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Updated by user Feb 12, 2016

about 30 days from the date I initially called the company that the gift card was not working, they sent me a replacement gift card. When I initially emailed them I asked for a refund of the $4.95 activation fee since I have since given the person the $50 since he could not use the card, so now I have a shiny new $50 gift card for my own personal use.

I called them to activate the replacement card and asked if the card was loaded with $54.95 or $50, they said $50. I asked where is my $4.95 refund for all the hassle I had to go through? After all I will end up using the card myself since I already gave the person who was going to use the card cash, they refused to give me the $4.95 back even after asking a supervisor. So now I sent a demand letter for a $4.95 refund, and if I don't get it, my next step will be to file a small claims suite, except this time, I am going to ask for $4.95 + another $3.50 for the return mail notification and by the time I fill out the small claim court paperwork and fees, I'm going to have spent around 2 hours of time in all of this mess.

I don't know what the court fees will be, but if it costs me $30 to file, then it will be $4.95 + 3.50 + $25 per hour x2 (for my time) + $30 = $88.45 + any other fees associated with this. I found plenty of proof online of other people this happened to, so I don't think I will have an issue with this in small claims court. I'll use a floating holiday to for my time at work. At this point it's become a battle for me, it's not about the money..

But it *** me off that companies treat their customers like *** instead of doing the right thing. I was not asking for much to get the $4.95 fee refunded.

Updated by user Jan 26, 2016

I call back a few days later for an update and it looks like the cause of this whole problem is that when these gift cards were inserted into their cardboard packages, they were mislabeled. They put a $25 gift card into a package labeled $25-$500.

When I activated it for $50 it sent red flags because someone is trying to spend $50 on a card that is not worth more than $50. My question is this. When they activate a card at the register, they peel back the cardboard so that you can see the card number. Why does the activation work?

It should know that this card is only worth $25 max and should not allow you to activate it for $50. If that simple check is done, it would have saved me and my friend that I gave the card all this grief and aggravation! So the latest is that they are going to mail me (my snail mail of course!) a replacement card.. So it's now been 15 days and I'm still waiting for the replacement card.

When something like this happens and the company is in the wrong, why not ship a card with 2 day shipping (UPS or FedEx), why send it standard mail and force a custiomer that paid a $4.95 Convenience fee to wait EVEN LONGER! NEVER BUY A VANILLA VISA GIFT CARD!

Original review posted by user Jan 11, 2016

I gave one of these Vanilla Gift cards to a friend for a Christmas present. Purchased at Walmart, the receipt shows activated, but when my friend went to use it, the card could not be used because it was not activated.

I called the company, they wanted to know the store I purchased it at, and all kinds of information from the receipt (glad I kept it!) Then they asked me to email them a copy of MY DRIVER'S LICENSE and a COPY OF THE RECEIPT! WHY??? So I give in and send them that by email attachments. I then get another email saying that they need a copy of the FRONT OF THE VISA VANILLA card.

I have my friend take a picture and send it to me.. I then email them that. Today I get another email saying that they need a copy of a bill showing my address? WTF?

You have got to be kidding me? Let's see what happens next!

Reason of review: Won't activate card.

Monetary Loss: $55.

Preferred solution: Deliver product or service ordered.

Vanilla Visa Cons: Excess information requirements, Disgusted, Not being able to use a gift card.

Location: Irvine, California

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Ichael Jgj

You are right, A $25 vanilla visa giftcard will NOT activate @ the register for any other amount. Same goes to any of the gc's with specific denominations.

What had happened is that someone took the barcode off of one vanillavisa hanging on the shelf, placed it onto the package containing the card u tried to buy, then pocketed it.

When the cashier scanned your gc, it actually activated the other gc for $50, and not yours.

Always check the bottom of the reciept b4 leaving the store.

It will show a portion of the 16 digit card# that was activated. MAKE SURE IT MATCHES THE CARD CONTAINED IN YOUR PKG!

Sorry to say, the card with your $50 on it has already been used, and is not replaceable.

Wendelyn Fcf
reply icon Replying to comment of Ichael Jgj

I understand what you are saying, however that's not what happened here. I still have the packaging and the old gift card, and the barcode on the package is not a sticker, it's pre-printed on the packaging.

What happened here is the factory that made these gift cards stuck a card that is only worth a maximum of $25 inside of a package for a card that is worth $25 -$500. The card I have says $25 on it, the new card they mailed me, does NOT have a value on it since it's worth anywhere from $25 to $500. The reference # on the activation receipt is the barcode of the correct packaging, but since the gift card INSIDE the sealed package is only worth $25 Max, it caused red flags to be raised and caused me all this headache. If you google Vanilla Visa not activated, you will find a bunch of people having this problem from cards purchased at Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, etc.

Whoever manufactured these cards screwed up and we now have to deal with the aftermath. I emailed Walmart about this issue that they should pull these gift cards off the shelf to save their customers grief, but Walmart never pulled them or even responded.

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