LoveToKnow Creditcards:AllComments

From LoveToKnow Creditcards

Comments

Thank you for sharing your experience with LoveToKnow readers.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

I have had the worst experience with Vanilla Visa-I would NOT recommend it to anyone. Appparently, the store I bought it from didn't activate it. I called Vanilla Visa after I took it back to the store to have it activated. Still didn't work. I'd tied to use it several times, and was embarassed when the store wouldn't take it. The customer service reps at Vanilla Visa were very rude--In fact, I got about 3 different stories on how to fix the problem. Now, I find out it is going to take over 72 hours to fix it--this means I can't use it. And, they have to call the person that bought it for me--HUGE Hassel!

-- Contributed by: Terrible

Bruce, rest assured the comments placed on this site are reviewed and responded to regularly.

Whether an online merchant accepts this card depends on the merchant's capabilities. Check with your online merchant to find out if you can use your Vanilla Visa for purchases.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

This site should be DATING ALL COMMENTS, and dating everything is a real problem on forums, blogs, even articles aren't dated most times. This could be a year old for all I know.

-- Contributed by: Bruce

Can I use it online to buy from India, who accepts all Visa? What about online to Canada?

-- Contributed by: bruce

Joyce, contact the customer service phone number listed on the card to find out what your balance is and to find out why the card keeps getting declined.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

How can I know how much is available on this gift card which was given to me last xmas, it is suppose to be for $50 BUT every time I try to use it, it comes back declined. Can someone please get back to me on this, thanks in advance

-- Contributed by: Joyce Vigneault

Thank you for your comments and for visiting LTK Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

the card stinks. i can only use it in the US. I even tried puting the money in Paypal, but they won't accept "gift cards"

-- Contributed by: fdasfasasfd

Did you save the receipts from when you purchased the cards? Perhaps if you supply proof to the company that the cards were expired before the purchase, they may assist you in getting valid cards withour additional fees.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

I recently purchase 2/$100 Vanilla Gift cards which turns out were expired the month prior to my purchasing them. 1st the company tried to tell me I had to pay another $5.99 each, to get them replaced with valid cards! Turns out the only thing 'they' will do is send me new valid cards in 7 - 14 days time. Some much for customer relations. I would have expected to have the expired cards voided and have issued valid cards.

-- Contributed by: IS THIS LEGAL??

Bruce, if the card is defective then you should be able to obtain a replacement card. Contact Vanilla Visa customer service directly for resolution to this issue: (800) 571-1376

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

I bought this damn card for my wife and she has not been able to use it.what the hell are you suuposed to do. the store wont take it back and vanilla visa says there is money on it.I think this is a major scam right under our noses.I am going to talk to an attorney to see what my rights are . this is bull the way they charge you for the card then you cant get your money out of it.we need to put this on the news stations all over the u.s. to let everyone know how they operate. if its your money then thetr shouldnt be any fees.

-- Contributed by: Bruce Sawyer

Thank you for your comments.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

I just purchased a Vanilla Visa 3 hrs ago to purchase an item online, if the online entity is associated with Pay pal they will decline the card. I was told this by my phone contact with paypal - because they do not have a billing address............. I then called Vanilla Visa and was told to register my card on line and to try again. To no avail............so i have wasted $5.95 on purchasing this card. Do your homework with these companies before purchasing these cards.............

-- Contributed by: Enter your name here

Richard, thank you for sharing your experiences with LTK readers.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

This is a rip off, the card declines whenever you want to use it and you don't get any helpfrom their customer service. Purcahsing one of their cards is like throwing away money.

-- Contributed by: Richard

Bonnie and Don, thank you for your comments.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

I disagree -- NEVER buy this card. This company arbitrarily changes their policies. For example, my card said that the balance would exist for 13 months before the service fee was charged, but they changed it to take off $2.50 after seven months, so POOF, my balance was gone. Do not buy this card!!!

-- Contributed by: Bonnie

The "Conclusion" should be more objective. There are lots of negatives associated with this card -- just check out all the comments -- but none are listed here. It is disingenuous to claim you're an "information site" yet display a biased conclusion.

-- Contributed by: Don Kneller

Joe, the card should have been activated when you purchased it. Contact the customer service number listed on the card to make sure there is actually a balance on the cards.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

We got two gift cards last week, went to wal-mart, and lowes and tried to buy idems at both stores and could not get card to work. wal-mart tried at two cash registers, and even the service department register could not get card to work. Could you please advise me how to get cards to work

-- Contributed by: Joe McCullough

John, thank you for sharing your experience with LTK readers.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

Actually, I was able to reload my card two or three times via product returns. I would rather they had just given me the money instead of prolonging the life of this stupid card, but it definitely worked without a problem.

An unrelated problem came up, though, once I found out that "7 months from activation" actually means "6 months from activation" when it means they can steal $2.50 from you while hiding behind a lawyer.

I will never, ever buy one of these cards for anyone, and if anyone gave me one as a gift, I'd spend it immediately in my disappointment, and mourn the fact that they wasted $6 just because they were too ashamed to give cash.

