MetaBank
A $30 Gas Purchase Held a Gift Card's Entire Balance
- 06-02-2011
- 100
I concur with the post below from another poster and wanted to follow up with a comment of my own...
"If you do not read the little pamphlet that is inserted with your Visa gift card, you may be in for a big surprise. Gift cards are not to be used at gas stations. But what they do not tell you is that if you do, they will hold your money for 2 weeks. And when I say hold your money, I mean your entire open balance that is on your card (which could be the entire amount!), even though the gas station was unable to process your sale. First they told me 3 to 5 days. Then it changed to 10 days, but in actuality it has been 2 weeks. I will never purchase a non-reloadable Visa gift card that is processed by U.S. Bank ever again, and I will warn all of my friends and anyone else out there who is interested not to as well!"
1. This happened to me as well. My card was not a reloadable card but a fixed amount card. I found that all the Visa cards issued by MetaBank, US Bank, etc. have this stipulation.
2. After contacting CS, I was informed the term was listed in a little white paper that was included on the package the card was attached to when purchased. However, the clerk at the store who activated my card had to remove the card from the pack, which basically destroyed the card. So, she threw it away!
3. There are terms on the back of the card... But not this one!
4. My online gift card accounting of transactions does show my entire balance of approx $100 as being withheld. By the way, my actual transaction was at a gas station for $30. The CS person told me that they withhold $50. When asked why the entire balance was withheld, she had no answer other than that I would get it back in 3 days!
In conclusion, by using my Visa gift card for a $30 gas purchase, my entire balance has been taken from me until this Visa service decides to return it! Unfair practices? A clear case of Visa taking advantage of consumers? I think so!
Company: MetaBank
Country: USA
State: California
City: Pleasanton
Phone: 8885241283
Site: giftcardmall.com