Consumer complaint received 2017-06-05
Product: Credit card or prepaid card — Gift card
Issue: Trouble using the card — Trouble getting information about the card
Company: First Data Corporation (NY)

I am the owner of XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX. My store is a XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX in XXXX, NY. I opened the business in XX/XX/XXXX. I purchased a POS ( Point of Sale ) system from a company called First Data. At that time I received 25 free gift cards to sample ( sell to our customers ). After selling the gift cards ( the original 25 ) I went back to First Data and purchased 1000 gift cards. I also had them printed with the store 's logo on them. The Gift Cards are sold through a division of First Data called XXXX. <P/>During the four year period occasionally I would have to call First Data Technical Support or XX/XX/XXXX XXXX, their tech support number is XXXX to get help with a gift card. At times a customer would get a gift card for a gift and come into the store, shop and use the gift card to pay for their purchase. Again, at times the gift card would not work so I had to call the tech support number. When this would happen a technician would take over my POS ( through remote access ) and would proceed to look for the gift card in question and then verify the amount and help " push '' through the sale. <P/>In XX/XX/XXXX I had a customer come in and she presented with a gift card. At the point of sale the gift card did not work. I then called the technical support number and asked for assistance. It was brought to my attention that my service contract expired in XX/XX/XXXX. I explained to them that I did not get a letter, e-mail or any correspondence from them indicating my service contract expired. I was told that I had to pay {$940.00} ( yearly contract ) or {$79.00} per month before they could help me. I explained that at that point I had been with First Data since XX/XX/XXXXand because the customer was standing in front of me could we get this resolved and then we could discuss the expired contract. The response was " no '' and I was then transferred to the accounting department where an agent was waiting to collect my credit card information. <P/>I declined at this point and had to explain to the customer I needed to research her gift card and would be in touch by the end of the day. After comparing the cost of the service contract and also realizing we were not chip card compliant I decided it was time to get a new POS. First Data purchased a company called XXXX. I called and spoke with a sales agent named XXXX XXXX. She works for XXXX and told me that First Data was the parent company. I explained the situation about my old POS system and the gift card situation. I was told by XXXX that this would not be an issue as my gift card entitlement number XXXX would not change and going forward it would be all set. <P/>After many e-mails, telephone calls, it became apparent that the gift cards that were sold on the old POS system were not going to transfer over to the new XXXX system even though I was told they would. It also was discovered that the XXXX cards sold on the old First Data POS did not match up to the Gift Card Report that could be pulled from the old POS System. In other words the XXXX gift card number on the back of the card would read XXXX but the report would show entirely different numbers ie ( XXXX ). I inquired about this huge discrepancy and was told that the numbers were encrypted to protect me the merchant from theft. Huh? Fast forward to now and not one single person at XXXX XXXX can give me a report with the correct card numbers on them. As of today I have {$8500.00} outstanding gift cards out in the universe. As of today, I have no tech support in place to help me identify these cards if someone comes in with a problem. <P/>After several failed attempts to work with all the various departments at XXXX and First Data, I sent an e-mail to the CEO of First Data. I sent this e-mail to XXXX XXXX onXX/XX/XXXX. On Tuesday, XX/XX/XXXX I was contacted by XXXX XXXX, Client Manager, XXXX XXXX XXXX - contact number is XXXX ext XXXX. XXXX informed me that my e-mail was received and began to apologize and assured me that we were going to get things resolved by the end of the day. After getting other issues that I had resolved the XXXX Gift Card issue as it turned out would not be resolved by the end of the day. This was when I was introduced to a Escalations Technical Support person by the name of XXXX. From XX/XX/XXXX - the end ofXX/XX/XXXX I spent everyday speaking with either XXXX or XXXX about this Gift Card issue. XXXX was able to identify through the people at XXXX XXXX that the Gift Cards were never set up properly and that at this point I had no recourse. I was told that when the Gift Cards arrive ( almost 2 years ago ) that there was a sheet of paper in the box and I was supposed to call the number and have the technician set up the gift cards. I explained to them that there was never a sheet of paper in the box and that I was never told by a XXXX XXXX tech support worker that my cards were set up incorrectly. I even said that with the recorded history of my calls into tech support over the past four years not one single person said the cards were set up incorrectly. <P/>So, here we are, XX/XX/XXXX. I am operating 2 POS systems ( because I can only redeem the gift cards sold prior to XX/XX/XXXX on the old POS system. I was told by XXXX XXXX that they agreed to pay for the service contract on the old POS system to help get us through the outstanding Gift Cards ( if there is a problem ) and that as of Friday, First Data, XXXX XXXX, XXXX and XXXX have exhausted all avenues in providing a resolution to this problem. I was also told by XXXX that we would have one more call today, Monday XX/XX/XXXX with the highest level of tech support to see if anything can be done to resolve the gift card issue. It is XXXX XXXX and I have not heard from him or her. <P/>I am asking for XXXX XXXX, First Data, XXXX and XXXX to provide me with a Gift Card report that shows all of the sold, unredeemed cards out there with their balances and correct gift card numbers so that I can shut down the old system and get the Gift Cards transferred to the new system. I am asking that First Data as they promised to re-instate the service contract and pay the {$940.00} that I was told they were going to do. I am asking that this entire group provide me the merchant, with a viable solution that does not leave me exposed to the possibility of theft. I have no way to check a gift card if there is a problem with it. A customer can walk in and tell me they have {$200.00} on a card and in reality only have {$20.00} left on the card. This situation prevents me from protecting my business.To date they claim this ca n't be done. I also explained that Gift Cards must be honored for five years to which the response was XXXX Gift Cards are only good for two years. I explained as a business owner in New York State we honor all of our gift cards regardless to when they were sold. We collected that money and the customer is entitled to cash it in whenever they see fit. <P/>I am also looking for a thorough investigation into their practices as a Merchant Service Card Provider. I am at a loss for words that a company that sells Gift Cards does not have the proper protocols in place to address Gift Card issues when they arise. The amount of time I have spent since XX/XX/XXXX until present is unacceptable. Thank you for your time and consideration. <P/>Regards. <P/>XXXX ( XXXX ) XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, NY XXXX XXXX XXXX.XXXX@XXXX.XXXX