-- Contributed by: John Smith

Chad, thank you for your comment.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

I use the Vanilla Visa cards almost all the time. The only complaint I have with them is that they are non-reloadable. Once your balance hits zero, that's it.

-- Contributed by: Chad Herron

Thank you for sharing your experiences with LoveToKnow readers.

-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler

i had a BAD experience w/ the vanilla visa. below is the text i copied from the email i sent them. i would NEVER purchase this again. hope this helps someone else.

i am not happy w/ my experience w/ your business and i will not use your services in the future. i purchased your vanilla visa for my friend's xmas gift in dec 07. (just so we're clear that's the last month of the year, so if i then discuss feb 08, it's not a year later, it's just a new year, weeks later. your rep on the phone was really confused about this. that's why i had to be clear). anyway, my friend apparently used the card in jan 08 until there was a 2.16 balance. when she went to use it again, she swiped it at the grocery store and the machine beeped, then the cashier tried some ways, then the mgr was called and my friend was informed that she had to have a 2 dollar and 16 cent order for the card to work and that they've seen this many times and it's such a scam that the issuing company then gets to pocket all these tiny balances. My friend agreed of course, TOTAL SCAM! As did I when she told me about it after I asked her many months later if she got the xmas gift i sent. I asked her try it again at another store. she did and the same thing. i told her to give me the card and i would call. by the time she remembered to give it to me and i got a min call (as it turns out, AN HOUR!), it is now mar 09. again to be clear, that is 15 months after the card was purchased. so i realize of course that i am not getting this $2 back on the card nor do i want to waste time about $2, but i do want to complain that this whole thing stinks of FRAUD. and ESPECIALLY when i got the history from your automated phone system that your company took the last $2 in jun 08 (again being CLEAR, that's 6 mos from dec 07), i was livid because the back of the card says 1.50 charge after 13 mos. i dont care if u changed your policy in apr 08 to 2.50 charge after 6 mos. the policy we had is what's on the back of the card. thats FRAUD! i hope u record ur calls and are interested in hearing mine which happened today about an hr ago. i also asked for a supervisor, but it's very clear when your getting the blow off. i am also going to put this in my blog so everyone i know will know not to buy your scam.

-- Contributed by: LaBellaDonnaJewelry

Ann,

I do not think that the NFL online shop will accept prepaid debit cards. I suggest that you contact them directly using the email address on the NFL shop website.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

will vanilla visa work to buy things off of nflshop.com because i already bought the card but i dont know if it will work???

-- Contributed by: Ann

Gary,

LoveToKnow is an information-only site. We have no affiliation with any of the companies on which we provide information.

I suggest that you send a letter to Vanilla Visa customer service. Describe your situation just as you did in your comment here at LoveToKnow. Be sure to send a copy (don't send the original!) of your receipt. The Vanilla Visa address is: Vanilla Visa Gift Card Customer Service, PO Box 826 Fortson, GA 31808.

It certainly sounds as if Vanilla Visa disabled the wrong card. If you do not get any satisfaction dealing with Vanilla Visa, I suggest that you contact your Department of Justice in state.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I purchsed two #50 Vanilla Visa Gift Cards to give to my son for a Christmas present. He tried to use them a while back and the merchants told him that the cards were didabled. I took the cards back to the HEB gorocery store where I purchased them along with the reciept to get my money back or get two new cards. The manager of the HEB grocery store said since the numbers on the reciept are not the same numbers on the cards that they could not verify that they were the cards that I purchased. I ssked them to see why the cards would not work so they called you company and were told that the two #50 card I had were purchased at a Winn Dixie store with a stolen credit card so they disabled the cards. The manager of the HEB store said there was nothing they could do about the cards. I called the Vanilla card phone number on the back of the gift card to see about getting a refund or new cards and spoke to a gentleman about my problen. He told me after I gave him the card numbers that in fact the cards I had were disabled by the selling merchant and that I would have to go to them with this problem. I told him that I had already done this and gave him that explation for the cards being cancelled. He said that he could not find out who sold the cards so he said there was nothing that he could do. I can asure you that the cards were purchased by me with a good debit card and there is not a Wynn Dixie store within 200 miles of Beaumont, Tx where I purchased the cards. Some one disabled these cards by mistake and now I am told there is no one who can help me with this problem so I am just out over $100 for nothing. I find it hard to believe that there is no soulition for solving this problem and that a reputable company as yourselves would treat a customer like this. You can be assured that I will never buy another card from your company and tell everying I know about this experience.

-- Contributed by: Gary Norrid

The Vanilla Visa Gift Card cannot be used online. Many online retailers will accept a Visa credit card or Visa debit card - but not a Visa Gift Card.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I tried to pay bills online and it keeps getting denied by every one what address do you but for the card i think that is the problem contact me please...

-- Contributed by: philip

Larry,

Thank you for your comment and your opinion.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

i have tryed and tryed to use this card of yours. every place it says no good.( 4 stores ) so i put it in my pickup , wife found it , i told her it was no good , she took it to her place of work and it said can not read card, i am going to tell all not to buy this joke as a card for a gift

-- Contributed by: larry oneal

Ally,

Thanks for sharing your experience with our readers. If you read Donna's comment right before your comment, you will see that she had a similar problem when she went to use her card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I was given one of these cards with a $50 value. I attempted to use the card at Best Buy to purchase something that was valued over $50. I informed the cashier that he would have to change the card only $50 and I would pay cash for the remainder. He attempted to do this and failed of course. So he has to "void" the transaction which was a lengthy process involving no less than 6 people and I paid cash for the purchase. When I get home I find out that the visa gift card now has a $0.00 value. I phone (at a cost of $.75!) to find out about the balance and why it is now $0.00. I'm eventually informed that it will take 7 days for the "void" to show up and the balance to be returned to $50. I patiently waited and checked after a week and the balance is $0.00. I figure perhaps they mean 7 business days so I wait some more. After 14 days I call back (at another $.75) to find out about the card. I'm told that I must have used the card at Best Buy and that the balance is $0.00. Pretty much the worst gift ever-a card filled with $0.00 would have been better than this hassle. BIG SCAM!

-- Contributed by: Ally

Donna,

Thank you for the very interesting information about how the clerks should process the Vanilla Visa card. This may explain why so many cardholders have left comment here regarding their cards being declined even though they had a balance on their card.

Thanks for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I and several other family members had continual problems occur (just after Christmas) with this ripoff card. Even though there were available balances on each of our cards, we kept getting told by merchants that our cards were declined with no explanation given. After calling Vanilla VISA Customer Service and FINALLY getting an actual customer service rep on the line, I was given a little more information explaining the continual card declines we were experiencing.

The first time my Visa gift card was declined, the company blamed it on IT technical issues they were supposedly experiencing at the time. THEN I found out that if the purchaser is attempting to purchase something that costs more than the value on the card, the store clerk must calculate the cost difference in ADVANCE and collect the difference in cost from the customer BEFORE scanning the Visa gift card. If the store tries to scan the card FIRST (applying it against the total purchase price) and collect the cost difference from the customer second, the card will be declined. Even though these merchants are supposed to have some kind of contract in place with Visa instructing them as to the exact sequence in which to process these transactions, the problem is that MOST store clerks are CLUELESS as to how to go through this ridiculous exercise.

The process should not be this difficult and the burden should NOT be placed on the customer to have to teach store clerks how to process this stupid card!

The purchasers of these cards generally have to pay an additional fee over and above the value of the card. Then when the card recipient does not utilize the card within a specified period, the card's value will decline steadily over time.

In my estimation, when you factor in all the hassles customers experience in just getting the card accepted for purchase, these VISA gift cards (and others like them) are a ripoff and a scam. If the givers of these cards really care about the recipients they are trying to gift, they should stay away from these cards. Better to give cash or a specific store gift card that will be applied against the purchase price in a NORMAL fashion, without having to go through this nonsense.

-- Contributed by: Donna

Wayne,

You might want to check your available balance on the Vanilla Visa website. If you do have a balance on the card, you want to use that balance before they apply a monthly fee against the remaining balance. You sure don't want the monthly fees to eat up your available balance.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Harly,

Thanks for your comment and your opinion.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

couldn't use it at a Sears store in columbia,s.c. then they put a "pending" status on the declined balance keeping me from using the card elsewhere. waaayyyy to much hassle!

-- Contributed by: wayne

THESE CARDS ARE THE BIGGEST RIPOFF GOING SUCKING POEPLE IN ONLY TO MAKE A BANK RICH. EACH OF MY KIDS RECEIVED ONE AND SO FAR THEY WORK NO WHERE. AND IF THEY EVER DO, THEY WILL BE CHARGED $5-6. BAH HUMBUG

-- Contributed by: Harly Barly

Johnny,

Thanks for your comment and for helping our readers evaluate the fee on the Vanilla Visa Gift Card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

What a racket! A 5-6 dollar activation fee to be paid by the user. So on a $50 gift card, Silverton bank makes off with a 10% profit, not counting the 3% processing fee by Visa. Don't use this card.

-- Contributed by: johnny elevator

Demetreus,

Thanks for your comment. You might want to make your comment directly to them. LoveToKnow Credit Cards is an information-only website and is not associated with Vanilla Visa Credit Card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

you guys should make it easier to pay cell phone bills. i wasted $100

-- Contributed by: demetreus

Edward,

Thanks for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

The part about using this card online is a load of male bovine excrement.It is impossible for you to use this online! Unless you can find a website that doesn't ask for a name address etc, you're screwed.

-- Contributed by: Edward C

Joan,

It sounds like your card may not have been activated. You might want to check your card's availability and balances at the Vanilla website. Thanks for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I was given a vanilla gift card in June of this year, and I tryed to use it. I can not use it. I am very unhappy about this. I am a teacher, and my principal gave it to me.

-- Contributed by: Joan Platt

Ray,

Thanks for the great tip.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

buy a walmart gift card and money will be there same day, not this 48 hours and 48 hours and 48 hours

-- Contributed by: ray matthews

Ami,

Thank you for taking the time to share the details of your experience with other readers.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

DO NOT GIVE! The balance literally disappeared. I lost about $20 on a $50 card. Not only did the fee change from $1.50-$2.50 but they can't account for almost $10 of the value of the card. Silverton Bank, out of Geogria is the issuer and they will not respond to any questions. Again DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!

-- Contributed by: Ami

BL and Lydia,

Thanks for sharing your comments about Vanilla Visa. As you can see from the other comments, the Vanilla Visa website has been difficult to use for many cardholders.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

i registerd my card and now the screen keeps telling me my zipcode is wrong...

-- Contributed by: i think they are great i am teaching my kids responsibilty.

website doesn't work. piece of crap. DO NOT BUY. SCAM!!!

-- Contributed by: bl

Annie,

Thanks for sharing two thoughts with our readers: 1) activate your card as soon as you purchase it and 2) keep your receipt.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

i recieved one for my birthday and it is not loaded the 1800 number says that the store will activate but since i didnt have the reciept it was not able to be activated

-- Contributed by: annie

Marilyn,

You can check your gift card balance online at the Vanilla Visa website.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

How do I check my gift card balance on line?

-- Contributed by: Marilyn

I bought a vanilla gift card for 50 dollars yest from cvs its not loaded i faxed a reciept to company still not loaded buyers beware non refundable at stores i hope visa makes it right

-- Contributed by: theresa e

Hey SusanWeber, thanks for your response. It seems like there might be a problem with my card, because now when I attempt to check the balance online it tells me that there is an error with my Account and to call their Customer Support. Hopefully this will fix all issues. Also I believe Vanilla Visa is accepted by PayPal because I added and used one to buy something from eBay through PayPal.

Thank you!

-- Contributed by: Cole

Cole,

Two ideas: 1) There may be something wrong with the card itself. You may want to contact Vanilla Visa. 2) Since the Vanilla Visa Giftcard is a prepaid card, it cannot always be used like a standard debit or credit card. For example, PayPal would probably not accept the Vanilla Visa Giftcard as a payment card.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I have used several Vanilla Visa Giftcards for online purchases, and I am trying to add one to my PayPal account but PayPal refuses saying that the card issuer does not allow checking the card's billing address. I added one recently without any problems, so why am I having problems now? I went to their website and registered my card by putting in my zipcode but nothing is working. Any ideas?

-- Contributed by: Cole

I would not give a Vanilla Visa Gift Card to my worst emeny. They are a nightmare to try and use. No information come with the cards on how to use them. Print on back that gives information is so small you can't read. And there is no way to cash them in. Just have to keep trying to use them or card co. with eat up card at 2.50 a month.

-- Contributed by: John Arthur

George,

Thanks for you comments. The information will be very helpful to other LoveToKnow readers.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

These cards are OK, but you must read the fine print for the hidden charges. The Vanilla card is set up so that it is very difficult to get the last bit of value from the card. (From the Vanilla site: "If you try to purchase an item of greater value than your card balance, your card will be declined.") Therefore, there will be almost certainly be a balance left on your card when the over 7 months $2.50/month charge kicks in. Vanilla probably makes most of it money by sweeping the unused value from your old cards with this little trick.

On the positive side, at least Vanilla does not require you to give up personal information to set up an "account" before you can use your card, as other gift cards do.

-- Contributed by: George

Patricia,

The Vanilla Visa card is a debit card, not a credit card. You should have the retailer process the payment as a debit card payment, not a credit card payment.

Thanks for you comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Tammy,

It sounds as if there might have been something wrong with the way the account was orginally set up. It is possible that your card is also coded incorrectly. I suggest that you call customer service, explain what has been happening and ask if you need to have your card reissued. Be sure they reissue the card at no cost to you.

Thanks for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I bought thecard except to do some online shopping and the card is declined on most websites. You advertise it is excepted anywhere visa is accepted and thats a flat out lie. It was done as a credit card each time and still was declined.

-- Contributed by: Patricia Doyle

I got the Vanilla as a gift for my birthday, every time I tried to use it in a store it was declined. They told me to call customer service, I did, the rep. told me it should be fine to use now, she had fixed it. Went to use it again it declined again, worst gift card I have ever had!!!!

-- Contributed by: Tammy

Paula,

It sounds like the Vanilla Visa card was not the best card for your granddaughter in your particular situation. Glad to hear that she is enjoying the WalMart Visa card and that you are getting good use from the Vanilla Visa card.

