use caution buying gift cards!

[tw67]

I had $2,000 worth of gift cards from giftcardzen. They were fraudulent. Giftcardzen reimbursed our credit card, so that part of it is ok. We are not out any money.

 

BUT, currently Carnival is telling us that we are unable to use any gift cards to pay for any part of the cruise, and we won't be allowed to use them for on board purchases. So I am unable to use Verizon or AARP Cards for the cruise. So I will not have the 10% savings. So no 10% savings on Cheers for us, or the Soda Package for my son either.

[grumplin]

Sorry this happened to you. Hope things work out okay for you in the end.

 

Thanks me too! I hate to have to have my CC have to fight it.

 

I had $2,000 worth of gift cards from giftcardzen. They were fraudulent. Giftcardzen reimbursed our credit card, so that part of it is ok. We are not out any money.

 

BUT, currently Carnival is telling us that we are unable to use any gift cards to pay for any part of the cruise, and we won't be allowed to use them for on board purchases. So I am unable to use Verizon or AARP Cards for the cruise. So I will not have the 10% savings. So no 10% savings on Cheers for us, or the Soda Package for my son either.

 

Carnival told me the same thing, I was a bit confused as I had sent them proof I had purchased them honestly. I have one that is coming as a rewards from a credit card. I guess I now have to sell the dumb thing. Im glad you got your money back. I talked to Cardacash Friday but nothing so far.

[grumplin]

To the people that keep saying but them through AARP and other places. No thanks. Im never purchasing one again anywhere. Now that I have learned about all the ways there is gift card fraud even from the ones you buy in a store I learned my lesson. The small savings is not worth the hassle.

[firemanbobswife]

To the people that keep saying but them through AARP and other places. No thanks. Im never purchasing one again anywhere.

 

AARP, Verizon, Citi are all legit companies. I have never had an issue and I have bought THOUSANDS of dollars worth. They aren't resellers from private individuals like the other places. Well worth the 10% savings. Don't be scared of those.

[Gypsywych]

:') That'll sure show them!! :')

 

That would be like no longer cruising on Carnival when you're already Platinum because Carnival sells FTTF.

 

Boggles the mind.

[grumplin]

AARP, Verizon, Citi are all legit companies. I have never had an issue and I have bought THOUSANDS of dollars worth. They aren't resellers from private individuals like the other places. Well worth the 10% savings. Don't be scared of those.

 

I am not allowed to use any gift cards on this booking now including the one I have coming yet from my Carnival credit card. I dont know if this is just for this booking or future bookings.

[firemanbobswife]

I am not allowed to use any gift cards on this booking now including the one I have coming yet from my Carnival credit card. I dont know if this is just for this booking or future bookings.

 

Hopefully it's just for this one since you've already had to make a claim for fraudulent cards. I would call and ask. Would be a shame to lose out on all those savings.

[loanshark]

Buying from a legitimate RETAILER (Lowe's, Verizon, AARP, Kroger, etc...) is fine... Buying from a RESELLER is where you can have issues.

 

The scam works as follows:

 

1. Crook / Thief has a stolen credit card or even just the account information and buys the card from either a RETAILER, or Carnival directly, using the stolen credit card.

 

2. The crook / thief then sells the card through a RESELLER. The person who thinks they got a deal pays the RESELLER. The RESELLER holds a small fee, and pays the remaining amount to the crook / thief.

 

3. At some point, the owner of the stolen credit card files a chargeback on their credit card when they notice the charge that was made by the crook/thief.

 

4. The bank / credit card company traces the purchase and demands money back from whoever "sold" the card to the thief/crook.

 

5. If the thief "bought" the card direct from Carnival, Carnival looks up the card number, and reverses any payments made using that gift card. If the thief "bought" the card from a retailer, the retailer more often then not has to pay the bank back for the fraudulent credit card charge. The retailer may or may not ask Carnival to reverse any such purchases made on the card at that point.

[bUU]

Okay I had a chance to track down the messages I read earlier that put into question whether you get reimbursed for non-refundable charges paid with gift cards:

 

Ask your insurer... I did not think of this when I used a $500 Celebrity gift card to cover the deposit on our original Baltic cruise in 2014. When we had to cancel last minute I found out that Square Mouth/Tin Leg did not consider the gift card a covered form of payment so I was out the $500. I got the card for credit card points but it was still $500 that I lost. They would only cover payments made by cash, check or credit card and of course you need receipts..... I don't buy cruise ship gift cards anymore.

I got my Celebrity gift cards for credit card points....The insurer did not consider it "real money". I did so now I don't use gift cards and I don't use Sqaure Mouth/Tin Leg anymore either. Other insurers I talked to were a bit surprised the gift card portion was not covered too.

 

So far I haven't found anyone who actually filed a claim for trip cancellation and got reimbursed for the amount they paid with gift cards, though I'm still looking.

[grumplin]

Buying from a legitimate RETAILER (Lowe's, Verizon, AARP, Kroger, etc...) is fine... Buying from a RESELLER is where you can have issues.

 

The scam works as follows:

 

1. Crook / Thief has a stolen credit card information and buys the card from either a RETAILER, or Carnival directly, using the stolen credit card.

 

2. The crook / thief then sells the card through a RESELLER. The person who thinks they got a deal pays the RESELLER. The RESELLER holds a small fee, and pays the remaining amount to the crook / thief.

 

3. At some point, the owner of the stolen credit card files a chargeback on their credit card when they notice the charge that was made by the crook/thief.

 

4. The bank / credit card company traces the purchase and demands money back from whoever "sold" the card to the thief/crook.

 

5. If the thief "bought" the card direct from Carnival, Carnival looks up the card number, and reverses any payments made using that gift card. If the thief "bought" the card from a retailer, the retailer more often then not has to pay the bank back for the fraudulent credit card charge. The retailer may or may not ask Carnival to reverse any such purchases made on the card at that point.

 

That wasnt quite how this one worked according to Carnival as far as step one but close enough. This was my first and last experience with this.

[tw67]

I am not allowed to use any gift cards on this booking now including the one I have coming yet from my Carnival credit card. I dont know if this is just for this booking or future bookings.

I was told that it was just for this cruise. What concerns me is that the email I received didn't have a Carnival Logo, had misspellings, had grammer errors, and an incorrect phone number in the body of the email. I also have a travel agent, and she was not notified. All of this was really concerning, because I wasn't sure that this was even legit. In fact, we have two cabins booked, and ordered Cheers with these cards, and they only reached out about one booking.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[grumplin]

I was told that it was just for this cruise. What concerns me is that the email I received didn't have a Carnival Logo, had misspellings, had grammer errors, and an incorrect phone number in the body of the email. I also have a travel agent, and she was not notified. All of this was really concerning, because I wasn't sure that this was even legit. In fact, we have two cabins booked, and ordered Cheers with these cards, and they only reached out about one booking.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

Were yours removed from your booking also? All of mine were removed from my booking and my excursions cancelled. Mine doesnt have the Carnival logo either and is from their collections department. The number checks out when you search it on Carnivals site

[tw67]

Were yours removed from your booking also? All of mine were removed from my booking and my excursions cancelled. Mine doesnt have the Carnival logo either and is from their collections department. The number checks out when you search it on Carnivals site

Yes, all the same for me, the number at the bottom of the email was a good number, but in the body of the letter there was an 800 number that was incorrect.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[tw67]

By the way, giftcardzen is now part of Retail Me Not, and that is a pretty well known website, so becareful if you are going through Retail Me Not for gift cards.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[grumplin]

Here is what the second one said . I added XXX to all the personal info and numbers changed to XXX

Good morning Mrs XXX,

This is to inform you that the 2nd Gift card in the amount of $XXX was also reported as Fraud and we have removed from the booking # XXXXXX in the amount of $XXXX and on this Gift card you used to purchases to other order from the amount of $ XXXX for a shore excursion order that has been cancel and from a Bon Voyage order # XXXX in the amount of $XXX also that was cancel.

 

On your reservation you have a pending balance due in the amount of $ XXX that you would need to replace a new payment and because of that issue that the gift card was reported fraud .

 

This is on our Gift card website: www.carnivalgiftcards.com

 

Carnival Cruise Lines is not responsible for any Gift Cards bought or sold through Craigslist.com, giftcardZen.com or any website facilitating aftermarket sales of pre-gifted or pre-owned items.

 

 

Regards,

 

this was followed by the agents number , extension etc.

[tw67]

Here is what the second one said . I added XXX to all the personal info and numbers changed to XXX

Good morning Mrs XXX,

This is to inform you that the 2nd Gift card in the amount of $XXX was also reported as Fraud and we have removed from the booking # XXXXXX in the amount of $XXXX and on this Gift card you used to purchases to other order from the amount of $ XXXX for a shore excursion order that has been cancel and from a Bon Voyage order # XXXX in the amount of $XXXalso that was cancel.

