Beware!! Word of Warning on M/C gift cards being advertised by Publix!! So....I thought I was being savvy by buying a prepaid $50 M/C gift card when they were on sale at Publix. You know... the ones being advertised in their weekly flyers that if you buy one, you will get $10 off your grocery bill. They have a $4.95 activation fee, but if I get $10 off my groceries, then minus the activation fee, I still save $5.05 off my groceries and I have a card to use at the gas pumps. I have been reluctant to use a credit/debit card at the pump due to high-level skimmer activity in my area. I registered the card online and on 09 Sep, I went to use it at a Hess. After I punched in my info...it said I had no funds available on the card. I thought it was a glitch...so I tried it next at my local Walgreens. No joy! I looked online today and it said there was a pending $50 charge at the same gas station I had tried to use it at. Called customer service and was told you cant use it at the pumps, because it automatically puts a $50 hold on the card...which is what it did. You have to go inside to use it. Really? If it is a PRE-PAID card, then why is there a hold? It gets better... The funds wont be released until 21 Sep....12 days from when I tried to use it! To say I was mad is an understatement....so I asked the poor woman working in customer service, what else? She said what do you mean? I said what else do these cards take/hold automatically from people? She told me that if the card is used in ANY tip-based merchant (restaurant, salon, etc..) there is an automatic hold/charge of 15%, if you want it or not. If the vendor/merchant determines a cash tip was left instead, then they will release that 15% hold...12-15 DAYS LATER!!!! Am I the only one who didnt know this was going on with gift cards? I was clueless.... I then asked the customer service woman how else my money was being hijacked and used to gain interest illegally for a company like MasterCard...but at that point she was nervous and and ready to get off the phone. Please be aware and spread this far and wide. I paid $50 for this card on the first, and now I wont be able to use it until the 21st....with no cash advance feature...what can I use it for now that wont tie up a balance so the company can gain more interest. This is ridiculous! If everyone knew this but me...then pardon me for the rant, and I really need to get out more!
Posted on: Thu, 11 Sep 2014 19:32:23 +0000
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