Consumer complaint received 2023-05-12
Company: Incomm Holdings Inc.
State: CO
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: General-purpose prepaid card
Issue: Trouble using the card
Sub-issue: Trouble using the card to spend money in a store or online

Complaint:
I bought a Vanilla Visa Gift card at XXXX on XX/XX/2023 for {$100.00}. The total charge including the processing fee was {$100.00}. I gave the card to a girlfriend who later showed me the card and it was defaced. The center of the account number was scratched off and the security code on the back of the card was also scratched off. It does not look like it was done by a machine. My girlfriend did try and use the card at a local grocery store and it would not work. My girlfriend then called the phone number on the back of the card and was told she had to submit a copy of the receipt, copy of the front and back of the card and a photo ID. She told me that she did not feel comfortable sending a photo ID. She gave me back the card since I had the receipt. I met with the XXXX manager on XX/XX/2023 and he told me that XXXX will not accept a return on gift cards. No one told me this when I bought the card on XX/XX/2023 and there was nothing on the receipt about this policy. The XXXX was nice enough to call the phone number on the back of the card while I was in the store. We were on hold XXXX minutes before someone answered. His name was XXXX. XXXX told us the same thing he had told my girlfriend. I told him I would not send a photo ID and asked to speak with a supervisor and he put us on hold for another XXXX minutes. We hung up at that time. The XXXX XXXX then told me he thought I could dispute the charge. I found out later that the Vanilla Visa Gift card processing company is XXXX. 
I decided to call the company, XXXX again. I found a different phone number on the XXXX website and called on XX/XX/2023. I was on hold for another XXXX minutes before a woman named XXXX answered. She said the same thing as XXXX. When I told her I felt very uncomfortable sending my photo ID, she told me I could skip that step. She gave me a case number which I can provide you if needed. She told me that it would take them XXXX business days to research. I emailed the copy of my receipt, copy front and back of the card and a copy of the front of the packaging to XXXX on XX/XX/2023. BTW, if you XXXX reviews of XXXX, the average rating is XXXX. That is terrible! When I did not hear anything, I called XXXX again on XX/XX/2023 and spoke with XXXX. I was on hold XXXX minutes. He said they had received my documents and my claim was still in process. He said it takes XXXX business days to get a response. I told him that XXXX business days was XX/XX/2023. He asked if I had sent all the documents including my photo ID. I explained again that I felt very uncomfortable sending my photo ID because his company 's quality control was suspect because of the defaced gift card. I was also very worried that his company would try and steal my identity. He told me he was sure I would get the replacement gift card sometime the week of XX/XX/XXXX. He also told me that I don't have to call in the future but I can email XXXX. I emailed them on XX/XX/2023 and asked for an update. As of XX/XX/2023, I have not received the replacement gift card or any response from XXXX. On XX/XX/2023, I did file a claim to dispute the charge with my credit card company that I used to buy the gift card initially. Unfortunately, if my claim is approved, it only hurts XXXX. It does nothing to address the terrible experience I have had ( and others have had ) with XXXX. I have told a number of my friends and family about this and told them never to buy a Vanilla Visa gift card.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation