MasterCard Gift Cards - Refunds No Way

Billytf

I have just discovered that it is impossible to get a proper refund on goods that have paid for on-line if you have paid for them using a pre-paid MasterCard gift card.
I bought and paid for a kettle from Amazon using such gift card. Within the 12 month guarantee the kettle failed and it was duly returned to Amazon. Then because they couldn't replace the kettle like for like they issued a refund to the original MOP.
Sadly this was no help as I no longer had the gift card nor any record of it.
The upshot is that I am stuffed as Amazon say the refund has been accepted by the card issuing bank and it can't be reversed and because of this they will not issue a credit note despite lengthy protestations.
Has anyone else had this problem and had it sorted?

dalesrider

Billytf wrote: »

Has anyone else had this problem and had it sorted?

Contact who provided the card and get them to issue you with one to cover the refund.

Billytf

Dalesrider
It's not that simple. If I don't have the gift card or any record of it I can't contact the provider. The gift card was bought in March 2012 and used one month later. Amazon gave me a 23 digit reference number and the last 4 digits of the card number but because of card issuer security they can't identify the card provider or the full card number.
The lesson is not to use this type of gift card online on something that could possibly need to be refunded!

dalesrider

Can you post the 1st 6 digits ?

Other than that. If you have the full number contact mastercard direct.
They will be able to provide you with who the provider is.

Billytf

dalesrider wrote: »

Can you post the 1st 6 digits ?

Other than that. If you have the full number contact (link removed at the request of MSE)
They will be able to provide you with who the provider is.

As I mentioned previously that is the problem. I don't have the card and I don't have a record of the number. All i have are the last 4 digits.
I have been on to MasterCard Gift Card to see if they could help but that was no use either.
The key issue here is that Amazon flatly refuse to use common sense and issue a credit note or indeed give me one of their Gift Cards!
The original gift card was destroyed after using it to pay for the kettle and therefore it cannot be used again.

Hominu

Billytf wrote: »

The lesson is not to use this type of gift card online on something that could possibly need to be refunded!

Not really, the lesson is to keep the card for as long as necessary, or if that is not possible, to keep details of the card (card number, expiry dates, issuer, contact details, etc).

Billytf wrote: »

The key issue here is that Amazon flatly refuse to use common sense and issue a credit note or indeed give me one of their Gift Cards!

Understandably. You have made a purchase with a mastercard, this carries a fee for the merchant, for them to reclaim this fee they must refund the original transaction. If this transaction fails then they could refund you via a credit note, but in this case the transaction succeeded, so the refund was completed and amazon no longer have you money.

Complaining to Amazon now is pointless. Amazon don't have your money, the card issuer does. You need to contact them.

Billytf

Hominu
Thanks for your answer. It's OK being wise after the event but how many people keep a record of gift cards they have received. I will in future.

Gromitt

Last time I made a purchase from Amazon, they kept my card details on file to make further purchases easier.

Even though your card was only a gift card, to Amazon its a credit card, and it may have been stored for future use.

If it has, you'll still only see the last 4 digits of the card, but maybe you'll be able to purchase something else. The card is obviously still active, else the refund would have failed.

Billytf

Excellent answer Gromitt! It does show as a MOP and is valid until August this year. I will try it out.

williham

Just make sure you select an address already on amazons system or it will ask you to put the numbers in again.