OMG, I am so in shock. Last March my hubby's company gave him 3 $25 visa gift cards from allaccessgift.com. Well, we took them on our trip to Disneyland in May only to discover that you have to know your exact balance in order to use the remaining amount on the card. So for instance. One of our cards had 3.95 left on it and the other one had 4.17 left. When I tried to use the remaining balance at a store the card declined because the merchant had to know the exact amount to that was left on the card to put in. Since I didn't know this I had to hold onto the cards until I got home. I called the 1800 number only to find out at the end of hearing my balance that I would be charged .50 cents for calling. So I decided to log in for the other card to find the balance.
Well, I hadn't really had an opportunity to use the cards for such a small amount. So today I am cleaning the computer room and decide to go check my balance. Do you know what it is? A big fat ZERO on both cards. Do you know why? Apparently, 6 months after the card is issued if you don't redeem the full amount you start getting charged a maintenance fee of $4.95 a month. Can you believe that? A maintenance fee, for what? So basically if someone has the card in the wallet and forgets about it a $25 gift card would be to zero balance by 11 months after the card was initiated. Crazy huh? How much money a year do you think these guys are raking in? They already charge the person buying the card a $3.95 fee for putting the initial money on it.
I strongly suggest you not use this company for your visa gift cards and if you do decide to buy a gift card, read their entire fees policy. I heard on the radio this morning that retail companies are making 8 billion a year in unclaimed gift cards. Crazy huh! Maybe it's time to just go back to the old fashion way of buying a present.
28 comments:
What a rip off! That's completely insane. I have never heard of such a thing! I knew there was a fee when you buy the visa card but a maintenance fee? That's ridiculous. How disappointing for you too.
How ironic that I, too, was a victim of this incredible financial scam that makes you understand the blatancy of their total disrespect for the American public and how it succeeds to criminally affect our lives, the latest prime mortgage debacle being a symbol of that ailment. By now attorney general in all states should be alert and demanding that this practice, another illegal practice, must be cease and the institutions forced by Congress to answer for this calous, degrading exploitation of the public.
Yes, as someone familiar with the financial industry, I know that millions are made by these fees, not to mention millions, billions even, from people who never cash, or only partially cash their cards, the remainder staying with the card issuers.
The shameless assessment of fees after six months of inactivity may be illegal and flies in the face of all banking practices. But then, maybe not, judging of the repeated bailouts of the savings and loan industry and now the billions, no make that trilions, that will be needed to save the banking industry in general, because it chose to allow mortgages be written for people unable to pay modest rent, much less mortgages for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
AMY-
HOW LONG WILL THE AMERICAN PUBLIC CONTINUE PUTTING UP WITH THIS TYPE OF CORPORATE GREED AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR CITIZENS?? AMERICA HAS TO WAKE UP AND FINALLY SAY "WE'RE AS MAD AS HELL, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE" !! let's stop being the fools they think we are.
I received a $50 allaccess gift card. I just tried to use it at Sears for a $44 purchase. It did not work. After reading the above comments, I know why. Because of the $4.95 service charge. I will spread the word on this card!!
so you think you had problem listen to this my gift card had never been used by me and it was in my possessing from Christmas today i check the balance guess what zero it had been used by someone other than myself.
Not that I think what happened was fair, however why didn't you call the 800# or access your card balance online from Disneyland?
I had a problem with a different pre-paid VISA card. A friend of mine, from out of state, sent me pre-paid VISA card for Christmas. He failed to save the cardboard outer card with the company's address on it, so I was not able to use it to purchase stuff online. I went online and called their 800# to get the address and they refused to give it to me. Apparently it is a security measure they use to prevent fraud!
We just learned the bad news about ALL ACCESS GIFT cards, too. After trying to use a card my daughter was given last May (access denied) we went online to learn the $25 card has diminished to $10.15 because of maintenance fees of $4.95 per. I believe this is illegal. Perhaps someone will get angry enough to do something about this company.