On your reservation you have a pending balance due in the amount of $ XXX that you would need to replace a new payment and because of that issue that the gift card was reported fraud .

This is on our Gift card website: www.carnivalgiftcards.com

Carnival Cruise Lines is not responsible for any Gift Cards bought or sold through Craigslist.com, giftcardZen.com or any website facilitating aftermarket sales of pre-gifted or pre-owned items.

Regards,

this was followed by the agents number , extension etc.

The email you received was so much more professional then the one I received! Yours had so much more detail. When I get to my laptop I will try to post mine. The last part about gift cards was not on my email!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

[grumplin]

The email you received was so much more professional then the one I received! Yours had so much more detail. When I get to my laptop I will try to post mine. The last part about gift cards was not on my email!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

It was not on my first one either.

[bnorris10]

The email you received was so much more professional then the one I received! Yours had so much more detail. When I get to my laptop I will try to post mine. The last part about gift cards was not on my email!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

 

 

Did you call Carnival about the email you received?

[grumplin]

Did you call Carnival about the email you received?

 

Yes I did. I called the number and extension listed on my first email after googling and making sure it was a real Carnival phone number. She told me the second one was likely fraudulent also but she would get back to me. Hence the second email.

[tw67]

Below is the email that I received from Carnival. In total I had 3 gift cards, that out of the $2000, over $1600 had been applied to the cruise, between the two cabins and purchases for Cheers and a soda package for one child.

 

 

Dear Mrs. XXXXX XXXXX

I was unable to leave a voice message regarding that gift card for amount $ 280.70 were removed from your reservation due to that the gift card was reported fraud.

Below is the gift cards that were removed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX508 08/08/17 600 G -57.80

XXXXXXXXXXXXX490 08/03/17 600 G -222.90

Because of that issue that the gift card was reported fraud we are not allow any Gift card to be had added to your reservation or to be added onboard the ship.

I am requesting if you can Kindly provide proof of purchase( credit card /bank statement ) from 3rd party web site where the gift card were purchase.

If you have any question or concern place contact me at 800-4XX-XXXX Ext # XXXXX

Thank you

[mpdog42]

Are you not renewing in protest of their smart rewards policies?

 

That and Several other Reasons (Political), But Honestly What is the reason to Give away Perks to non members unless the Reason is to try to Obtain More Members(The Real Reason in My Belief)

but I am getting off Topic,

 

Have A Nice Day

 

Mpdog42

[grumplin]

Below is the email that I received from Carnival. In total I had 3 gift cards, that out of the $2000, over $1600 had been applied to the cruise, between the two cabins and purchases for Cheers and a soda package for one child.

 

 

Dear Mrs. XXXXX XXXXX

I was unable to leave a voice message regarding that gift card for amount $ 280.70 were removed from your reservation due to that the gift card was reported fraud.

Below is the gift cards that were removed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX508 08/08/17 600 G -57.80

XXXXXXXXXXXXX490 08/03/17 600 G -222.90

Because of that issue that the gift card was reported fraud we are not allow any Gift card to be had added to your reservation or to be added onboard the ship.

I am requesting if you can Kindly provide proof of purchase( credit card /bank statement ) from 3rd party web site where the gift card were purchase.

If you have any question or concern place contact me at 800-4XX-XXXX Ext # XXXXX

Thank you

 

Yours was very simiiar to my first email about the first card. They also left me voicemail.

 

I'm hoping I hear something from Cashcard soon.

[tw67]

Yours was very simiiar to my first email about the first card. They also left me voicemail.

 

I'm hoping I hear something from Cashcard soon.

 

I hope you do also! Good luck and keep me posted.

[Warm Breezes]

Okay I had a chance to track down the messages I read earlier that put into question whether you get reimbursed for non-refundable charges paid with gift cards:

 

 

 

So far I haven't found anyone who actually filed a claim for trip cancellation and got reimbursed for the amount they paid with gift cards, though I'm still looking.

 

 

 

I'm wondering if they didn't allow the examples you posted because the cards were not purchased with cash but with points.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[bUU]

That's why I'm hoping to find someone who actually had the experience of seeking (and hopefully getting) reimbursement for trip cancellation after having paid with gift cards.

 

This message may have been entered via voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.