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My $25 dollar gift card was worth only $20 when I tried to pay for breakfast this morning. I tried calling Vanilla Visa several times but call would be dropped whenever I tried to connect to a representative.

Where is the 5 dollars? More details: Bill total: $22.85. Date: 06/13/2014. Transaction Address: 1802 S.

Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054. Card #:4847 35** **71 1588 . expiration date: 03/22. Approval #: 137536.

Time: 10:55am. Table: 18/1. Someone is having a great laugh and living large by ripping people off!!!!

My son had pancakes, I had an omelette. Had to dig a little deeper into my pockets to tip our server.

Monetary Loss: $5.

Location: San Diego, California

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Guest

HI Vic,

We are sorry to hear about your experience using the card. Whenever you use this card at a service establishment (Restaurant, Hair/Nail salon, car rental or Hotel), the merchant will add a 20% charge in anticipation of a tip or an incidental charge (which could be more depending on the establishment).

However, only the amount you signed for will actually be deducted. This practice is conducted to ensure the balance is not overdrafted as it is a prepaid card.

We are sorry for the inconvenience.

If you have any other questions, you can contact us via Facebook at facebook.com/vanillacard, Twitter @VanillaCard, @VanillaCares, Google+ at VanillaGift, Instagram @VanillaGiftCard and Yahoo Answers at vanillacares@***.com.

Best,

Team Vanilla

Guest

I had the same problem. The deal is, and apparently this is in the fine print INSIDE the package so you don't know until AFTER you buy these ripoff cards, that at any restaurant, hair salon or hotel (that's what the Vanilla rep told me) a 20 percent hold is added to the card no matter what.

So the most the restaurant can run on a $25 card is $20. So yes, you better have the cash to make up the diff. Even at McDonald's, where they don't take tips. The 20 percent is not actually used, just held, preventing you from using the full $25.

The restaurant can run it for $20, you make up the difference, then you can use the remaining $5 elsewhere.

I was given this card or I never would have known, because I don't buy these kinds of cards at all. I'm always afraid something in the fine print will make it an unpleasant situation.

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