Oh, by the way,they're "too busy" to take phone calls and direct you to their website.
I also had the same thing happen to me with the so called maintenance fee.
If you look at their policy they do not even mention this fee. They mention a $2.95 fee. NEVER buy this crap, they will rip you off.
I just experienced what everyone has written about---at Sears I wanted to apply the amount of my Visa gift card toward the purchase of a new clothes dryer. My card kept being declined. I called the 800 number to find my balance was $10 less than face value of card. I was advised by store clerk not to buy anymore of these cards for all the previous reasons stated, and I will definitely tell my friends not to buy any either.
I just bought one for a $100 but if I had known that I would have thought twice about it. Thanks for the warning and wish me luck with this $100 card. BOB
This definitely is a rip off, my son has had his cards since last xmas & to even try to make a purchase with it has been a headache in itself. First of all the stupid card wouldn't even work from just the swipe alone, according to the so called customer service lady the numbers may need to be put in manually in order 4 a purchase to be made "TIME CONSUMING".The company has also failed to mention the $4.95 6mos service fee for none use. I wouldnt recommend these services to a blind person even they would be able to see that this is a rip off.
Not trying to minimize your concerns about being ripped off, but I bought a $100 gift card when my stimulus check came in. I read carefully FIRST the small print on the back of the package, and yes, it does say that after 6 months they charge a $4.95 maintenance fee and it also says that in order to purchase online, you must register the card online. Perhaps had ppl taken the time to read the fine print, they would not feel so violated. I have used mine and have had NO problem whatsoever (knock wood). In this day and age things aren't as simple as they used to be when companies sent you a credit card in the mail, ready to use and didn't charge fees for non-use for a period of time. I am on a limited income myself, so I never have the option of a card sitting around with money on it LOL. If you can afford to do that, why not get a normal credit card and avoid all the hassle that everyone is complaining about??
We were actually given the visa cards by my husbands company as a reward for his hard work. We tucked them away in our vacation envelope because that is part of my savings strategies for our vacations. I had never had experience with visa giftcards before so I didn't know they would be any different than any other giftcard you get from Old Navy, Home Depot, etc. So for me it was a learning lesson and to this day I will not buy from this company as a giftcard to someone else. I would rather buy them a giftcard to an actual store where they won't be charged any maintenance fees, etc.
LOL, I thought I was the only one.
I too was outraged by their "maintenance fees" I mean like, what are they maintaining? All the money their stealing from us? Actually I was more then outraged, I was really pissed off!
THOSE BASTARDS!!!!!!! The cost of the card should have been suffioient, plus the change left over on almost ever single card that is bought. PLEASE,
DON'T GET ME GOING ON THIS B.S.! LOL!......NOT!!!!!!!!!
Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the 3 or 4 times where I bought a $100 gift card only to find when I got home a $50 gift card inside. I was given another card finally after waiting all weekend to speak with a customer service representative and luckily I still had the receipt and packaging
How funny! I tried to use my $25 card today and now I know why there was no balance. But if there is a monthly charge, why bother printing an expiration date!!! I never thought there would be fees since it had an expiration date...even better yet, the only places that sell this card in my area are 7-11s and places in not so great areas...talk about taking advantage of people!
I was given a $100 gift card from my work as well. I stashed it away so my wife and I could treat ourselves to a nice dinner. Well the time came to take my sister-in-law out for her birthday. We decided to take her and her husband to a nice restaurant knowing that we had a 'free' $100 gift card to put towards the bill. When it was time to pay the bill the waiter came back and said that the card would not go through. I told him that I had never used it and I had only had for about 4 months. He tried 2 or 3 times and even tried calling this company himself with no luck as they had closed for the day.
The next day I called these idiots and they told me that if the card is not used within three months they put a stop on the card.
They re-activated the card for me at that time, which was about 3 months ago. We, again, are planning to go to a nice dinner and since we were screwed last time we tried this I just went online to make sure it was still active. Low and behold my $100 gift card is now worth $49 because of these BS fees.
Apparently my work had purchased a few of these cards months before to give as gifts to clients as well as birthday gifts for employees.
All in all it is a total F'n scam .
Needless to say I will NEVER buy these cards to give as gifts.
I KNOW I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE .50 CHARGE TO GET THE BALANCE.THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO PUT THAT ON THESE CARDS.HAD IT WITH VISA,IAM CANCELLING ALL MY VISA CHARGE CARDS, THIS IS BS.
I got a $100 allaccessgift card and used $20 on it and the very next merchant said it was declined for a $14 purchase. I called the toll free number and the nice computer voice told me it was not a valid card number! Hmmm... they just got to me for $80 !!!!
RIP OFF-RIP OFF-RIP OFF
WISH I WOULD HAVE READ THIS BEFORE PURCHASING MY $50 CARD. NEVER DID GET TO USE THE ENTIRE $50 DUE TO THE MAINTENANCE FEES. WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER.
Got me too for a $100 card given as a gift Xmas 2006 with a validity shown on front as 05/09 Thought I'd better use it before it expired. Guess what They had niggled away at it till the whole $100 was used up with monthly fees and many fifty cents per month. $100 for absolutely nothing. And they had the nerve to charge the buyer a fee as well. Next step my congressman and state Attorney General.
I just stumbled on to three $50 gift cards I forgot I had bought for xmas 2006. I tried checking the balances at www.allaccessgift.com but the sites is no longer there. I tried the 800-699-9708 number there was no answer not even a ring or busy signal. I ended up sending a complaint to the Better Business Bureau out of frustration. Someone has go after these kinds of low-life, con artists.
I too am out of $25.00. This company is a rip off, thieves, a disgrace to the economy and deserve to be put out of business. I and all the other people they screwed over need to write to the attorney generals office and the better business bureau. I told the guy he ripped off a little girl of money and he said oh well.
I just learned of this a moment ago. My husband and I were checking cards to use for repairs needed in our home. The card was older, has 2 months left before expiration, and we were unable to check the balance. Long story short, they closed the account due to maintenace fees not receieved (unknown to us) and we lost the value, as well as the kind people who gave us the card as a gift. Who do we call and argue? I am angry like the rest of you.
I too have received these cards as gifts. I lost $30.00 last year on one card and recently received another for a gift. I tried to use it immediately, and it was still DECLINED!!!! I went on line to discover that it needs to be put through as a credit and not a debit card, even though it says debit. I knew about the fees from the last card but I do think something needs to be done about the amount of money be taken from unsuspecting individuals. I know the people that bought these would never have if they knew that they are rip-offs. I use it again, we'll see what happens.....
YES MY FRIEND BOUGHT ME THIS SAME CARD BEFORE XMAS I NEVER USED IT TILL YESTERDAY 02-12-2009 WELL GUESS WHAT A 50$ CARD READ ZERO WHAT I CALLED THE COMPANY THEY SAID SORRY I SAID SORRY I'M OUT OF 50$ YOUR SORRY I NEED YOUR MANAGER OK I NGOT HER SHE GAVE ME 20$ BACK ON THE CARD THATS THE BEST SHE SAID SHE COULD DO I WONT LET IT REST BETCHA BELINDA SAID .
Where are the consumer reporters when we need them?! Sound the alarm; this is robbery!!
OMG - I just tried to use two of these BS cards one for $50 and one for $100. I received them for a birthday gift, misplaced them, found them again and decided to use them today. Well of course they both were declined and the clerk called the company to find out what the deal was because I had just opened them both right there in front of her, well they said sorry the $50.00 is expired and the $100.00 has 36.50 on it...oh make that 36.00 since you just inquired. I came home and checked online and they fee'd me...nothing like getting bent over and fee'd in the ass! So out of $150.00 I get 36.00 they get $128.90 (remember the 9.95 and 4.96 fees at purchase.)
Happy F'ning Birthday to me!Robbery plain and simple... Time to take torches and pitch forks and burn these bastards out!
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