Consumer complaint received 2022-09-20
Company: Incomm Holdings Inc.
State: NY
Product: Credit card or prepaid card
Sub-product: Gift card
Issue: Problem with a purchase or transfer
Sub-issue: Charged for a purchase or transfer you did not make with the card

Complaint:
I was given a {$500.00} Vanilla Visa gift card. Around XX/XX/XXXX, I discovered when the card was rejected by a vendor that the card did not have the balance I had expected. I then tried to register online with Vanilla via its website to obtain information about the card 's transactions but the card # was rejected online. Further, I called the number printed on the card, and the most appropriate recorded voice prompt/option only provided the dates and amounts of the last five charges, not any information about the entities charging, not even their names. I was able to determine that on XX/XX/XXXX, {$23.00}, was charged to my card but was unknown/unauthorized, leaving a balance of {$160.00}. Subsequently, I spent days trying to obtain information about the company or entity that charged the {$23.00}. However, the Vanilla website continued to reject my credit card #, and the telephone number did not produce a live person or the information I sought. 
On XX/XX/XXXX, I called Visa customer service, spoke to XXXX who attempted to contact Vanilla on my behalf, unsuccessfully. He filed an incident report to submit to Vanilla and suggested that I call Vanilla, again, and choose the option for " stolen cards. '' That same day, I tried Vanilla, and followed XXXX 's advice. I finally spoke to live person, XXXX of Vanilla, who informed me that XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX billed that {$23.00}, but she had no telephone # for the company. Being unfamiliar with that company, I filed a telephone complaint with Vanilla, via that representative, who explained to me that the {$160.00} left on my card will be on hold for ONE WEEK while they investigate the disputed {$23.00} and that after one week I must call an additional time to have the card activated again. 
On XXXX, I called Vanilla as instructed to activate the remaining undisputed {$160.00} balance. On that day, I spoke to another rep, XXXX, from Vanilla who informed me that no investigation began, that I must report the details of the complaint to her again via telephone, and then wait to receive a written form, complete that, and return it. She then assigned # case # XXXX to my complaint and told me that after Vanilla receives the completed written form the investigation ensues but I must wait up to an additional 90 days after that receipt of the form for a decision regarding the {$23.00} charge AND the release of my {$160.00} card balance! 
There is no reason to hold {$160.00} of MY funds for 90 more days while they investigate {$23.00}! Notably, Vanilla added an extra week to this waiting period by not filing my telephone complaint and not submitting the written form to me when I first spoke to its rep on XX/XX/XXXX, not to mention the days and time I spent prior to that attempting to reach them via online and telephone about the disputed charge. 
I even asked Vanilla if they could just issue immediately another card for the {$160.00}, while we await the determination regarding the {$23.00} charg

e. Vanilla said no. I complain about the delay to investigate and refusal to promptly release the {$160.00} for my use- to be denied funds that are undisputedly mine for a total of over 100 days is unacceptable.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation