Forum

Can a chargeback be issued to a gift card?
 

I bought something on-line with a 100$ visa gift card. Can I ask for a chargeback?

i highly dout it. i think it has to be a credit card only. i tried in the past one a bank debit visa card and they could'nt do it. unless some one stole my card and used it they could'nt help me.

Thanks, I called them and your right.

No you can't. Service Chargebacks can only be requested if you have a credit agreement with the provider. You have no line of credit or credit agreement with a gift card.

So if someone were to find you credit card, buy a pile of gift cards and use them, you would be out the maximum on your credit card?

No, you still have a credit agreement with your credit card that was used to purchase the gift cards, and zero fraud liability. The gift card provider would be out the maximum on your credit card if the user managed to spend them all in time. It's if you're expecting the gift card provider to service chargeback the purchases you made using the gift card you have no recourse.

So a gift card is plastic cash. if you use it and get ripped off that's just to bad.

As far as service - yes. They argue it protects you against fraud (authorization fraud - not if you buy something and it doesn't arrive) by acting as a buffer between your credit card and means you don't have to use your real credit card number elsewhere, and someone can't max out your limit, only spend what is available on the gift card. But you have zero fraud liability on your credit card anyway, so perhaps just for people with poor credit.