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Something similar happened to a MasterCard gift card that I gave my husband for his birthday. It was for $250. It was a physical card. He waited several months to use it and also found the balance was zero.
We called customer service and found out it was used to buy groceries online from a store in California (and we live in Florida). The thief was clever, having registered the card online so no physical card was needed.
Fortunately, MasterCard reimbursed us, but it took about 6 months to resolve the issue. We were asked if we had filed a police report, which we hadn’t, and were informed we didn’t have to. Since I bought the card, I had to provide the receipt, showing when and where purchased, a copy of my drivers license to prove my identity and address, and a statement of loss. All the back and forth of investigating, verifying, calling back and forth, etc. all took time.
MasterCard finally mailed us a new physical card which we promptly registered and used! What I learned is that if you get a gift card, register it online so if someone tries to use it, they need your password and will have a harder time getting through. And use it promptly.
My google search at the time showed this type of theft is not unusual. Sometimes it’s an inside job. Sometimes mad hackers are using algorithms hoping to hit a jackpot on a successful set of random numbers.
At any rate, we’ve given up on gift cards for more than $100. Although I wonder with inflation if thieves will hit the $25-$75 range now too.
Good luck to you and hope you have a successful outcome.
Something similar happened to a MasterCard gift card that I gave my husband for his birthday. It was for $250. It was a physical card. He waited several months to use it and also found the balance was zero.
We called customer service and found out it was used to buy groceries online from a store in California (and we live in Florida). The thief was clever, having registered the card online so no physical card was needed.
Fortunately, MasterCard reimbursed us, but it took about 6 months to resolve the issue. We were asked if we had filed a police report, which we hadn’t, and were informed we didn’t have to. Since I bought the card, I had to provide the receipt, showing when and where purchased, a copy of my drivers license to prove my identity and address, and a statement of loss. All the back and forth of investigating, verifying, calling back and forth, etc. all took time.
MasterCard finally mailed us a new physical card which we promptly registered and used! What I learned is that if you get a gift card, register it online so if someone tries to use it, they need your password and will have a harder time getting through. And use it promptly.
My google search at the time showed this type of theft is not unusual. Sometimes it’s an inside job. Sometimes mad hackers are using algorithms hoping to hit a jackpot on a successful set of random numbers.
At any rate, we’ve given up on gift cards for more than $100. Although I wonder with inflation if thieves will hit the $25-$75 range now too.
Good luck to you and hope you have a successful outcome.
That's ridiculous it took that long. $250 isn't chump change. It's one thing if it's under $50 but over that should be a quick process, especially during COVID.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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You can't expect SWA (or any merchant) to be your 'policeman',
Unfortunately, our society caters to a lot of fraud, and there seems no way to prove this card was not legitimately used for the current booking. Bean counters will claim... someone got the specific info (and code) and booked against this card.
I have very fair discussions and resolutions with SWA (A-list preferred / companion pass holder), but I know what they would have to tell me in this case. (Tho a 'privileged' customer since 1980's who spends more than $10k / yr with them.)
"Sorry... this booking appears to legitimately be authorized." (Tho it may not have been).
4,000 flights / day @ 150 passengers / flight = a lot of daily customers to handle/
134m SWA passengers carried in 2020.
I'm very surprised and pleased that they do as well as they do in customer service.
There are herds of professional scammers they must screen out daily.
Good luck with your quest. It's certainly worth your effort to correct. I just don't know what SWA can do for you, (Apart from verifying the reservation properly utilized your gift card).
Hmm good point, worth opening a Twitter account just for that. Hopefully I hear from them by early next week, thanks
I don't use Twitter, but had to open an account to get a problem resolved, because I kept getting the runaround. After I contacted the company, my problem was resolved in 24 hours.
I don't use Twitter, but had to open an account to get a problem resolved, because I kept getting the runaround. After I contacted the company, my problem was resolved in 24 hours.
Was you problem with a gift card/cash equivalents or somehow relevant to the OP issue?
Someone from the SW gift card department called and said they have been investigating and continue to be patient. He gave me some sense of assurance that they will either issue another gift card or travel credit. Still no timeline but will call back soon.
I convey to him I’m that their mercy in terms of communication with a relations specialist for SW has no other phone number besides their normal book a flight number. Fingers crossed
Someone from the SW gift card department called and said they have been investigating and continue to be patient. He gave me some sense of assurance that they will either issue another gift card or travel credit. Still no timeline but will call back soon.
I convey to him I’m that their mercy in terms of communication with a relations specialist for SW has no other phone number besides their normal book a flight number. Fingers crossed
Did you get their name and phone number? Did you ever file a police report? I'd even consider filing some sort of internet theft if I could figure out how to do it.
I would have tweeted and posted on Facebook too about the horrible experience.
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