Thank you for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

This is the worse gift card I have ever purchased. I bought it for my granddaughter to purchase some items online for her birthday. The store is not located here where we live, so I wanted her to be able to buy the clothes she wanted. EVERY time she tried to use the card, it was declined!!! You CAN NOT use it to order by phone. I even notified the Vanilla Visa Company THREE times and I was told it could be used and for her to ask for the purchase to be done as a credit and not a debit since no pin comes with the card. To her embarrassment, the card was still declined each time!!! I eventually took the card back from her and purchased her a WalMart Visa card and she had no problem at all using that card. I am using the Vanilla visa myself in the stores locally to use the balance on the card. BEWARE!! Dont buy this card as a gift if the person plans on using it to purchase items online. It will NOT work!!!

-- Contributed by: Paula

Kevin,

The Vanilla Visa card, and other prepaid cards are the preferred gift to give for people who don't want to give cash or a gift certificate. Your comment is correct in telling people that using the Vanilla Visa card does require the cardholder to keep track of the balance on their card.

Thank you for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Vanilla visa cards are the biggest scam going. With the monthly fees, by the time you use it the card is worth 20 percent less than the starting value. And, with that you never really know what the value is. Try useing it in a store. Unless you know exactly the value. It will be rejected. You would think the card company would be happy making the 5 dollar charge when they sell the card. No, they want the as much as they can scam. For a gift, just purchase a store gift certificate or give cash. This has been a nightmare trying to use this Visa card.

-- Contributed by: Kevin Holden

Margarita,

You can request a replacement card online. Just go to the Vanilla Visa website and request a new card. Be aware -- as mentioned in the article above -- your card balance will be charged $5.95 to ship you your new card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Well my saga continue. Now that I want to use my card, after calling customer service to verify my balance I found out that my card has expired so since the BALANCE does not expire in order for me to get a new card the will CHARGE me $5.95. By now my $50 Gift card is only worth $31.55 ..!!! and I have not yet charged a penny... How do I get a replacement card?, customer service told me to do it on line...

-- Contributed by: Margarita Reeves

I will never give or suggest to anyone to buy a Vanilla Visa Gift Card again. If you give or receive a $50 Gift card the person that gave it to you PAID $50 for it and you assume that you have $50 in your pocket...Well, you only have $45.05...and if you do not run to expend the by now only $45.05 by the time you use it you realized that it is worth less and less because they charge you $2.50 per month ....!!! I know that it looks more sofisticate it to get a Plastic Gift Card but I am learning that a regular $50 bill will still be a $50 bill it does not matter when you want to use it.

So do not give your money away to this repoff companies and next time you want to give somebody money just write a check or include a bill instead.

-- Contributed by: Margarita Reeves

Peggy, When you order online you are usually asked for the four digit security number on the back of your card. It is located close to the area where you place your signature.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I ordered something on line and pay pal needs a 4 digit number. What are they talking about?

-- Contributed by: peggy king

Michele,

The gift card is probably not usable; but, you should confirm with Vanilla Visa Customer Service. Their number is on the back of the card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

my gift card has an expiration date. Is it no longer good?

-- Contributed by: michele

Donna,

You might want to contact Vanilla Visa customer service and double check the balance on your card. If the balance is not the problem, it is possible that the retailers that rejected your card do not accept gift cards as payments for transations.

A call to the 800# on the card should tell you why the card was rejected.

Thanks for your comment and question.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Gary,

Many online merchants will not accept gift cards. If you call the 800# provided for the customer service department of your online retailer, you should be able to find out why the card was rejected.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I have tried to use the card at gas stations, on line, and a grocery store. It keeps being rejected and embarrasses me.

-- Contributed by: Donna

i tried to purchase something off the computer and it would not except my card i dont know if i put the right sefrial number or what and i dont know what else to do.

-- Contributed by: gary

Bob,

If you are looking for a card to make online purchases, you will find greater merchant acceptance with a credit card. Gift cards are best used in the store environment. In some cases, a gift card issuer will accept gift cards as payment on their particular website, even if the gift card is not accepted on other websites.

Thanks for your comment.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Diane,

The zipcode is required as a security measure to make sure that the card is being used by the owner of the card. If you are having trouble using the card, you should contact the Vanilla Visa customer service department.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

this card sucks wont allow u to buy stuff online do not buyyy

-- Contributed by: bob saget

I bought a gift card debit and wanted to order from a place and they said its decline cuz they need a zipcode for billing company

-- Contributed by: Diane

Chris,

Thanks for your comment and for reinforcing the information about the cost and time involved to return the card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I bought one the other day with intention to use it online. Only to find out that the only way I can use it online is if the transaction does not require the cardholder name becaue with the vanilla visa there is no cardholder name assigned to the card. I will never again buy one of these cards. It is not possible to read the fine print until after the purchase and at which point you are unable to return the card. the only thing that you can do is get a refund through visa where they charge you a $10 fee and you must wait 5-7 weeks for them to send a check

-- Contributed by: Chris

Nick,

As mentioned in the article, a Vanilla Visa card may not be accepted in several retail situations, including a restaurant if the bill is more than the balance of the bill. To avoid being embarrased it is always a good practice to call ahead and check with the restaurant to confirm their procedure on multiple cards before you attempt to use two cards to pay one bill.

As an additional point of information, LoveToKnow is an information only site and we have nothing to do with Vanilla Visa or any other the other credit cards or credit card issuers.

Thank you for your comment and for reinforcing that the decision of how the Vanilla Visa card can be used is up to the merchant.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Got one of your $50.00 gift cards and tried to use it toward a $100.00 restaurant check and was declined. I asked the waiter to use the $50.00 toward the bill and put the balance on my VISA credit card. Couldn't get it to work. It was an embarrassing moment in front of my guests and as a result, if I ever get ANY Gift card from anyone, especially one of yours, I'll decline it. I've always thought little of these type cards but now that I have this one of yours, I'll figure out how to get the $50.00 from it just so you people don't wind up with the money. That's your ultimate goal !! Rip off !! What kind of "Word of Mouth" advertising do you expect with a product like this. Here's a hint... Don't expect anything of value. ...... Just like your card !!

-- Contributed by: Nick Scianna

Leon,

No, the Vanilla gift card does not have your name and address on the card. It can be used online and the purchaser does not have to be an adult.

Thank you for your questions.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

does vanilla gift card has address and name and stuff? cause i want to use it online and it requires it..... and can a non-adult buy it and active it?

-- Contributed by: Leon

Talmage,

You can get your balance by visiting www.vanillavisa.com or by calling 1-800-571-1376 anytime, twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week.

Thanks for your question.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I find it very hard to find the balance left on the card when checking for the balance remaining on my computer, where is the best place and how do I go about finding the remnants of my card.

-- Contributed by: Talmage D. McDaniel

Greg,

You should contact the customer service people at Vanilla Visa. They will be able to answer your question and explain how your specific account can be used online.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

i read soe where i can hv my name in the system..where wen i purchase online my name is need on credit card it shows me as purchasr how do i do that

-- Contributed by: greg krugilki

Gary,

Many online retailers will not accept a prepaid card for payments. I suggest that you contact the customer service department of the online retailer through which you want to make a purchase. They may be able to take the card as payment over the phone, even if their online system will not accept gift cards.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

i cannot get my card to work on line why

-- Contributed by: gary

Dylan,

D2jsp.org accepts debit card and credit card payments using the PayPal payment system. PayPal does not accept gift cards as a payment vehicle.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I tried to use this card on a site called d2jsp.org to buy something... but it was not accepted.

Why not?

-- Contributed by: Dylan

Adam,

If Hoss takes a debit card, they should have taken your Vanilla Visa gift card. You might want to check with the customer service folks at Vanilla Visa and make sure that your balance was enough to cover your Hoss purchase and to make sure that your card has not expired.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I went to use the card at the local Hoss's but because they do not use "debit" at the store the card was rejected. Even though I use my personal Credit Debit card there all the time... not sure what happened but i'm not happy.

I hope i didn't lose the pin number to my card bc If there is one, I dont know what it is.

-- Contributed by: Adam D.

Wayne,

Your comment brings up a very important point for give givers to consider. Some gift cards have an expiration date. If the card is not used prior to the expiration date, the funds spent to purchase the card are no longer available. A good rule of thumb is to use gift cards immediately upon receipt, particularly those with expiration dates.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

my son sent me a gift card for $25,,i went to use it and it had expired,,,this is a rip off..called son and told him to NEVER use this again..i have always had good luck with gift cards but NEVER had one that expired.

-- Contributed by: wayne taylor, sr

Cheers for the info Tom n thank you Susan.

-- Contributed by: shona

Tom,

Thank for answering Shona's question. The Vanilla Visa website is not always able to solve customer service issues, so I always recommend that cardholders call the Vanilla Visa customer service phone line. Be sure to hold on long enough to get through the recorded messages - it will take about three minutes.

Thanks again for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

If you purchase one of these cards with the intent of making purchases via internet the pamplet included in the card instructs you to regester your name and address for use on the internet or phone. I tried it today and there is no place on the web site to regester your personal details. So I called the customer service line, and they said this is not available yet. So much for fause advertisement.

-- Contributed by: Tom

I tried to use my card online and it was declined because my card did not have any personal information to it and when I tried finding out it said to go to vanillavisa.com and register before use - now I have a $50 gift card I cannot use.

-- Contributed by: shona

Shona,

I'm not sure what you mean by "register" my card. When you purchase your card, the cashier from whom you purchased the card, will activate the card for use. You can then use your card immediately. If you have any questions about the balance on your card, you need to check the Vanilla Visa website.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

How can i register my card?

-- Contributed by: shona coleson

Jessica,

You need to contact Vanilla Visa directly, either by phone or on their website, to determine the balance on your gift card. The contact information is in the above article.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

how much do i have in my gift card

-- Contributed by: jessica ojeda

Danalynn,

Thanks again for your comments about how you have been able to to register your Vanilla Visa using the Vanilla MasterCard site. It sounds like you were able to successfully register your card. However, I always caution people to read the Terms and Conditions of their credit, debit and gift cards to make sure that they don't do something that might invalidate their agreement.

I encourage you to still try to get in touch with Vanilla Visa and to make sure that your card is registered and that your account is in good standing.

Thanks again for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I found a little trick I'd like to share about the V V. If you go to Vanilla Mastercard site and enter your vanilla visa card and serial # on this site it will allow you to register your zip code to that card. The system accepts the V V as a M C and this will register your card for on-line purchases. After doing this myself, I called the V V 800 # and verified that the card was registered. When making the on-line purchases be sure to mark the card as VISA or else it will be declined. It will be registered as a visa although you've registered it on the Mastercard site. Good Luck all!

-- Contributed by: Danalynn Cruz

Danalynn,

I'm sorry to hear that you have been having problem with Vanilla Visa, but I'm glad that you found an alternative customer service number.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Card.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I too am having problems w/vanilla visa on-line purchases. And like so many others that have posted their comments I can't get through on the 800 number provided on VV website. So I did a little investigating. These cards are actually distributed by InComm and this company also handles all of VV's customer care issues. I visited their website and discovered an alternative number for customer service care. So it is people, 1-800-352-3084. I hope everyone has succuess at resolving their problems with these cards. I know I'll be giving them call RIGHT NOW!! lol

-- Contributed by: Danalynn Cruz

Niagra,

You will eventually get the option to talk to a customer service rep if you hold on the line long enough listening to the Vanilla Visa customer service prerecorded message - it takes several minutes of holding.

Thank you for your question and for visiting to LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

My vanilla Visa agreement says for online purchases I will need to enter my name and address on the vanilla visa website before making that transaction. Well there is no such place to enter that data online at their website and the contact phone number is only prerecorded messages with absolutely no option to speak with a human. I need to speak with a customer service rep to apply my name and address to this visa card so i can use it for online transactions. I'm very upset about this. Whaty can we do about this?

-- Contributed by: Niagra

Andrew,

If your Vanilla Visa gift card is not being accepted, you should contact Vanilla Visa directly at their website.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

i have a Vanailla Visa...i tried to use it online but it says secuerty code is wrong why is this, can it be used online at all, why can't i buy offline with it?

-- Contributed by: Andrew

Gayle,

It is always important to understand the fees associated with any gift card, credit card or debit card. By law, the card issuer must provide you with this information before you sign up for the card. Be sure you read it!

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Dear Cole,

Yes, the Vanilla Visa can be used online. It can be used anywhere a Visa credit card is accepted.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I purchased a Vanilla Gift card for my son at college and my married daughter & her husband for Valentine's Day. Imagine my surprise that I had two extra activation fees of $3.95/ea. You can be sure that I will not purchase these cards again. What a rip-off and what a scam! I paid you almost $8 so that I could give my kids a $25 Valentine gift. I am considering giving up my regular VISA card I was so mad. Having fees is a course of business, not something to be added onto a gift card. What a disappointment.

-- Contributed by: Gayle Munson

Can the Vanilla Visa be used to buy things online (ex. Amazon.com)?

-- Contributed by: Cole

Jeffrey,

You should contact Vanilla Visa directly, either at the 800# on the back of your card or by using their website. They will be able to tell you why your card was declined.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I received this Vanilla Visa card # [number deleted] expiration date 10/09 as a gift on 1/06/2008 I followed the directions to activate it a few days late. Last night at K Mart it was declined. What is wrong ? Jeff Greene

-- Contributed by: Jeffrey Greene

Kathy,

Thank you for your comment about the problem you are having with your Vanilla Visa Card. I'm sure that other readers will be interested in knowing about the trouble you are having and will take your problem (and the problems upon which other readers have commented upon) into consideration before they purchase a Vanilla Visa Card.

I suggest that you document your problem in case it is not solved to your satisfaction. You will need copies of any letters you write and detailed notes of your conversations (including dates and the name of people you spoke with) if you ever need to escalate your problem.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I received a Visa gift card and have been unable to use it. I called the 800 # on the back of the card and was told there was a problem with it but they would fix it within 48-96 hours. Here I am 2 weeks later and it still won't work and the answer the people at the 800# tell me it is that it was sent to IT and they have no idea how long it will take to resolve. I know I will never buy a Vanilla Visa but it would be nice to be able to use the one I have

-- Contributed by: Kathy

Kayla, LoveToKnow is an information site. It is not affiliated with Vanilla Visa or any other credit card issuer.

