Consumer complaint received 2016-04-15
Company: DISCOVER BANK
State: FL
Product: Credit card
Issue: Rewards

Complaint:
I participated in the promotion that Discover ran in the end of 2015. They promised to give 10 % back for all purchases made using XXXX. 
I personally invested more than {$500.00} into XXXX phone just to participate in this promotion. 
I made XXXX purchases using XXXX on my Discover card ending XXXX and XXXX purchases using XXXX on my Discover card ending XXXX. 
However, only XXXX transactions on card ending XXXX and XXXX transactions on card ending XXXX have earned 10 % cashback. 
Later I received emails from Discover stating that some of my transactions contained gift card purchases ( without any proof for that statement ) and asking me to submit receipts in order to get 10 % cashback for non-giftcard portions. 
It was never required by Terms and Conditions that the customer must keep all receipts from stores in order to get cashback, so obviously I did n't keep them. 
Transactions that have not received any cashback are : from card ending XXXX : XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$1000.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$1000.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$490.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX XXXX {$470.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX XXXX {$310.00} from card ending XXXX : XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$570.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$490.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$410.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX {$500.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX XXXX {$240.00} XXXX/XXXX/15 XXXX XXXX {$230.00} I believe that Discover has engaged in unfair practices by imposing " burdensome requirements '' on consumers in connection with its suggestion that receipts need to be submitted in order to claim the rewards offered under the promotion. The terms and conditions governing the Discover promotion in question have never outwardly stated that the consumer needed to keep receipts. 
This promotion is referenced on Discover 's website : under the XXXX FAQ section of Discover 's website. The relevant details are under the " Earn Rewards '' section : " What are the details for the 10 % Cashback Bonus ( R ) promotion? Cashback Bonus Earn an extra 10 % Cashback Bonus on up to {$10000.00} of in-store purchases when you use your Discover card with XXXX now through XXXX/XXXX/15. Excludes gift card purchases. No sign up needed. Rewards earned are in addition to your standard rewards and are added to your Cashback Bonus account within XXXX billing periods. See Cashback Bonus Program Terms and Conditions for more information. '' https : //www.discover.com/credit-card XXXX : //www.discover.com/credit-card ... -it-miles.html THE PERVASIVE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM The gift card exclusion was added several days after the promotion was launched ( unfair and deceptive practice ) Discover is now blanket rejecting purchases above a certain amount Discover is requiring customers to retain receipts Discover does not have the requirement to keep receipts in the Terms and Conditions governing the promotion This is a blatant attack on consumer privacy The burden of proof is shifted to the consumer, instead of the credit card company If Discover wants to exclude gift cards, they need to do it accurately and automatically, without the need of receipts being sent into Discover. 

Discovers actions are Unfair, Deceptive and Abusive under XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX defines an " unfair '' act or practice as follows : The act or practice causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers. 
The injury is not reasonably avoidable by consumers. 
The injury is not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition. 
Section XXXX outlines deceptive. The Bureau 's articulation of " deceptive '' follows the FTC 's ; beginning with the inclusion not only of acts or practices but also representations and omissions. There is not just an obligation to avoid lying ( which Discover is clearly doing

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation