Vanilla Prepaid Cards Reviews

Worst customer service I have ever dealt with in my entire life. Have been trying for 3 months now to get card replaced that was tampered with and the money stolen off of and then the package put back together. They even scratched off 2 numbers of the card. Transactions made in person in California. I live in Louisiana. Have been given the runaround for 3 months and finally got a supervisor on the phone tonight who is doing the same thing. I think the whole place must be run by scam artists and they will never resolve your issue or replace your card. And the automated system to get a live person on the phone? The most frustrating thing to deal with. I will never buy a Vanilla card again and will make sure my family knows not to ever buy one either.

Got 100 gift card from a friend. When open it numbers in front was missing. I called, reported in October, got new card in January 2024 and still doesn't work. This company is fraud. Can't even got online to verify the amount

We bought a Vanilla gift card in early December of 2023. The card was damaged and we contacted vanilla gift card for a replacement. The gift card we had bought was $100 one and the replacement card sent had a zero balance on it. We contacted vanilla gift card again and they took the money off on the 13th of December. Every time we contact them they say they're going to put it back on the card and never have. A total scam. They will steal your money. Do not buy vanilla gift card!

We paid $75 cash for a Vanilla prepaid Visa gift card 6 months ago at a store. Every attempt to use it at a store or online it was declined. Each time it was declined I had to use an alternative form of payment (my checking account), since the card wouldn’t work. We contacted the company, she confirmed it still had $75 available and they said it was a bad card, and would send a replacement card with the $75 on it. If we had issues again, to call and they would just reference the notes. We received the replacement card today (10 days later) with only 5 cents on it!! I called to activate it and report the missing funds. They are now making me go through a dispute process, taking 90 days, just to get our money back, “maybe”. What a joke. This company should be reported and closed. They are making money off of fraudulently saying cards went through on transactions, and they clearly didn’t! DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON them!!!

The Prepaid Visa card never works. I got it to go through on Amazon 1 time after trying multiple days, now it won’t work for anything. A complete waste of money and a scam!! Do not buy from Vanilla unless you want a useless piece of plastic and a waste of you or your loved ones' hard earned money.

Lack of security, The Prepaid Vanilla Card was drained before I used it. And Visa is not doing anything about it. why is it still being sold to consumers? Filing a complaint for fraudulent transactions is useless since you don't get your money back. All you get is "Sorry this happened to you".

They are scammers! I have a gift card that I let expire (exp: 06/22- I totally forgot about it). I never opened the packaging to even expose the card number. I recently found the card and read on the back where it said expired cards will be replaced upon request. When I called to have it replaced I was told there was some kind of issue with the card and I need to provide the receipt. It was a gift I didn't buy it (which should be obvious "gift card"). I was told because there was an issue with a card that I'd never opened it can't be replaced. I figure this is what the scammers tell everyone and they keep the money for themselves. (Just apply it to another card and keep it) So if you don't like giving money away do not purchase.

This is a big rip off, did not work for me, it was always difficult to use, worst customer service, to get your money back, they give you a number and three weeks for you to get your money back, if you're a senior planning to use this card for food or anything online, it’s not going to happen, save yourself the aggravation! THE WORST!!!!

Received a card of about $400 as a Christmas present. First time I tried to use it at a bookstore, the card declined and would not read. Decided to order the books online, and it did go through but didn't charge me properly for the orders at first. One book came dented and ruined, so I returned it. I absolutely could not (and still cannot) use my card because of this. I have returned items without incident using these cards before, but now the card will not work at all. I called the number and spoke to a representative, who said that the card was "on hold" and that she would remove the block. Support did absolutely nothing, and it is still on hold. I shouldn't need to make repeated calls to fix an issue that should take only a minute or two, given how fast she sped through my whole problem and hung up!

I purchased personalized physical gift cards for my nephews on December 14th, intending to use them as Christmas gifts. Unfortunately the cards did not arrive in time for Christmas. Ten days after my purchase, I contacted customer service several times, facing a significant challenge in reaching them. I was advised to allow an additional 3 days due to carrier issues, with a call back request after this time. I had to call them back, I was asked to wait an additional 15 days due to delays related to the holiday season, a factor not explicitly mentioned in their policy. Despite this extended delay, the cards remain undelivered. It is important to note that this is an envelope and not a large 5 ton package!

Absolutely hands down the worse gift card in the entire world. Visa you should be ashamed to have your name attached to this. I received a Vanilla Visa Gift Card in the amount of 400.00 as a gift. You cannot use this card to pay most bills and there is always some kind of issue with it. I went to make a 2.99 purchase at a grocery store and was told the transaction has been declined. How is this possible? I know I have 400.00 on this card. I called to check my balance and to my surprise the representative said that my balance was .99. I come to find out that a purchase was made using my card (although I had it in my possession the whole time) at an art gallery in Florida. I live in Texas by the way.

It's an absolute piece of trash. I got it as a birthday present recently, and I tried buying something online, but it was declined. At first, I thought that it was something on my side, but it's been 4 days since, and I can wholeheartedly say that the card is a piece of trash. You can't buy anything online with it, and the website keeps crashing. If you want to buy this for someone, don't.

Twice this Vanilla gift card was stolen when I called to activate it. I called the number on the sticker directly on the gift card. And both times the money was gone. The scam are the people directly working for the company in the South Asia. Shame on you VISA for having your name attached to this scam. I wish I could tell everyone not to buy this product.

I received $250 worth of Vanilla visa gift card and they're the worst gift card you can ever receive. Every online store I try to use at, the card gets declined. This card company should be put out of business for fraudulent reasons. I'm surprised they're selling at so many grocery stores. People have no idea when they purchase it for others because it's an absolute waste for the receiver. I agree with another reviewer, that give this gift card to someone you hate. Trust me receiver of the gift card will only curse you. Please ban this company from doing business. They're pure frauds.

There is no worse company on the entire planet. My daughter received hundreds of dollars worth of these gift cards for her graduation gifts in May of 2023. Being the wonderful parents that we are, after hearing her complain about "how hard it was to use them online or at the movies or at a restaurant", we decided to purchase them from her. I figured I would just put them on Amazon and we would use them as we spent Amazon money. Well, there is one serious flaw in that plan. In order to spend the entire card, you have to know the balance. AND, in order to know the balance, you need the incredibly terrible Vanilla Gift Card company to tell you the balance. On several separate occasions, I have tried to check my balance online and on every single times, the website claims to be "experiencing difficulties". I have also taken these cards to the movies, restaurants, retail stores, and tried to use them online. They work about half the time.

The only way you give someone a Vanilla Gift card is if you hate them. They will have nothing but trouble and probably not get the full amount out of the card. Vanilla is absolutely the worst gift card on the planet and does not work 90% of the times you use it. If you're lucky you can use it online but it will never work in a dept. / grocery store. They should be put out of business, just read all the reviews here.

