Consumer complaint received 2021-10-27
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: GA
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:
XX/XX/XXXX : I purchased a VISA gift card in the amount of {$75.00} on XX/XX/XXXX at XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, GA XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX using my XXXX Visa card. The gift card # is XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I kept the gift card in the cardboard encasement and gave it as a gift to someone who kept it securely until she was ready to use it. 
Approx. XX/XX/XXXX : The giftee attempted to use the card at a business and was told by the merchant that the card had never been activated. She then called the number for XXXXISA on the back of the card and was told the same : it had never been activated. VISA offered no resolution other than return it to the person who gave it to you and tell them to take it back to the store where it was purchased. 
XX/XX/XXXX : The giftee returned the card to me on XX/XX/XXXX. I called the XXXX store and asked to speak to the manager. After getting the run-around from customer service, I was told there was nothing they could do and to call back tomorrow when the manager was on duty. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I spoke to XXXX XXXX, the store manager. He said it was against XXXX policy to deal with card activation issues. He told me to call XXXX. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I called XXXX and was given a number for XXXX finance department to call later, when they would be open. The reps name was XXXX, who noted that counterfeiting of gift cards was a common problem ; this could be such a case. 
XX/XX/XXXX : The first XXXX finance person I spoke to, XXXX, said that she could see that the card was in fact activated on the date of purchase, and then used in XXXX, KY on XX/XX/XXXX. I told her this is not what Visa said their position was that it had never been loaded or activated. She said Visa was wrong, but I must call VISA at the number she gave me. That number was no good and I had to call back and get a correct phone number. This 2nd XXXX contact provided the card ID ( aka XXXX ) of XXXX, stating I would need to provide this number to VISA along with the gift card number. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I called the VISA number that XXXX provided : XXXX. I reached on offshore help desk that was of no help at all they insisted that I go back to the store. I had to repeatedly insist on speaking to a supervisor. When the supervisor named XXXX finally came on the line after 15 minutes of waiting, he was difficult to communicate with and kept changing what he wanted me to do. He finally agreed that it appeared to be a counterfeiting/fraud problem especially because the card was used in a faraway state and said I needed to open a dispute. He said he would send me a form right away, but I did not get it, nor would he give me his name or a case #. ( I did get a XXXX case number ( XXXX ), but no one has followed up from XXXX, either. ) XXXX gave a time frame of 90 days to resolve, which is ridiculous. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I received a letter from the Visa Prepaid Deptpartment stating my dispute was resolved and that I had received a credit to my account on XX/XX/XXXX. I assumed by account, this meant my own credit card on which I purchased the giftcard. Since there was no such credit on my own card, I called the Giftcard Visa dept to ask about this. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Spoke with 2 different reps at the VISA giftcard dept : Per XXXX, at XXXX XXXX ET, {$75.00} was on the card, she just needed to activate it. She said to wait 20 min to an hour, then check the balance online to confirm the {$75.00} was loaded. 
XX/XX/XXXX : At XXXX XXXX ET, I checked the balance on the gift card. Its was {$0.00}. 
XX/XX/XXXX : Called Visa again at XXXX XXXX  ET. Representative " XXXX '' agreed there was no balance on the card but said the CID had been linked to an entirely different VISA giftcard, not the one in my possession. She stated that my giftcard was linked to a different CID! She could explain how or why this could have happened. I informed her that the CID I was given was confirmed by XXXX XXXX, was also confirmed by XXXX when I opened the dispute, and was also the number written on the dispute resolution letter than I received. XXXX said she would have to send me an entirely new gift card with {$75.00} loaded and it would take 10 business days. Net, the letter I got was definitely not closure to this case. No one ever loaded the card I had in my possession or confirmed it was linked to the CID I was given. I was lied to by XXXX, the previous rep when she stated the card was loaded and now activated. 
XX/XX/XXXX : I called back the next day to see if I would get the same story, since I have heard multiple conflicting stories from this Visa outfit. I spoke to XXXX, who said I would be getting a new card which I will then have to activate myself, and as a result, the giftee will not be able to check the balance on because the card will be registered in my name, whatever that means. 
In conclusion, I have no confidence that I will ever receive compensation for my loss. I want a refund, not a newly loaded gift card anyway. I am not going to embarrass myself further by giving someone a gift that ends up being so problematic and wasteful of everyone 's time. I believe this Visa giftcard organization is a scam.

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation