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Vanilla gift

1.3

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Vanilla gift Reviews Summary

The overall reputation of Vanilla gift cards is significantly tarnished by widespread customer dissatisfaction. Common concerns include persistent issues with card activation, frequent declines at various retailers, and ineffective customer service that fails to resolve problems promptly. Many customers report feeling scammed due to lost funds and inadequate support, with lengthy wait times for resolutions and replacement cards. While a few customers have had success using the cards at limited locations, the majority express frustration and caution against purchasing these cards, highlighting a trend of distrust and disappointment in the brand's reliability.

This summary is generated by AI, based on text from customer reviews

service
243
value
231
shipping
147
returns
175
quality
214

We monitor reviews for authenticity

California
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Tyesha H.
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I recieved 3 visa gift cards as a gift and none of them worked. I was told that they would be sending me 3 more within in 3-5 days by Fed ex. Its been about a mothn I still have not received it. All I get from customer service is we have to cancel and resend it. Meanwhile I never get a thing. They lie and say Fed ex is bringing then you call back and it says wait 7 to 10 days and then after 10 days. I am told they have to cancel and re send it. Then it takes another 7 to 10 days. They need to be out of buisness.

Date of experience: March 9, 2024
New York
1 review
0 helpful votes
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SCAM
March 3, 2024

Called to check card balance and they want to give me a free medical alert device. I say I am not interested and they do not stop talking about this device. It is a scam to get money from Medicare. I go online and their verification process will not work. Do not buy these cards.

Date of experience: March 3, 2024
Florida
1 review
0 helpful votes
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Works nowhere
March 3, 2024

Literally every place you try will get declined by using this card, both online and in person, do not buy or give to anybody be please

Date of experience: March 3, 2024
South Carolina
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Absolutely horrible company! DO NOT PURCHASE A GIFT CARD. Card declined at 5 merchants. Customer advice was to try a different merchant. I requested a dfferent card and was told would be delivered in 7-10 days. NOT! After pressing the issue was told a replacement would arrive by fed ex in 3-5 days however could not send me a tracking number or a confirmation e mail. Customer service claims was a "safety feature" however I called and had a pin established when I activated. Was told when my other card was received and if I encountered issues, to call customer service. Poor company. DO NOT Purchase>

Date of experience: March 2, 2024
Kentucky
1 review
0 helpful votes
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Complete rip-off--do not buy from here---no customer service--they make getting help impossible--hoping you will give up

Date of experience: February 27, 2024
Maryland
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Jacqueline B.
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These people are scammers. I brought a $500.00 card. As soon as i axtivated the card the money vanished. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A JOKE. THEY WILL NEVER SEND A REPLACEMENT CARD.

Date of experience: February 24, 2024
Georgia
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Damaged card
February 24, 2024

I gave this card as a Christmas gift. When he opened it, part of the card number could not be read. I contacted the company and sent them the evidence they requested. After they received it, they sent me a claim number for the "Track a Problem" link. I tracked the progress; it said it would be resolved by 2/13/2024. So I waited. On 2/24/2024, I returned to the site because I still had not received a resolution. It had changed to 6/18/2024. I will never buy another Vanilla Gift Card again.

Date of experience: February 24, 2024
California
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow David P.
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I've been dealing with this company for over 2 months trying to get the $150.00 my sister tried to send me for Christmas. They had the card locked for no reason, so I could not use it. After I receieved it 2 months after Christmas. I went online to activate it, it told me to call in. I waited on hold for an hour and a half. They "verified security" by asking me where I used the card on a specific date when it did not work. I verified all the other information the gentleman from India refused to accept any other possible verification. Then he insisted on sending me a new card. I new that was it. I was never going to see the money. And I was right. 5-7 business days later, here we are the card never and will never arrive. I tried to explain to my sister, she thinks I did it wrong. Its ridiculous. It should be illegal, but it just implies that it was some how the customers fault they never recieved the money. When the company never intended on the person recieving the money.

Date of experience: February 23, 2024
GB
1 review
2 helpful votes
Follow William F.
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We were given 2 Vanilla Gift Cards as a present. On trying to use the cards we found that they did not work in most shops and it was impossible to find out how much was left on the card. The terms and conditions applying to the cards would need an experienced lawyer to understand them. They also charge a maintenance fee on the cards. I would advise anyone thinking of purchasing these cards as a gift to think twice and stay well clear.

Date of experience: February 22, 2024
Indiana
1 review
3 helpful votes
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DO NOT PURCHASE
February 18, 2024

Got for Christmas...tried to use 3 different places...different amounts.no go...tried logging in web site.big joke kept saying system error. Called number on back of card.1st time got put on hold then dropped. Second time.guy wanted to much info.address birthdate email.I refuse to give it.got hung up on.after 40 minute wait.called back same thing...lady wanted to verify me with all my info...when I refused and said I wanted to check balance.didn't want to give my info.put on hold I finally hung up.

Date of experience: February 17, 2024
Michigan
1 review
2 helpful votes
Follow Matthew R.
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This is a SCAM!
February 17, 2024

SCAM! The card is accepted almost nowhere. When it is inevitably declined it locks up.

You are then left with trying to contact customer support which is an endless loop. DO NOT BUY.

A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED LAST MONTH AGAINST THESE SCAMMERS.

Date of experience: February 17, 2024
Arizona
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow L K.
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I purchased a $500 gift card for a Christmas present. After I activated it with the purchase, it had a zero balance shortly thereafter. Someone had the card and pin number and used it to make a $500 purchase at Target. It wasn't me. I filed a dispute and they rejected it and said the card was present. It was not.
They do not back there product and they could care less if you were ripped off. I'm out $500. They are horrible to work with and I will never use the Vanilla gift card again. I SUGGEST EVERYONE DO THE SAME!

Date of experience: February 14, 2024
Texas
1 review
4 helpful votes
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Scam
February 13, 2024

My wife and I received a gift card for Christmas sent by my aunt. When we opened the card up it was missing the last four numbers on the front of the card as well as no cvv code on the back. My wife called to get a replacement card and had to deal with a rude cs agent. So I called today to see where the replacement card was and was told that because there were 2 claims against the card, I needed to send the receipt along with the card and a copy of my drivers license to get the replacement. First problem being I am not sending a copy of my drivers license to anyone ( identity theft). Second my aunt is 78 and pays cash for everything and did not keep the receipt. So after going back and forth with the gentleman I spoke with, it was really clear that my wife and I will not see any of this money. I will tell everyone I know that this company is a scam and to stay away from them.

Date of experience: February 13, 2024
Kansas
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Cara s.
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We received a $200 gift card as a wedding gift. I called customer service and emailed them pictures of the card. Of course, it was a gift and there is no receipt. However, the representative on the phone told me that they could see that the card has $200 on it and has not yet been used. Our card does not work in store either so there is no way to bypass the lack of CVV code. This is so frustrating. I would stay far away from them. They told me to contact the store where it was purchased from for a receipt. However, this was a gift, that was sent to us via FedEx. We do not live near the store. This is absurd. I would stay away from these cards! Not attaching photos, because what's the point? I e-mailed them everything already and the rep on the phone said they could fix it for us even without the receipt given the situation. No, they refused to help.

Date of experience: February 12, 2024
Canada
1 review
0 helpful votes
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I purchased a 50 dollar card and soon as i went to use it upon purchasong it declined. I tried to reach customer service after speaking with over 10 agent 3 months later did not get the money back that i spent on the card and was given the run around.

Date of experience: February 10, 2024
California
1 review
4 helpful votes
Follow Bobby C.
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It has been over a month trying to get my gift card activated correctly sent all the required documents and was told that it would be fixed. 15 days later checked it was not fixed called again. They asked us submit the same information did it and got a confirmation email again from the website stating that my documents were submitted again on February 3 over a month later and they said they would prioritize my case was emailed on the eighth that they need a correct instant number called the number just to have a customer service agent tell me it's going to take another 2 business days, this is ridiculous. I'm just trying to access my funds.

Date of experience: February 9, 2024
Kentucky
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Sreehari P.
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Card amount being used on the same activation day... its a completely fraud gifts from Vanila gifts. I don't recommend to buy gift card

Date of experience: February 7, 2024
Michigan
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Duryea M.
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They have terrible service and customer service there card had errors on there end and I had to wait 30 days to get my money and still havnt received it I will never use this card again and I urge that no one else does either

Date of experience: February 7, 2024
Florida
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow William P.
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Bought my daughter a $200.00 vanilla visa gift card for her birthday and the card wouldn't work. I have now been at Walmart waiting for them to deal with the card and the employee has been on the phone for over an hour and a half waiting. They haven't been able to use the card either even though it shows $200 on the card garbage

Date of experience: February 5, 2024
New York
24 reviews
31 helpful votes
Follow Rob L.
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Do not waste your money. Bought a gift card as a Christmas bonus, sent it over and it won't work, the linked site has an error message. There's no chat or email support so I called the 833 number on their site and they DO NOT have representatives, only automated options, took a shot and pressed 0, it said "good bye" and hung up on me. Tried again, no option for actual help. Filed a dispute with Paypal.

Date of experience: February 1, 2024