I have copied Erics (another victim) experience because it is the same as mine (almost to a tee) except (I chose Discover Card) and now they have indicated that my gift card has expired after leading me on for months with one excuse after another (ex. We ran out of cards but you will get yours when the next batch comes in, etc.) The contact person's name is "Tang" (if it is real). I have been waiting for this process to complete since I started it on 5/15 - it is now 11/29 and they are saying that my card offer has now expired. Of course I will pulling my business from Discover Card who has to know this is going on (if not should be filing criminal complaint as I will be against both yourgiftchards and Discover Card and pointing them all to this site - just incase they don't get it.) It might be worth while to point out that even though you only work for a company and that company asks you to do things that are fraudulent that you cannot hide behind that (- corporate veil - has been broken many years ago) and those individuals can be held as liable as the company will be. (Enough of my anger -please read Eric's experience below for it is the same as mine and I am sure many others.)
Erics Story (just like mine):
After dealing with this online marketing company, I am convinced that they are as shady as can be (absolute RIP-OFF!).
I am calling for a class action suit - potentially against yourgiftcards and sponsors like Discover Card.
Their entire premise for making money is obviously based on the strategy that by making it EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, TIME-CONSUMING, and FRUSTRATING for the consumer to get the free gift card, most will eventually give up. YourGiftCard.com must be operating on a razor thin profit margin because clearly, they stand to lose money every time they have to fulfill on one of those restaurant gift cards!
I began dealing with this shady enterprise about 6 months ago, when I decided to click on their ad for a free $50 Applebies certificate. I had already planned to subscribe to Netflix, so I figured - what the heck - might as well get a freebie out of it. Little did I know that six months later, I would still not have the gift card.
What should have immediately tipped me off is the absurdly long and pointless series of steps you must complete to get the card. Basically, after "signing up" with a merchant, you have to register with YourGiftCards.com. Then, you have to wait on an email confirmation (mine of course didn't come; I had to contact them repeatedly). Next, you have to click on some link in the email and "verify" your status. Then, you have to wait about a month for them to verify that you really did join Netflix or whatever, and they have to confirm your credit card. Then, you wait and wait for your account status to say that you are verified and can therefore request an award certificate. Next, you get to click on a link and print the award certificate. Then, you must mail the award certificate to their post office box in Mountain View, California. And, assuming they get it and process it, you are to allow "six to eight weeks" for processing!
Now, why should this process take months and involve so many steps? Isn't it obvious that it's designed to discourage and frustrate you so you'll go away?
Well, I'm at the six month mark... Still nothing. I've had to send numerous emails to these folks at each step of the process before getting a reply. Now, it's been 2 months since I sent in my "certificate" - but still NOTHING. I'm going to give it another couple of weeks before I begin sending complaints to every consumer agency I can think of. These people need to be put out of business.
Eric
Atlanta, Georgia
U.S.A.
Chuck
Michigan
We have to teach these types of outfits a lesson and their sponsors as well - this can be done with a class action law suit (if possible) and/or filing as many complaints with the Attorney General for CA (where yourgiftcards.com operates from as well as against their sponsors - oops! Getting mad again - we need justice!)
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