American Express Gift Card Fairy or Fraud - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Mistress · #1 10-15-2009, 08:24 PM

the suspense is killing me.....I get two American Express Gift cards tonight when i get home via UPS. I freaked- I didn't order these and checked my balance on both my credit cards and nada, zip no balance. I get on the phone with American Express and got transferred, left on hold 20 minutes and disconnected. Call back again and get a supervisor, I tell him what the letter says with the reference number on the letter and it was determined that someone sent these to me...I got two gift cards for 100.00 each outta the blue literally. By the time i got off the phone with them i had foam coming outta my mouth. What do you guys think? Naturally I think fraud...

The Clk Man · #2 10-15-2009, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

the suspense is killing me.....I get two American Express Gift cards tonight when i get home via UPS. I freaked- I didn't order these and checked my balance on both my credit cards and nada, zip no balance. I get on the phone with American Express and got transferred, left on hold 20 minutes and disconnected. Call back again and get a supervisor, I tell him what the letter says with the reference number on the letter and it was determined that someone sent these to me...I got two gift cards for 100.00 each outta the blue literally. By the time i got off the phone with them i had foam coming outta my mouth. What do you guys think? Naturally I think fraud...

Don't worry, I sent them to you for being so nice to me at Chad's GTG. NOT!!!!! be careful. I suspect that they are fake also.

Hatterasguy · #3 10-15-2009, 08:29 PM

AFAIK Amex giftcards are pre paid...so go shopping!

Mistress · #4 10-15-2009, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy_Nate

There might be a number on the back that you can call to check the balance on the card

I checked and its a gift. the frustrating part was dealing with customer service in India....o.k. back to the Dodgers game. Yeah buddy 1-0 Dodgers......wooot wooot.

Crazy_Nate · #5 10-15-2009, 08:42 PM

Yeah, I just re-read the first post. Ah, the wonders of outsourcing customer service. You could always just use it for something you'd normally buy, and wait and see.

Mistress · #6 10-15-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy_Nate

Yeah, I just re-read the first post. Ah, the wonders of outsourcing customer service. You could always just use it for something you'd normally buy, and wait and see.

I checked and neither of my credit cards had been charged.....this is just weird. Of course on the other hand it's sad that the first thought i have is fraud and not someone doing something especially nice for me.....

amosfella · #7 10-15-2009, 09:16 PM

Some times, good things happen to bad people....

Mistress · #8 10-16-2009, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amosfella

Some times, good things happen to bad people....

are you talking about the Dodgers disgrace at 8-6 last night???? Mystery solved- someone I did work for decided to pay me in Gift Cards....thanks for the input guys.

Matt L · #9 10-16-2009, 10:38 AM

It could be an attempt at theft from someone else.

Order the cards with a stolen credit card and send them to someone else. Then intercept their mail and take the cards. That way the thief doesn't have his name anywhere on the trail.

If you don't know the giver, this is almost certain.

Medmech · #10 10-16-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mistress

I checked and its a gift. the frustrating part was dealing with customer service in India....o.k. back to the Dodgers game. Yeah buddy 1-0 Dodgers......wooot wooot.

When you call tell the auto operator "lost or stolen card" you get Americans on the phone pronto.

mgburg · #11 10-16-2009, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt L

It could be an attempt at theft from someone else. ... Order the cards with a stolen credit card and send them to someone else. Then intercept their mail and take the cards. That way the thief doesn't have his name anywhere on the trail. ... If you don't know the giver, this is almost certain.

True...

You could try to contact your local Post Office and see if they're in the process of investigating "pillfered mail" or the like...

I'd sit on the cards for about a week...save the packaging just in case...

If no one comes knocking on your door (or knocking your door down), then I'd say you should be in the clear.

But you're right in the one sense...we've gone so far down-hill as a society that we now have to look at the gift-horse as a "stampeding terror" instead of the "fun ride" that it should have been...

Mistress · #12 10-17-2009, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Medmech

When you call tell the auto operator "lost or stolen card" you get Americans on the phone pronto.

Funny you should mention that....i had foam coming out of my mouth by the time i tried to esplain this to a non-american

compress ignite · #13 10-18-2009, 12:06 AM

As another earlier reply stated Amex Gift cards are Pre-Paid
(Think: Money Order).GUARANTEED.No Chance at Revocation.

Granted, they're not as nice as the Amex Traveler's Checks...
['Had replacement checks hand delivered by courier 2 hrs after loss,Outside of CONUS]