Do’s and Don’ts of Giving and Receiving Gift Cards

Dec. 21, 2010 - PRLog -- A gift card is the perfect present when you run out of ideas or are shopping for someone you don’t know.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), $23.6 billion was spent on gift cards during the 2009 holiday season with an average of $40 spent per card. The two most popular categories for gift cards were restaurants and department stores. It’s no wonder why gift cards are so popular: they are simple to use, offer the recipient endless choices and almost always are guaranteed to please.

There can however, be significant problems when consumers try to save money by purchasing “discount” gift cards from online auction sites.

According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), gift cards bought from such sites or classifieds often turn out to be fraudulent or stolen.

BBB offers the following do’s and don’ts for giving gift cards:

Don’t buy from online auction sites – only buy gift cards from reputable retailers. Gift cards sold at online auction sites are more likely to be counterfeit or obtained by fraudulent means. It’s even possible these cards may be worthless.

Do examine gift cards closely before purchasing them at stores. Do not buy cards that appear to have been tampered with. Criminals are able to get information off of cards for sale on public racks in stores and wipe out their balances without merchants’ knowledge.  It may be best to buy them from the customer service counter instead.

Do read the terms and conditions that are required to be clearly disclosed on the card’s packaging prior to purchasing. Understand there may be associated fees and expiration dates.

Do give the recipient the original receipt to verify the card’s purchase, in case it’s lost or stolen.

Do treat your card like cash. If it’s lost or stolen, immediately report it to the issuer.

Don’t wait to use your card. It’s not unusual to misplace gift cards or to forget you have them. Using the card early will ensure you get its full value, as some terms deplete the balance over certain time period.

IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI) the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance. (BJA)  For more information, visit http://www.ic3.gov.  Consumers can find more tips and reports on thousands of businesses at http://www.bbb.org.

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