Stolen GiftCard

Mimi86
Mimi86 Posts: 34 Forumite
First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
in Consumer rights
I purchased a gift card for argos via groupon in July but when i tried to use it in September it would not go through - kept saying nothing on the card. I contacted groupon who said nothing wrong with it so then contacted argos. They told the card had been used in milton keynes in august (not by me as never been there) and they would look into it. I waited to hear back but then did not hear anything so contacted them again but this time was informed by customer service that once sold they don't do anything. However someone has essentially stolen my card and used it. It's not a large amount of money but quite irritating. Is there anything else I can do to take further?

Thanks in adcance

Comments

  • powerful_Rogue
    powerful_Rogue Posts: 7,509 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Mimi86 wrote: »
    I purchased a gift card for argos via groupon in July but when i tried to use it in September it would not go through - kept saying nothing on the card. I contacted groupon who said nothing wrong with it so then contacted argos. They told the card had been used in milton keynes in august (not by me as never been there) and they would look into it. I waited to hear back but then did not hear anything so contacted them again but this time was informed by customer service that once sold they don't do anything. However someone has essentially stolen my card and used it. It's not a large amount of money but quite irritating. Is there anything else I can do to take further?

    Thanks in adcance


    Afraid not. Could report it to Action Fraud, however this won't help you get the balance back.
  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,965 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    I don't think there's anything more you can do now you've reported it. It's your word against theirs that you (or someone known to you) didn't spend it in Milton Keynes in August and they're not going to go to the trouble of investigating that even if they had the means to do so, which I suspect they don't.

    Easy to say in hindsight but I avoid gift cards and vouchers at the best of times, let alone buying them from a third party. It just introduces two unnecessary steps into what would have been a simple transaction with cash or a card. I assume that for retailers, the gift card model works precisely because there are always cards that go unspent or partially unspent so they're getting free money worth millions each year.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 16,405 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    I guess it depends whether:
    • They sold you an invalid gift card (e.g. because they mistakenly sold a gift card with the same number to somebody in Milton Keynes.)
    • They sold you a valid gift card - and you somehow passed the details to somebody else.


    Did you get a physical plastic giftcard - or was it just a qrcode or barcode or number?
  • Mr_Singleton
    Mr_Singleton Posts: 1,891 Forumite
    Argos would have known the exact time the card was used and judging by the huge number of CCTV cameras about it wouldn’t be hard to link the two and see who it was. I believe this has been done a number of times in the past.

    Basically they don’t give a ship.
  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,965 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper
    Mr_Singleton wrote: »
    Argos would have known the exact time the card was used and judging by the huge number of CCTV cameras about it wouldn’t be hard to link the two and see who it was. I believe this has been done a number of times in the past.

    Basically they don’t give a ship.
    I agree, they won't go to this trouble, CCTV from back in August may no longer be available and who's to say that even if they did tie it down to someone who's obviously not the OP, that that person isn't known to the OP or a recipient of the card from the OP?

    Even if they gave a damn, I can't see what they can do with the information other than give the OP the value of the card as goodwill.
  • Mortgage_Adviser
    Mortgage_Adviser Posts: 374 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    You can try to do a chargeback with your bank card provider, but then there is a risk Groupon may sue you.


    You may want to havea good read of a small print from Groupon regarding the contract you had with them and non delivery of the goods or faulty goods. Also if there are any exceptions regarding the gift cards.
  • Mimi86
    Mimi86 Posts: 34 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    eddddy wrote: »
    I guess it depends whether:
    • They sold you an invalid gift card (e.g. because they mistakenly sold a gift card with the same number to somebody in Milton Keynes.)
    • They sold you a valid gift card - and you somehow passed the details to somebody else.


    Did you get a physical plastic giftcard - or was it just a qrcode or barcode or number?

    It was an email gift card.

    I think it's just a reminder of use gift cards asap for me in the future!
  • DoaM
    DoaM Posts: 11,863 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    Or have people send you universal gift cards with no expiry ... AKA Cash! ;)
  • mug51
    mug51 Posts: 366 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    Did they say it was used in a store in Milton Keynes?
    Just speculating as MK is where Argos' head office is and the gift card could have possibly been used online, similar to how bank statements show the HQ of the store you bought from.
    So maybe you did use it online but forgot?
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.1K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.2K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 607.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173K Life & Family
  • 247.8K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards