[Repost from last year as a warning] Target Draining Some e-Gift Cards Purchased/Rolled During Recent 10% Promo

So this is next-level stuff.

Many, many Slickdeals members (start on page 61) are now noticing that their Target gift cards purchased during the recent 10%-off promo are showing a $0 balance.

My understanding is that this issue is only affecting those who did as follows:

1) Bought a Target e-gift online utilizing the recent promo, AND

2) Paid with an existing Target gift card (to accomplish this, they had to apparently add a filler item, else the system wouldn’t accept the order)

Update: One person had their in-store card drained too. Eventually, it seems people were able to get refunded by emailed repeatedly or filing BBB complaints.

The craziest part about the whole thing is that Target is NOT refunding the original gift card which was used as payment. To give them the benefit of the doubt, let’s assume Target will eventually get around to refunding the original payment method, but the reps are claiming they won’t be refunding. Utterly ridiculous. Let’s hope they cave and refund under pressure.

If you have an e-gift card with a balance, people are suggesting going into a Target store to wash the e-gift cards since the problem isn’t affecting physically purchased cards. Maybe throw in a couple physical items if you’re worried about the cashier getting nervous.

Are your cards drained?

Hat tip to reader CC

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

79 Comments
newest
oldest most voted

Simon
Simon (@guest_529596)
December 3, 2017 16:18

I bought a target e-giftcard earlier in the year from Staples and learned that it was drained same-day when I went to use it. Target tells me file a police report (like that’ll go anywhere) or contact Staples; Staples tells me contact Target or GiftCardMall (who fulfilled); GiftCardMall tells me contact Target or Staples. Target giftcards/system is not secure.

Frito Pendejo
Frito Pendejo (@guest_529474)
December 3, 2017 12:26

What was the big drive for using target gc to buy target gc? I get that you’d be saving 10% and getting the same gc value… but why would so many people already have target gcs int he first place? Is this an MS method?

anne
anne (@guest_529479)
December 3, 2017 12:32

A lot of people bought those gift cards at discounted prices. So if they use those GCs to buy the 10% discounted GCs today, they are basically “rolling” those GCs into further discounted GCs.

Frito Pendejo
Frito Pendejo (@guest_529491)
December 3, 2017 12:50

Thanks for explanation

Paul
Paul (@guest_529414)
December 3, 2017 10:58

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

jam
jam (@guest_529406)
December 3, 2017 10:44

I suffered fighting with target for over a year, about loading accidentally charging a deactivated redcard(this shouldn’t even be possible). It was only when I started certifying my letters to them that they finally responded. I spent days on the phone with them. It seems there management does not care much about there customers. Needless to say I short them every time the price is above 60.

Deal Squeezer
Deal Squeezer (@guest_529394)
December 3, 2017 10:04

Last year there was a post on a blog dedicated to laundering overseas money that advised how to buy a target gift card with target gift card for this promo. According to this blog, people bought thousands of dollars worth abusing the policy to not buy GCs with GCs as welll as the promo limit. This blog was linked to several illegal operations that had been on Target’s radar for months. That post’s instructions were to buy target card with a target card, and add a filler item. the 5 filler items were suggested. The slick deals post last year provided the EXACT filler items, so when Target reacted to the ring, the slick deals people were also impacted as their orders looked EXACTLY the same. They did give everyone who was cleared after an investigation their $270 back. Much of the GCs bought, were paid for with stolen GCs, so that is why they investigated everyone. You just had to contact them and ask a supervisor to submit a form. The same person named Kara replied to each and every case personally after she investigated. I know this, because I spoke with her briefly after she returned my funds to me. She was very helpful and nice. Not everything on Slick Deals is the truth.

kalf8483
kalf8483 (@guest_529412)
December 3, 2017 10:55

Not an excuse to blindly deactivate legitimate customers funds. They need to do more leg work and go after the people who actually used stolen GCs. They abused customers and will ultimately pay the price if they continue to provide such poor customer support and appreciation

kalf8483
kalf8483 (@guest_529369)
December 3, 2017 09:00

I was given a gift card last year as a gift from this deal only to find out a few weeks later the balance was drained. Target refused to refund me despite multiple phone calls. Eventually gave up. Target lost a customer for life for a measly $20

JT
JT (@guest_529235)
December 3, 2017 02:15

Why doesn’t CardPool let you list Target GCs on their online marketplace?

Sam
Sam (@guest_529227)
December 3, 2017 01:51

Target is such a crap company. Cares more about posturing for transgender bathroom policies than customer service. Never shopping there again

Matt
Matt (@guest_529236)
December 3, 2017 02:17

I don’t see how the transgender bathroom issue is at all related to their customer service policies. While there are many legitimate reasons relevant to this forum to call out Target (such as the gift card draining described in this post), their stance against transphobia is not one of them. Politicizing has always been discouraged on these boards, so please try to stay on topic.

Greg
Greg (@guest_529463)
December 3, 2017 12:17

I dont think allowing men into women’s restrooms does anything to mitigate transphobia, in fact, for a lot of people, it probably makes them more afraid.

Matt
Matt (@guest_529872)
December 4, 2017 04:20

Except they don’t allow men into women’s restrooms, they allow trans-women into women’s restrooms. If anything would make people uncomfortable, it would be forcing trans-men to use women’s restrooms. Again, I’m not sure how any of this discussion is relevant to these forums, but when misinformation is being spread about a widely misunderstood subject, I tend to take the time to correct it.

Sarah
Sarah (@guest_529570)
December 3, 2017 15:21

It’s not, hateful people just really like to project.

These are actual things I’ve heard:

Minor spat between siblings? Liberals are at fault.

Long line at the grocery store? Blame immigrants.

Laptop got stolen by unknown parties? It was black people. (though the word used was more offensive than “black people.”)

I’m sure there has been more but those are the ones that I can think of off the top of my head.

p
p (@guest_529224)
December 3, 2017 01:46

I’m going to use my Discover card, and I verified I’m enrolled in 5% back so hopefully no issues.

I was also able to enroll for Jan-March 2018 quarterly categories. Almost forgot about it.

Ender
Ender (@guest_529222)
December 3, 2017 01:44

So I guess the lesson learned was to use cc on this deal. You will definitely win the dispute on this one