I recently had a charge on my Vanilla Gift card that was not mine. I contacted the company to review the charges. After 2 1/2 months I received an email stating they could not reissue my money on the card because the investigation proved to be valid. I contacted the company by phone and ask for details. The lady stated she did not have any details.

We have issues every time we receive a Vanilla gift card! These cards decline in person, on line, etc. They are stealing our money!!! My card is activated and has a pin set up yet it declines. I’ve tried like 30+ places.

3/4 the money went missing off the card so I filed a complaint, trying to figure out what happen. They then locked the card. Keeping me from the rest of my money. No one on the phone has been able to give me any info and the online service always says "system error" so they have some 61$ from a 12yo child. And people are worried about thugs in the streets.

The worst gift card and customer service I never seen before, first card isn't included the cvv. Second one declined for every activation so stay away from Vanilla gift card. You will lose your money.

We run a Giving Tree program for impoverished families and request Visa Gift Cards for individuals. We have been mortified to have organizations or individuals contact us letting us know the cards did not work or the balance was zero (even with the receipt). My colleague has spent that past 3 hours trying to get through on customer service. This feels like a total scam- and for our organization, the well meaning donor was scammed out of their donation of $50-$100, and worse, the recipient in need does not have access to the donation.

I was thinking about purchasing a $1000 card to send to my son but after a friend of mine told me they purchased an $800 card and it did not work, they don't talk to her, they ask for things that are ridiculous and then don't contact her. I think this place is a total scam. I am going to ask my friend to refer this to the FCC and Better Business Bureau. Stay away from this place. It's not reputable. Any positive reviews are probably from their own workers.

How disgusting and inconsiderate is it to keep selling these cards if everyone and I mean everyone is complaining about being robbed from this company. This is wrong in so many ways the card should not be sold. I am out on $400 for my daughter’s Christmas which WAS supposed to be for a new coat and boots for the winter. This is disgusting that we have to wait 90 days. I will not!!! I am ready to take court action. There are too many complaints here for this to not have been taken care of before. This is the most frustrating thing I have ever dealt with with any type of business ever. This is inhumane.

Updated on 02/18/2024: So I'm updating my review. I purchased my 250.00 card in December before Christmas and can't use card as says compromised. Called company with several hang ups on me. So did a review on here in January. Was contacted next day to show proof of purchase, etc. Sent them all required information. I am still waiting to hear back from them when I will get my money back or a new 250.00 card. I will never purchase their cards again. Worst customer service.

Failure at every turn. Called the card number, went online to search for answers. 'Cause the amount I was using the card for was greater than the card amount,no answers. Used as a split payment. Entered bank card then gift card. That was a the success. Guess work not Vanilla is what worked.

Received gift card at a time when it was miraculous. Absolutely problematic at every level. Cannot log in, or create a pin. Cannot use for many items or locations. Cannot check balance or get to a human being at all. Balance of over 50 dollars just disappeared and I have no way to review purchases or even see purchases I made. Just give cash, seriously. I never complain about things, especially a gift, but this is bad enough to prompt me.

Card I bought for $100 did not work anywhere. I called the company and they want me to send give them, My address, phone number, email, name and last name AND they want me to send them a copy proof of address, my ID as well as go to the store and get a proof of purchase and send them with my ID. Are you KIDDING ME??? Why stop there, how about my social Security Card? Passport? Bank Account? My 401K password? My Paycheck Direct Deposit? I will NEVER use these cards again...

Purchased gift cards at local Walmart,, Got home to log into gift card and unable to.. Call the # and they tell me card has been compromised,,, Files a report,, and no response! Unfortunately,, I’m seeing that too many people are having this problem now! It’s very hard getting an answer or response from company now.. Furious that I’m out $200,, and cannot imagine how much more money they are receiving from others!

The case number given to me via Visa is as follows. #**. Again, when I opened the card I noticed the CVV was blank. When activating/checking the balance this information is required. So I couldn't "activate" the card. My brother asked me to go to a store and TRY to use it because the employee at Target stated to him "your card is activated and ready to use". Upon attempting to get fuel at the store the clerk told me my total and I swiped the card. No declined message. No contact card issuer message...not even a beep. NOTHING. This card is simply a piece of plastic.

I got a Vanilla gift card from my grandmother for Christmas. I tried to activate it but was told it was hot and I couldn't use it. This has left me with a bad experience with the company and I don't think I will ever buy or tell my family to get me one as gifts for my birthday or Christmas.

I was received a Visa Vanilla Gift Card as a gift, Christmas 2023. I was online the evening of Christmas 2023 and I thought I had made a purchase. I had received an email from the store informing me card I entered was declined/invalid. I went to the visa vanilla website followed the prompts and it informs me my card is active and has a balance (which is more than my order total). I tried adding the card to my apple wallet - invalid, PayPal -invalid, Amazon - invalid. I called and Visa tells me I entered the CVC# incorrectly (so 3-4 times I incorrectly typed in the CVC…No way). I tried Amazon again - INVALID again.

Two Days In a row I bought a 25 dollar prepaid visa. First one I didn't know it had to be activated. Called customer service. First dude said right away, "Sorry. Nothing we can do but send a new card in 14 to 21 days. I tell him unexpectedly I paid cash. That I work hard for a bought a prepaid credit card. We just supposed to be easier and helpful but no. The first guy I got was ignorant and rude so I asked to talk to the supervisor and he told me right away was supervisor is going to tell me the same thing he did. I told him I didn't care. I want to talk to supervisor. Comes on the phone. She tells me what actually happened and she fixed the problem within 5 minutes.

Received $250 card that I couldn't use online because 3 numbers were not visible on card, and the card was declined repeatedly with any on site merchant. After repeated calls, Vanilla canceled the card and told me they would send a new one - which they did, but with a $0 balance. After calling again to explain there was no balance on the replaced card, I was told that the card had transactions totaling $250 and there was now a $0 balance. The whole experience smacks of fraudulence and deceit. There still has been no resolution. Of course I will not go back to the purchaser who gifted me the card, which is a behavior I believe Vanilla is counting on.

13 phone calls and transfers and still on hold. Tried to load to Google pay as credit card, per the instructions. Wouldn't work. Tried to pay online using gift card, didn't work. Called 4 different cs #'s and either couldn't talk to love person or went thru the hold and transfer game!!! Worst!

Won't let me use this stupid thing anywhere. I have 50 on it from Christmas. I recommend to stay away if you want to be able to actually use it. Go somewhere else. I have tried and tried. Showed the cashier the balance and still doesn't work. Set a PIN still doesn't work. I think Visa is scamming people.

These cards are horrible. Declined declined declined. I was given a card on Christmas. Used it one time and now with a balance of over $100.00 I can use it again. I wouldn’t recommend anyone ever buying these cards. Give cash.

I got it as a gift ($150) and have been trying to use it but does not work anywhere!!!! And every time I called them, they made me wait FOREVER to answer the phone. Very frustrated. DO NOT buy gift-cards from this company. It is a SCAM!

My daughter got a prepaid Vanilla gift card for Christmas. She was able to use this card at a local Turkey Hill convenience store. She tried to use the same card at a Five-Below and a Big Lots store and the card was declined. Then we tried to use the card on Amazon.com and it was again declined. I called vanilla customer service and was told there was an issue with the merchant and I need to use the card at a physical location. I explained that the card was declined at 2 physical locations. She then told me I needed to wait 24 hours before using the card. My daughter got the card in Dec 24th, it had been well over 24 hours since this card was purchased. The customer service rep then advised if we try the card at a physical location and it's declined again to call back. Then huffed loudly as she was saying bye and hanging up the phone.

I bought a $100 Vanilla gift card that is declined everywhere I try to use it. I have tried calling their "customer service" phone number multiple times. What a joke. No one ever answers. How can they get away with stealing from people like this? I will NEVER NEVER NEVER purchase another Vanilla Gift Card!!

I have been trying for the last two days to activate a Vanilla Prepaid Card. The online website says there is an issue with the card and to call the number on the back of the card...1-833-502-6535 - which takes you in a big circle and often disconnects.... I have called the People's Trust who actually are the parent company and they cannot assist. Super frustrating. I have the receipt from Walmart Richmond where the card was purchased but it doesn't seem to matter because you can not activate the card to begin with. I would 10/10 NOT RECOMMEND getting these cards for anyone - huge SCAM!

Went online to check balance and was pointed to call customer support. Called support today and have been on hold 25 minutes. Now back online, site just spins when I try to access card info. FAQ on site stinks. Trying to use card online and there's no info on what to put in the "name" field when entering card details so card is not accepted.

Bought a 3 pack Vanilla Visa Gift Card Nov. 4th to find out not one card is useable. Call center people are all the same, taught what to say. I’m sorry. It’s almost 3 months And they told me it takes up to 30 days to resolve the issue. 90 days later. Be careful when buying these cards. The call center is useless. You get no where Except, "I’m sorry you have to wait," while they look into this matter.

I purchased a $100.00 gift card for my granddaughter to use to shop for Christmas. Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to use it. Each time she tries, the card is declined. I have been on the phone twice for over 3 hours and never spoke to a representative. I will be contacting the BBB regarding this program. Buyers Beware!!!! This is an awful program.

I tried to use Vanilla gift card four times. It would not work. I called. It had money on the card. I tried again. It did not work. I called. Suddenly there was no money on the card and I didn’t even get to purchase anything. There’s no one you can speak to. It says go online. The card number says invalid which makes no sense because I called and it says zero balance. They have another phone number which is incomplete. It’s a scam card. I’m going to contact BBB.

Used card at restaurant. DECLINED. Used card at Walmart. DECLINED. Used card at gas station..DECLINED. I logged in and entered a new pin. Also called and balance is intact. But card does not work. Even customer service at Walmart tried to activated it several times but no luck..

This card has been very frustrating and working with their customer support makes you feel like you’re being scammed. We bought a $100 gift card. The online account and customer service say the card is active and the balance is there, but every time I try to use it I get declined. I’ve tried Walmart, a gas station, and a restaurant. Support says it’s declined for safety and security to try somewhere else, but none of my purchases are being approved. It’s been 2 days and three calls to support later and I still can’t access my money. These cards are not reliable and I do not recommend them as gifts or for any reason.

Used my gift card once and then the card was put "on hold" for no reason. Call the customer service line and I could do his job better than him. It took 7 different calls just to get the card activated again that should have never been placed on hold to begin with.

I had my gift Visa from Vanilla gift card balance stolen from me simply because I checked the balance of my card online on the website! I called their customer service phone number to check my balance. Hackers are on the site getting card info and stealing the money. I called to report. They won't stop the charge and tell me I have to wait until the charge goes thru then call back and make a report. Makes no sense. I'm telling them it's a theft and they are letting the charge go thru! And on top of that say it's going to take 45 days or longer to resolve. Buyers beware!! Do not buy this Card.

Purchased a card, never used it. When I checked my balance it had my balance then it logged me out and I tried logging in and it kept saying system error. I called and had to speak to 4 different representatives. One acted like she could hear me when she did not know the answers. The second told me card was compromised then said she could not understand anything and hung up. Third said, "Don't use it anymore and we will send another" and then hung up. Fourth took forever then said, "Try going to another merchant," then said, "Oh it's been tried to be used in different areas already," then placed me on hold like 5 times, then at the end said, "We will mail you another in 7 to 10 days and if it happens again call us."

I won a $100 Vanilla prepaid card, I was beyond excited. I received my card and have had nothing but problems with it. I still have money on it, but every place I try to use it, it gets declined. This is such a terrible experience, this company should not be in business. If I ever win another Vanilla prepaid card, they can keep it, it's More trouble than it's worth.

I purchased a Visa debit card 10/19 for $300 for my son for Christmas since he’s older. I opened it up today so I can have everything activated for him. Once I opened the package 4 digits from the card number has been scratched out so it's impossible to activate the card. Call customer service, the lady acts like she can’t locate my serial number or any other information. Tells me to file a claim, send in documents & wait 30 days for a response, I'M MAD now so I request for a supervisor. She placed me on hold for 26 mins then the phone “hangs up”. I call back, explain to the agent what happened. I give him ALL the information the previous agent asked and he was able to locate my purchase and everything else. Then tells he’s sending a replacement. Will be 7-10 business days for new card, I'm still upset I have to wait that long for an issue on their end. Ask for a supervisor.

I had my gift Visa from Vanilla gift card balance stolen from me simply becasue I checked the balance of my card online on the website! I called their customer service phone number to check my balance. It says I'm entering an invalid phone number when I'm definitely not so I used the online site to do it. Hackers are on the site getting card info and stealing the money. I called to report. They won't stop the charge and tell me I have to wait until the charge goes thru then call back and make a report. Makes no sense. I'm telling them it's a theft and they are letting the charge go thru! And on top of that say it's going to take 45 days or longer to resolve.

I'm beyond pissed! In the past two weeks I've got three disputes out! Over $500.00 !! And all the customer care can say is that, "Oh well it will take 45-90 days"!!! This is **. That was my kids christmas!! I will never purchase a card ever again from this company! It steals from people!! The customer care department sucks and can't understand them half the time! I hope that their Christmas is good and I hope the hackers enjoy using others people hard earn money. Karma is a ** and I'm not letting this ordeal go because 500 is a lot to me and all I get is the same **.

We bought three cards from Walmart and they were extremely damaged. No quality control or checks. Tried to get a refund through Walmart but was told this was an issue with the company since Vanilla allowed the cards to be damaged in manufacturing. I asked for a refund from the company, since they had access to the card and the money inside it, so I can buy new ones physically. Was denied and was told that I could only get a replacement. Replacement is 7-10 days which is too late for me. Their customer service sucks. Trying to reach them over the phone feels almost impossible and they're people from overseas; as typical.

I received a gift card of $100 for my birthday in October. I used it on Amazon, only charged $32.64 on it on October 10. I used it again on November 25 and the charge was declined. I checked the Vanilla Gift website to find that someone had used the rest of the available funds for some sort of crypto and a lawn care place.

In July 2023 I purchased multiple prepaid visas. One of the cards valued at $500 did not work properly. In July I called to get this resolved, spoke to an agent, had to email in pictures of my receipt. Was told this would be resolved within 30 business days. In August I followed up, they asked for photos of receipts again, I forwarded them copies I sent in July. Was told 30 business days. Called Oct 24th, no movement. They escalated to back office. Called Nov 8th, no movement. Said it would be resolved within 4 business days, escalated to back office. Called Nov 21, said they escalated to back office and I would have a response within 48 hours. Called Nov 27th, no replacement card received, was told I would receive this soon. Called Dec 11, was told there has been no movement and they are escalating to back office.

Bought this card for my mom for Christmas 2022. I didn't know she had problems until this year when she tried to use it. I couldn't understand what was wrong with her card until she sent me a picture of the front and the back. There is no 16 digit CC number printed on the front and nothing on the back resembles a MasterCard number (which should start with a 2 or a 5). You can't check the balance online or via the website as there's no CC. A total scam. Don't ever buy from this company.

Stay away, if you buy a large amount, in this case $2500 worth, they are going to automatically assume it's fraud, put a block on them before you use them, and then say we have to mail you out 5 more 7-10 days.

I got 2 Vanilla gift cards as grad gifts and was unable to activate either. I called the company. Tried 2 different numbers because one was a robot. Neither helped. The company is filled with thieves. If you get a gift for a friend or anyone do not use this gift card.

My husband purchased $100 Vanilla gift card and when I was about to use it, someone had already used it!! They failed to give me a refund. I should have told my husband to review the customer reviews before buying!! Never again!!!! This happens all the time with them!!!

If I could rate this company with no stars or even negative stars, I would. They're thieves. I've run into an issue concerning Vanilla Gift. I purchased a card from Walmart on October 11, 2023, and it has a balance of $295.00 on it. When trying to activate the card, I ran into an issue and Walmart told me that I needed to wait for a period of time and then it would work. Later on, I tried activating it, and I was unable to because Vanilla Gift now says that it appears there is an issue with the card. When contacting Walmart about it, I got no satisfaction and was told that I needed to contact Vanilla Gift concerning the matter.

I spent hours on the phone with at least four customer service reps trying to cancel the Vanilla Visa eGift card only after a day of purchase, they refused to cancel the gift card with the runaround even though the card hadn't even been activated and used. The company is undoubtedly a scam and customer service is a joke.

I was paid with a Vanilla digital gift card and I tried it at Walmart and KFC 3 times, added it to my Google wallet and even though they say they take it, it will not work. It's only for $75. There is no customer service available to help with it. Just a menu with no options to ask about why it isn't working. It seems like a scam.

Very bad experience with this Vanilla gift card swiped the card three times and it said decline all three times but money still came out. I disputed it and it's going to take over a month to get my money back. Won't ever accept this card again. Buyer beware.

I purchased a Vanilla gift card for $250 from Walgreens. There were no signs of tampering of the card, but when opened the three digit security code was scratched off and it was declined. When I called the company, they want me to send them a photo of my driver's license and other personal information to "re-issue" the card. I am not sending personal information to this disreputable business. BEWARE. And shame on Walgreens for carrying their cards on not doing anything about the fraudulent purchases.

Save yourself a lot of trouble and “DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE CARDS” I was given one as a gift and when I went to use it was already used! I called and explained what had happened and was told they will start a case which I think they did, I called about three weeks later to see the status of the case and it stated that “It would Possibly be settled by a date that was Four Months from When I Called To Report The Problem And Received My Case Number!" Save yourself a lot of trouble and buy a different card. This card company is garbage and a “Rip Off”!

I opted to use this to make a payment online and after spending 2 hours tracking different numbers for Vanilla and using every customer service number available on the internet, I was told that Vanilla “wasn’t that type of prepaid card” that could perform the transaction. $305 spent to stay up all night long trying to find a customer service representative who could ultimately tell me no, this was not what I thought. I am appalled. A waste of time and appts waste of money. What a shame.

If you care about anyone that you’d give a gift card to, don’t let it be this one. The card barely works. Randi mh kicks out merchants after an attempt it failed, and their customer service reads from a script. If you ask a question that’s off script they have a supervisor chatting them telling them to ask the customers if they read the buyers agreement? Or the terms and conditions. First of all, the card barely works. It’s like my money was in jail, and I could only access it during specific times. They put locks in your card before and after purchases saying it’s to “prevent fraud and protect your money” while you’re standing in a long line trying to use the card with people behind you.

They are SCAM SCAM SCAMMMM... You Pay and they don't give you the money, we bought more than $2,000 in Gift Cards for the employees, none of the cards worked... We tried reaching out, first of all takes hours and too complicated to reach out to them, once reached out they just sorry for the problem, but they can't help you get the money back... IT is just A SCAMMMM SCAMMM business, please don't waste your money, because they are not giving back the money.

These cards are an absolute SCAM. My mom purchased one and couldn't get it to work despite it showing the correct balance, and called to get a refund. She received a complete run around. Over $40 with a long list of instructions of things she had to provide them first, then to call back in 2 weeks, which is absolute bunk. Then the company turned around and canceled the card with NO REFUND GIVEN anyway. Even stores that sell these cards (Walmart and Dollar General) won't accept the cards in store or online, and the company's website doesn't allow for reviews for obvious reasons. The product is garbage, and the company is a dumpster fire. Don't waste your time and money with this product.

Purchase the gift card from Walgreens for a $100. When I opened it It was all scratched up so the numbers were not visible and when I called the guy who finally answered. Said the system was done and call back in an hour. Total scam.

Using this gift card was horrible. THE CARD DID NOT WORK AT ANY OF THE MERCHANTS I TRIED TO PURCHASE FROM. When I called customer service, they gave me the runaround stating that I needed to find places that patronized them. I said to them that all the places I had gone to, NONE OF THEM PICK UP THE SWIPE. Two of the merchants had to literally punch the numbers in their system.

I am writing to bring attention to a distressing situation regarding a recent purchase of a Visa Vanilla $200 gift card, which I acquired for my father's birthday. This gift was a significant sacrifice for me, given my limited financial resources. However, the joy of giving was overshadowed when my father attempted to use the gift card and found that it was declined. Alarmed, I investigated the card's balance online and was shocked to discover a $0 balance. Further scrutiny revealed an unauthorized $200 purchase at Walmart, a transaction my father never made.

I very recently bought a $500 card to pay bills online. That doesn’t work! And to top that off someone stole my card number somehow and charged up the money that I had on it. So now I’m out the money and my bills aren’t paid! I have contacted customer service several times-they put a hold on the account but now I have nothing! They don’t care either. The card was never out of my possession. Of course if I had known this was even a possibility I would have never bought the stupid thing! I’ve contacted the company where this person made the 2 large purchase that have wiped me out. I thought I was doing the right thing so I could pay my bills but I obviously haven’t. I’ve used gift cards in the past-it’s been a long time and never had an issue. The more I’ve read the more similar issues I have seen. Do yourself a favor-save your money and do it another way. Any other way!!

Yes, I said visa. Visa has lent their name to this horrible company. I attempted to use the card online. This gift card pulled my money, but did not send it to the merchant. Where I come from this is theft. There is no live representative to contact. There is not even a way to email the company on The vanilla website. I would’ve been better to burn the $200 in a fire.

I would highly recommend not to buy these and give as gifts to your loved ones, I was given by my sister in May and have contacted them in June where they said within 45 days it will be resolved and you will get back your money, it's been over 6 months have contacted them through call over 8 times and stayed on hold between 45-60 minutes. Always same answer it's under process and you will get answer in 48 hrs but never a single communication at all. Have e-mailed several times and no reply at all. It's unbelievable how big company like this has no concern about the customers and they are so unprofessional.

My son received a Vanilla gift card of $25 as his 8th years birthday gift, by a friend. For a very long time we let it sit in a drawer, then after 6 months we decided to use it. After the activation, I took a while to decide what to purchase for him. Two weeks later we went to a store and when tried to use the card it didn't work. I called the phone number on the back to check the balance and it said it was "0" - last purchase made ...on the day of the activation. I checked also on my browsing history...So apparently there has been a fraudulent charge right after the activation. My son was so sad! I will try to obtain a refund but I will ask our friends not to buy ever again this gift cards and for sure I will share my story to make as many people as possible aware of this gift cards scam! Just don't buy it!!!!

I bought a gift card for a couple with an infant in need. I was given an address that had switched 2 numbers, and so it was returned to Vanilla Gift Cards. They alerted me, and asked if I wanted a refund or to have it resent. I said I would resend it after the reimbursement, just to be safe. Today is November 21, and I JUST received the reimbursement!

Last evening, when I went to purchase four gift cards for family members for the holidays, I was required to have the back of my driver's license scanned in order to make the purchase. This is a highly inappropriate and invasive collection of personal information by Visa Vanilla/CVS, and I will not be purchasing again.

I received a prepaid Visa, went to purchase something and found the card was not activated. Called the company, Vanilla Prepaid Visa, was told to send them the bill. Sent the bill. Called for a follow-up, was told to call in 30 days after they received the bill. Called after 30 days, was told, oh it is 30 business days. Called 30 business days, was told, oh call in 24-48 hours. They have no intention of sending the replacement card.

My wife bought me $160 gift card for my birthday. When I tried to use it it did not register or read to find out that there were 4 digits in the account number missing… I called the useless customer service and submitted via email copy of receipt and visa front and back. They told me that they had the information and it takes 30 days to process! This is fraud and these people should be made accountable…

Bought this gift card for someone special and spent 300! Turns out the gift card doesn’t work at any online merchants. Called multiple times and after my 6th call I requested a refund because the reps are clueless. The supervisor I spoke to Adam insisted that I was not being diligent with my purchase but I bought it directly from the Vanilla Visa website. I put in a claim with them but I also made a fraud claim with my bank because they are scammers and I foresee that I will never get me my refund based on their 30 day refund policy/experience. It took two mins to take my money but 30 days to get a refund seems ludicrous.

I have had the absolute worst experience with Vanilla Visa and I still cannot retrieve my money. I received two Vanilla gift cards with a value of $25 each. I tried them at multiple stores for multiple amount all well under the $25 mark and they were always declined. I called customer service and I have now had an open case for over 4 months when they told me it would be resolved in 30 days. I call every week and get the same response, "I can see our back office team is still working on this case, sorry it is taking so long. They will send an email update within 3 business days, and if you don't receive one you can call us back". Well now I am in the circle of death because I have never received an email and I have spoke with over 4 reps to get this resolved. At this point, I am thinking this is a scam as it's wasted hours of my time and there doesn't seem to be an end to it!

I purchased a $250 Vanilla Visa Giftcard as a gift in July 2023 only to find out someone used the full amount in May 2023. I emailed all the information they required and it's November and I still have no replacement card. They keep telling me it's being reviewed which is **. Every time I call they give me the same answer, it's being reviewed. And every time I call I get a person who can barely speak English and I hear dogs and babies in the background. I have no idea what kind of scam they are pulling but it's ridiculous. I will call every week until I get a replacement card. And mark my words I will never purchase another vanilla prepaid cards ever again.

I am one of the people who have gotten scammed recently by Vanilla Cards. I bought a Visa gift card and loaded $20 on it. I went to a store to use it. The card reader wouldn't read it. I went to another store, Culver's to order something, I tried the card there, there was not even a response. Turns out, the card was a fake. The CVV was scratched out so I couldn't even make out the number. Finally, I did what I should have done in the first place and look up reviews of this type of product. Turns out Vanilla prepaid has been doing this for at least a couple of years according to the reviews.

Do not buy or give as gifts. We did not know we couldn't use them to but online. What's the point of gift cards then. It's a waste of time and money. Stay away from this misinformation they pretend to offer.

I got a $50 gift card as a gift and apparently didn't use it fast enough. Within 5 days of receiving the gift card someone else had already used it to charge $50 at a shell gas station, so it had zero balance when I went to use it. I'm not sure where the gifter purchased this card, but apparently there is a leak where some scammers were able to get the info and use it at a gas station. Sad to lose $50 to scammers. I would go with a more reputable company, like amazon gift card - never had a problem with those.

I purchased my Vanilla gift card $400. I called to activate it customer service for vanilla gift card. Soon as I finish activating it I went to go use it and I had zero funds. The customer service representative that answered, took my card number. And sold it to a gaming site. Customer representative was from noones.com. They sell and copy your gift card number to sell for customers to buy online games. Noones.com is behind vanilla gift card fraud.

My sister gave me a Visa Vanilla Gift Card for $75 as a present. I received this in May of this year and I decided to use it yesterday at a local Petco store in person. Before using the card, I made sure that I did not have to activate the card or anything like that and it says no activation required and that the card was activated at the time of the purchase of the card. I went to Petco, picked up some items and I notified the store clerk that I would be using a gift card and it has $75 in it. The total of my purchase was $79. I swiped the card and it was declined twice. The store clerk then asked for the card and it was also declined at her end twice.

I made several purchases with my Giftcard and one of the merchants tried to give me a refund and Vanilla company locked my card and took my money. I was told I had to prove my purchases and the refund being returned to my card and weeks later nothing. I am disgusted it was a $500 Giftcard I cannot use and Christmas is around the corner. I will advise anyone to not use the service, it isn't worth the loss.

Bought $50 cards and a $100 card. All Vanilla Visa cards. Called number on back of card. All three have full balances. But they will not work! This company most likely knows what’s going on. They SUCK!!! And are useless!

My 13 year old was given a gift card for her birthday. We went to use it and the card had a zero balance! I went to check how this could possibly happen and it was used in a state nowhere near us! I called the company, unfortunately, the person could barely speak English and placed me on hold several times. He kept repeating himself when I asked how someone could use the card when I have it in my possession. HORRIBLE GIFT CARD COMPANY THAT SCAMS PEOPLE!!!! Now my 13 year old is upset and cheated out of her gift card! Welcome to the new world!!!! Vanilla card company needs to be taken off the market!

Long story short I have bought a prepaid gift card to give to my little brother. Turns out the security numbers in the back of the card is invalid and the card can not be used. Contacted customer service well over 30 business days, going on almost 2 months. I was first advised to wait 30 days after sending an email with all my details and card information, then when I called back that I was told that it was in fact 30 business days instead. I call once more for a third time, I was told my case had no update and to call within a week. 4th call and was finally able to speak to a manager, told my case would go in higher priority and to call back again in another week.

On May 28th, 2023 my brother and his wife gave me a Vanilla gift card in the amount of $250 as a thank you. On June 2, 2023, I opened the packaging and inside was the gift card with the bar code from another card that looks like it must have been stuck in the packaging over the bar code for the actual card so when it was scanned at the register, the money went onto another card. As a result, I contacted Vanilla Customer Service and they opened a case. For their fraud department to perform the criminal investigation, they required a copy of the receipt, picture of card (front & back), a copy of my driver's license.

How much money have they stolen from the public?? I received a "gift card" from my team at work, and trying to use this card has been a nightmare. I randomly am missing $100 from my card, they were going to correct this and send me a new card. I just received a new card with a $0 balance! They are either evil or completely incompetent.

We have been attempting to use the card and does not work at multiple stores both online and in person. On 10-21-2023 said would get resolution in 3 days, called back 10/31 and now will be 30 days from submission. ALL I WANT is cancellation of card and redo under NEW CARD so we can use the dollars on the card. THIS IS CRAP.

So bought a Vanilla Visa gift card from Walgreens for a subscription, so I wouldn’t have to remember to take my card off file when it was up. Package didn’t look damaged or altered, but the 3rd set of numbers was scratched off & the CVC code. Walgreens said they’re not returnable or exchangeable, and Vanilla is saying they’ll file a claim. I looked up Vanilla who has a 1.2 rating, with others saying this same kind of thing has happened, and has a huge lawsuit over this kinda thing. I just wonder why Walgreens is doing business with an entity as this? #vanillagiftcard #walgreens

If it wasn't for the BBB I never would have been made whole. Thank You Better Business!!!

I bought $100 Vanilla gift card 10/16/23 and never used it. Finally open and found out that someone used them at Target @2:15am. I called the number and they said that they will investigate and it will take 30 business day. These people want all of your information including copy of your driver's license. How much more do they want yo scam you? They don’t email you back of confirmation about your complaint to make sure that you have a proof that you file a complaint about fraud card. If you are a vanilla gift card company please return our hard earning money. You made money from us. So please kindly do the same. So many people had lost funds because of your neglectful act and you made it hard for your consumer to get what they have work hard for. Instead you allowed people to steal our money. It’s a basic human and right thing to do. Help us get our money back. For us who work hard for our Pennies.

I bought a $25 Vanilla Prepaid Gift Card, when I went to use it I could only use $20, if I tried $25 it was declined. So not only did I lose $5 from the card but I also paid a $5 activation fee plus taxes so I lost out on more than $10. Never again!! If I could give it a zero star I would!

Once you activate the card… They will tie the funds up for seven days and not let you use it any longer until the eight day hoarding your money, collecting interest at your expense and embarrassment when the card gets declined.

I bought a Vanilla Visa gift card four months ago for $100 and as soon as it was opened there was zero dollars on it. They sent me a replacement one that also came the first day with zero dollars on it! I have been calling Vanilla and Visa gift card for five straight months trying to get my hundred dollars back that they stole and the foreign people on the phone. Tell me the same thing over and over that they are going to expedite the issue and to call back in three days. Vanilla is a scam! They stole $100 from me. Will not give it back. There is no one to speak to you about the issue. Do not ever buy a vanilla gift card.

I am not sure what is going on with Vanilla Visa gift cards recently but I would advise not buying them anymore. They use to be a perfectly good solution to everyday gifts, online purchases so you didn't have to enter your debit card info. The last 3 Vanilla gift cards I have purchased 2 online through the Visa site and 1 at CVS has failed to work. You call the number on the back and you speak to someone who acts as if they can not understand English and gives you the runaround.

Got two Vanilla gift cards for a graduation present and both happened to be defective. Cards were scratched on the front and you can't read the numbers. The cards wouldn't work on a swiping machine either. After 4 months and many many customer service calls one was replaced. 5 months in still waiting for the second one. Customer service associates don't really know anything and they rush to decline to do anything. They try to open a new ticket request every time you call.

My wife bought a prepaid Vanilla visa card from Walmart for $150. It was sealed, she paid the cashier for it and wanted to use it. The cashier said it only had a balance of about $2. Vanilla has not reimbursed us.

Vanilla gift card is a trademark of e2interactive, Inc. I received a Vanilla Gift card but could not activate it because the last digit of the card number was missing. When you call there is no one there to answer, just a recording. This card was issued by Sutton Bank, a member of the FDIC and his license to Visa USA, Inc. Was this an elaborate con to get individuals to pay for gift cards that cannot be activated? And the company pockets the money? Imagine trying every digit to see which one works on their website. This smells of fraud. A stench that apparently has permeated the industry according to the numerous complaints lodge by fellow buyers and users. I've already shared with those who I know not to purchase this product or to use it. It is best that we as consumers share this information with everyone we know to save them the headache and the financial loss.

I had unauthorized transactions put onto my card and the company was not willing to reimburse me. They wanted me to wait 45 to 90 days which is ridiculous. I tried calling multiple times and all they kept telling me was I had to fill out a form that was gonna take 45 to 90 days when the thieves were taking the money every day from the card. This is unacceptable. They should’ve been able to put a stop to that which I asked and they did not do and then reimburse me right away. None of those transactions were authorized by me.

I purchased a Vanilla prepaid debit card at our local Safeway on October 12th for use to pay a bill. The bill was 228.73. After I paid the bill and got confirmation that payment was accepted I checked my transaction on my Vanilla prepaid debit card and it said I had a pending transaction in the amount of 274.48. I had only used the prepaid debit card one time. I called Vanilla and spoke with a representative and they told me there was a fee to pay bills. 45.75 Dollars. What the hell!! I then read my user agreement from Vanilla and nowhere does it state that I would be paying anything near 50 bucks or any fee for that matter.

My dad bought Vanilla prepaid cards for me and I couldn't get them activated at all. Followed the instructions, didn't work. Called customer service, they barely spoke English then told me the purchaser had to activate the cards. What's the point of giving it away if the purchaser needs to activate it under their name? Tried customer service 3 separate time and spoke to 3 different agents and all were unsuccessful. Out $300, don't ever buy anything with the Vanilla brand attached to it.

WARNING/FRAUD. Don't ever buy these gift cards. They deduct fees for hotels and other places so your card keeps coming up declined. I went to a hotel and the front desk had so much trouble putting my 2 cards thru for $100.00 each and all that was accepted was $86.50 each because the card takes 15% off for a fee. For what? That is the question. I tried getting a straight answer from them but they are impossible to talk to and you can't get anywhere with them. There are plenty of reviews out there. Please read them and don't buy these and if I were you complain to the Attorney General in your area if it would help to get them out of the stores. We need our money not them. Thanks.

I went through two cards, both were being declined everywhere I went. This was after I put the last of my money on both cards to make online purchases. They sent me two new ones with a lower amount than I put on by 25 dollars. The card worked fine then suddenly stopped working. I called the online shop who told me to call visa which I did and they lied and kept saying, "It's because you can't register your name and address to the card." Which was a lie. I was only trying to make a purchase from a site that doesn't cost so much. They said, "Try a different store." I asked to speak to the manager and she pretended not hear then hung up. Save your money and read reviews before you buy something, it will save you a lot of trouble. DO NOT PURCHASE FROM VANILLA GIFT CARDS. THEY ARE FRAUDS!!

So initially Vanilla Gift Card was just misguiding me regarding refund but after continuous call and escalation they had given me a new card with refund. So thank you for that and I would not say that it is a bad idea to purchase. But be active if anything fraudulent has happened to you. Please immediately inform their customer care. They will take care of it for sure.

Purchased a gift card for a friend, who was unable to activate. He had to send an email with his personal information, and wait for 30 business days for the customer service to look in to the matter. Who takes 30 business days nowadays? I feel very embarrassed that I put my friend through this, and do not want anyone else to go through this. Please do not purchase Vanilla Gift cards.

I want to wish you all the luck in the world using these junk cards. If you find a vendor who accepts these, congratulations!! You pretty much hit the lottery. But God help you if you request a refund. It’ll be months and months of incompetence. Phone disconnects, repeating case information every single time you call to someone new who will give you a new line of garbage…Your money will be held hostage for many many months. Mine is still not returned. My 5 year old is more competent than every single person I’ve talked with. Do yourself a favor and stay SO FAR away from these junk cards!

I purchased a gift and tried to use it for purchasing order online. When I walked out the store to activate the cars. The numbers was scratch off. I called customer service, I had to email, take pictures of card and proof of purchase. After I completed the steps to get my money back, I'm told I have to wait 30days to get my money back. It's been two Months and I really would like to sue this company for theft by deception, as a felony. Its was purchase over $500. These cards need to be banned and off the market. How are they legally allowed to rob people and get away with it. There need to be a class action lawsuit against Vanilla Gift cards.

We were gifted a $500 card for expenses prior to a trip we were taking. When we went to activate the card it would not activate. After talking to their customer service team (had to search for the number) we found out that the card only had 12 digits instead of the required 16 and was unusable. So we had to use our own funds for the trip. We had to wait a month to get reimbursed, specifically asked for a check and instead received another gift card. Vanilla had the money for over 2 months from time of purchase to time of reimbursement. Beware of them!

I bought 2 Vanilla gift cards and was told they were deactivated when I went to use them!! I want my $60 back!!!! I contacted them and was told I would have new cards in 30 days. It’s been 45 and still NOTHING!!

There were fraudulent charges on my daughter's Gift card, my daughter didn’t get to spend one Penny $.01 out of twenty five dollars $25. I contacted Vanilla gift card customer service and they did nothing to help or assist me regarding the issue. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY ELSEWHERE LIKE VENMO! Your money is NOT SAFE WITH THIS COMPANY! If I were able to upload proof I would just to prove to everyone! I have snapshots! This company, customer service doesn’t protect or help you in any regard, shape or form!

Vanilla Visa gift card are highly not recommended. They have changed dramatically from the past of easy purchases online to now nearly impossible to make purchases. Would suggest MasterCard gift card.

I used them in the past and they worked fine and now I paid $70 for one and it can't buy anything. I got scammed out of my money. This is the worst day of my life. I was going to use it to buy a broken phone on eBay and repair it.

This card is trash. Funds are constantly frozen and you have to call them to fix it. It was declined in the store I bought it in the next day and after activation. It took hours to make a single purchase from Amazon because it was declined over and over. I can't purchase anything from Swearnet because it's in Canada. Couldn't transfer it to PayPal. I wish I had never gotten it. It was NOTHING but a hassle. Please do not buy this as a gift for someone. It will just ruin their day!

These gift cards are a ripoff. If you activate and use part of the card balance, that is all you will get. The balance then becomes unavailable. And to make matters worse, their website and phone service line are dead ends. You cannot talk to a real person to get help. TOTAL RIPOFF.

I should have taken the hint when the first 3 gift cards that the cashier tried to load didn't work. After that the nightmare began. Made one purchase, vendor send wrong item. Tried to call customer service, number on back of card was to a medical alert company. After several attempts on internet, finally got customer service number which was no help at all. All she did was apologize at least 50 times. No help.

I received a $200 Vanilla Gift card for my birthday. I used it for an online purchase with a reputable company. The transaction looked like it went through. The following day, the company that I made a purchase with emailed to say there was an issue with the payment and to call them. I called them and they said the gift card transaction did not go through. They recommended going to their website to register it. Not realizing I needed to, as there is no direction on the card or packaging that indicates it's necessary, I went to Vanilla Gift.com to register the card. I tried to register it twice and it kept saying system error? So, I called 1-833-322-6760 customer support and explained the card was not registering.

