Visa gift card is it a scam?

jemb

My mother in law and her partner got us some gift cards from the coop for £25 each that stated they could be used everywhere in the uk that accepted visa. So off we toddled to boundary mill, wouldn't accept. Ok, poss just there? Off we went to Asda, no joy, same in sainsburys. We called in coop on way home they said they'd ever seen that sort (different coop, we live in West Yorkshire, oh's mum is in notts). The woman we spoke to tried every which way she could to see if their system would accept, no joy. When calling it says the amount as a balance as want te card states. Has anyone else dealt with these visa pre paid gift cards? The phone lines are only open week days so can't call until tomorrow. Just a bt frustrating as mil has spent £50 on them.

skateykatey

Not a scam but a real pain in the neck! The OH got one of those via a cashback deal on a camera he had bought.

In the end I used it online at Amazon as couldn't find any high street retailer who could get their tills to accept them.

There isn't a chip and pin so they only work by swiping them; Argos tried all sorts of ways to get it accepted but we admitted defeat and paid cash in the end.

Ladyshopper

I bought one in tesco, but when I tried to use it in there they couldn't figure out how to get the tills to take it!

Used it in New Look with no problem, asda had a few problems but eventually managed to get it to go through.

Seem more hassle than they're worth, I wouldn't bother again.

sarahevie

I work at an Asda on 'front end' training, and we have been briefed not to accept them.

There's probably a way to get them to accept, with Asda tills there always seems to be a way to get anything accepted, but I don't think we are 'supposed' to take them so it doesn't surprise me that people are struggling with them.

rileydog

I've seen similar in Morrisons at the checkouts along with the Next gift cards etc - the face value was £25 but they cost £27.95 to purchase.

It seems the lack of chip may be half the problem in getting them accepted? I know with Argos the old Argos cards had no chip so a sales assistant told me to put the card in and out three times at the self service tills and when no chip was recognised it would then accept it being swiped. If you have an amenable cashier at the place you're trying to do this you could ask them to try it, alternatively try using it online as the lack of chip shouldn't cause an issue.

jemb

Thanks guys, it just seems such a farse! Glad it's not just us that have had problems though! OH is ringing them today, I work in advertising and quoting that "The card is accepted everywhere that displays a visa sign" is obviously not true, so the asa would have a field day. Hopefully we can just get the cash off them that way.

busiscoming2

I was thinking about purchasing some of these as Christmas presents as I thought they would be safer than the traditional store gift cards. I was put off by the fee they charged.
I am so glad I didn't now. Thank you OP and others for reporting how rubbish these are.

sweetilemon

Tesco should take them as they sell them. I saw them, thought they looked great but a quick search on here showed otherwise. People saying the could not use them for part purchase and being charged for balance transfers and monthly charges after 2 months. Great idea in theory but seems it doesn't live up to expectations!

nearlyrich

We are waiting for one from a cashback offer my DH will be unhappy if he can't spend it, we will probably complain to the company offering the cashback to be honest..

jemb

Nope, Tesco dont take them by us either! Still trying to get hold of them as they werent answering Mon and yesterday was obviously a bank hol.