You are right to be calling Vanilla Visa. The message you hear when you call their 800 number does not include a lot of options. You need to speak with a live representative. You can get connected to a live person if you continue to hold on the line as the message continues to play with the options. It will take over two minutes but the message will eventually change and will give you a prompt to talk to a live representative.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I received a visa card for $25.00 for Chritmas. I used the card at kohl's to puchase some cloths for $29.98. They used my $25.00 gift card and when I went to use my debit card they told me they couldn't use two crds. I had no cash on me so I couldn't make the purchase and along with that they couldn't give me back my $25.00 in the gift card. They told me to contact the 800 number on the back which I have tried for days and I have no prompt that directs me to this problem. There is no way to get a real body to talk to either. I have a voided receipt to kohl's, a card that has no money on it and no way to get this resolved. Please contact me by e-mail and help me get this resolved. thank you

-- Contributed by: kayla

Susy,

I suggest that you contact Vanilla Visa by using their website. If you are not able to get the answers you need, send Vanilla Visa a letter detailing your problem. The address is on their website.

Thank you for your question and for vising LoveToKnow Credit Cards

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I had bought 3 $100.00 cards for gift for my nephews for Christmas, they oof course got nothing because I did not have money to buy anything else for them. I call and no one gives me an answer. It was suppose to be up to 72 hours from date of purchase, then up to 3 weeks, still nothing, no answer no date, just is in processing. 36093 is my ticket number given to me. anyone please help. this was the worst idea ever.

-- Contributed by: susy cardoso

Sara,

I'm sorry to hear that you are not happy with your new Vanilla Visa Gift Card. I suggest that you keep trying to log into their website -- it may be down due to high post-holiday traffic.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

My mother thought the vanilla visa gift card was a good idea for Christmas for me, my brother, and my boyfirend. She could not have been more wrong. I have trouble everywhere I try to use the card, the website NEVER works so I can't check my balances, I can't use the card for things I need to, and I can't use more than 1 card at most stores. Overall I feel it was a waste of the additional money my mother had to pay to purchase these cards and would not recomend them to anyone.

-- Contributed by: Sara Smith

Tiffany,

I'm glad to hear you are happy with your Vanilla Visa card.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

My mom bought a gift card from the bank for my boyfriend and went to use it at the gas station outside at the pump and it froze the money and now he and my mom can't get there money back so that is not true about getting one at the bank so i think this visa card is way better because i got one and it works perfect

-- Contributed by: Tiffany

Joy,

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your Vanilla Visa card. When you lose a credit card or gift card, the card issuer will usually not reissue the card unless you can provide all digits of the card number. This is a security feature to protect a cardholder in case someone gets hold of their paperwork (like the receipt) and tries to get the plastic reissued and mailed to them. In your case, this security process keeps you from being able to get your card reissued.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Bought one of these for a gift and lost it in the suffle of Christmas wrapping paper. There is NO HELP for lost cards, we had the receipt with the transaction number and the last 4 of the card number. Once we finally got to a live person and explained the situation they said sorry, writing down the card number was our responsibility so they refused to help. The person who answered the phone said that was how they made their money. Don't spend your money on this, buy a gift card from a bank.

-- Contributed by: Joy

Lana,

Vanilla Visa seems to make you wait on the line for several minutes before you hear the message about how to reach a representative. You can also use their website to check the balance on your card.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I just received a vanilla gift card in Sept. I just tried to use it and was declined. I came home and tried to call the 1-800 number went through the steps twice and still couldn't get a live person. I have a $50.00 gift card that is useless.

-- Contributed by: Lana

Dear Evy, If you are having trouble using your Vanilla Visa gift card, call their customer service number at 1-800-571-1376. A pre-recorded message will ask you to enter the account number of your card. If you don't know the number or if you want to talk to a representative just hold on the line. After a minute or two the recorded message will change to give you an option to talk to one of their representatives.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

I have been buying Visa gift2go gift cards and never a problem, this time i bought 2 vanilla gift cards and have been rejected 2 times on the internet for buying school books. They say you can put you name and address on file yet there is no where to do that and when you call the 800 number there is no where to do it over the phone or talk to a live person. WORSE $200.00 dollars I ever spent and now I have to go get other cards to use.

-- Contributed by: Evy

Jon, The Vanilla Visa card is a valid, pre-paid, stored-value credit card. Like all VISA card issuers, the Vanilla card issuer had to have VISA's approval before they could sell and issue the card.

I don't know why you have had trouble logging into the Vanilla Visa website. This is a big sales and usage season for this type of card, so it is possible that your trouble logging in is caused by an increase in the number of people trying to log on to either buy the card or check the balance remaining on their card.

Thank you for your question and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

Im suspicious of this Vanilla Visa card..1st off their web site is never operational. Just what does the card have to do with VISA? Has Visa authorized the use of their logo on this card?

-- Contributed by: Jon Battle

Robert,

If you feel that there has been unauthorized use of your card, you should contact Vanilla Visa immediately by phone to protect your rights as a cardholder. You should also follow up immediately in writing with a full description of the unauthorized use. The contact information for Vanilla Visa is on their website, www.vanillavisa.com.

Thank you for your comment and for visiting LoveToKnow Credit Cards.

-- Contributed by: SusanWeber

my card was used without my consent all i got was a run around from visa and told they could do nothing

-- Contributed by: robert houser
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