an OP, "what color is your car," it's not really helpful for someone else to say, "well, the car could be red, black or white."

 

[Zigner]

I'm aware. Hence the questions.

If I ask an OP, "what color is your car," it's not really helpful for someone else to say, "well, the car could be red, black or white."

Your question really made it sound like YOU had no idea how these things happen.

Knowing that you are aware of how these things can happen makes your question more akin to asking the victim of a vehicle theft if the thief used a slim jim or simply smashed the window. How would the vicitim know?

 

[quincy]

I'm aware. Hence the questions.

If I ask an OP, "what color is your car," it's not really helpful for someone else to say, "well, the car could be red, black or white."

I think the car could be red.

 

[adjusterjack]

asking the victim of a vehicle theft if the thief used a slim jim or simply smashed the window. How would the vicitim know?

Well, the victim would certainly know if he had a smashed window. Perhaps your question would have been better asked if you wrote "slim jim or key."

 

[quincy]

Well, the victim would certainly know if he had a smashed window. Perhaps your question would have been better asked if you wrote "slim jim or key."

The car has not been recovered perhaps.