The reviews of this garbage company are accurate. Vanilla gift cards are a legitimate scam. I've had 3 cards gifted to me in the last year, every one was a hassle. Today yet again declined by vendor. Whether it was getting gas at the pump, trying to pay for my son's haircut at a barber shop, ordering services online or most recently at walmart (the same store where the card was purchased)...declined. I set up an account, it shows the card is active. The online vendor I was trying to pay said it was declined by the issuing institution. Just ** garbage.

This card is not accepted at all merchants and online purchases. This should be disclosed on the package when you purchase the “Vanilla Prepaid master card”. I got nowhere with the agents and supervisors at Vanilla. They try to brush me off to go back to the merchant where I purchased the card to get a refund - that was unsuccessful. As a big company like this that makes millions of dollars, they were unable to provide me with a refund. The onus is on Vanilla!!! No resolution with Vanilla!! Frustrating.

I've been robbed of 50$, I had purchased a Vanilla prepaid card and the same day I tried purchasing something it wouldn't work, card continued to decline. I decided to try paying for other things whether it'd be Spotify premium, online currencies or even loading the Vanilla master card onto PayPal, Apple wallet, and Google pay, all of these options did not work. I decided to call the number on the back of the card and had been put on hold longer than actually talking to customer service, they always have the same excuse of "Please hold."

Nothing but nonstop problems trying to use the cards and customer service is unhelpful, I've called twice and spent more than 40 minutes on the phone and still unable to use my card. Absolutely horrid customer service, definitely stay away.

I have 2 $500.- Vanilla Prepaid Mastercards, purchased at Walmart on June 27th and August 21st /2023. Both noted declined, when I tried to used them in stores. Reported them on the same day as they were purchased, sent all the documents, proofs they asked for. I keep calling frequently to check the status of the "investigations", the only answer I am receiving: they need 2 more days, 7 days, etc. and nothing happens. My case numbers are: ** and **. Basically Sutton Bank owes me $1000,- and I have no way to reclaim my money. It is a horrible experience with high level of stress and my only option is to argue with "faceless" employees, who are reading answers from a booklet, provided by their employers!!! Don't ever waste your money to buy Vanilla prepaid credit card!

Bought two $500 gift cards and when I tried to use them, there was no value on them. It turned out that there were fake cards attached to the backs. When I tried to report it, I was connected to what sounded like a call center in India. I sent in the photos required two times too and never heard back.

I was robbed of $80 plus dollars off my card. I hadn't had it a day. I requested a review for my money to be restored as they guarantee it is protected for use in which you bought it. The investigation took every single bit of 90 days which is absolutely insane. It's poor customer service as it takes them less than 5 minutes to capture your money but 3 months to make the decision to protect you. Which is just flat out silly as they don't give you opportunity to get cash so you'd think they'd work hard to refund you as they will get the benefit.

Vanilla failed to apply store refund credit back onto my card. A vendor refunded a wrong store charge back onto my Vanilla Gift Card. Vanilla shows it on the statement (which you must request from them) but the card has zero value. It takes them 10 days to reply after you send proof. Then you will get this email: "We have received your documents. There has been an update on your case. We are unable to provide you with an update via email to protect your funds so, please, call in for the update. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 1- 800-571-1376. We are open 24/7 for your convenience. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you!" If you call the number, you do not get to accounting, you enter voicemail hell and you better have your 16 digit card number (do not throw it away as I did when vendor told me it was empty) or you are dead in the water. Hitting 0 does nothing. Do not purchase these gift cards.

Got a $500 virtual Gift Card from my boss. Tried to purchase a $490 tv at Best Buy. The transaction was denied but the money appeared on the statement as "Transaction Complete" and the name of the merchant had nothing to do with Best Buy. I immediately called customer support and reported the fact. They opened a case and asked me to call back in 7 business days. Called back and they told me to call back after another 7 business days. Called back and I was told my case was opened incorrectly by the previous customer care representative and they would need to open a new case and start from scratch. It should take 10 days....they said.

I am out of $156.95 as of Sunday 09/10. Walgreens sells them and I purchased this card and tried to activate and the phone hangs up. I tried online and called again and it tells me invalid card. My money wasn’t invalid?? The company says send in your receipts. Yeah right so I can be like everyone else on here saying nothing happened and they never received a new gift card. Karma has everyone’s address. Close the business down. Stashing people’s money and making it hard to redeem. Please don’t reply with empty words. Activate my card and make my funds available.

DO NOT EVER buy this Visa card. Customer service is nonexistent and if you get this, you will have to wait forever to be compensated. You have got to be kidding me that they allow to sell this product.

I was given a Vanilla Gift Card as a birthday gift. When I removed the card from the cardboard sleeve the last 4 numbers were missing. Called Customer Service and they said I could physically still use the card by using the magnetic strip. Tried making a purchase at a store and it didn't work. Called Customer Service and they said they had to initiate a disputed ownership case since someone else had already called about the card?? To date have not received the Disputed Ownership packet via email. They also said as part of completing the disputed ownership claim I would need to copy the front and back of my Driver's License or photo ID. How can I in good faith send my personal information when their business practices appear to be shady at best. Having read recent reviews I see I am not alone in my experience with Vanilla.... They should be shut down, definitely a questionable business!!!

My sister gave me a $500 gift card and I cannot use it at certain places. I attempted to use the card at Temu but was declined multiple times. I double checked to see if Temu takes Visa gift cards, and they do. Vanilla Gift Cards want to dictate how much you can use and where you can shop. The reality is, Vanilla gift cards wants to control how much you spend so they can steal from you. If I keep getting declined, I will report this scam of a company to the Attorney General. I will let my sister know that the company she purchased the card from is 100% a scam.

The website is giving me an error when I go to check my balance. And when you call the number on the back you get pushed into a random set of upsells by a recorded message (ie - medical care, car insurance, addiction treatment centers, an endless list of promos) and there is absolutely no way to check your card balance, let alone connect with a representative.

I bought this prepaid card at Walmart then right after my funds were drained by a clothing store in New Jersey and I live in North Carolina. Now I have to wait 90 days for them to decide if I get my money back.

I received a $50 Visa gift Card quite some time ago. I attempted to use it today…. Opened it for the first time as I was standing at the counter getting ready to pay for my items with the gift card. However, the card was declined! Additionally, the store manager noticed that four (4) of the sixteen numbers were missing. I called the number on the back of the card to speak with a representative. Unfortunately, their a “representative” option is not available. With each option it wanted me to enter the card number….which, I could not do as the number was incomplete. When you can’t follow the prompts, you’re disconnected.

Why is this company still allowed to sell these bogus cards? This is ridiculous! This is like the 3rd or 4th time family and/or friends have purchased a Vanilla gift card for me after I have told them to NEVER get these type of gift cards for me. However, that is a whole different story, BUT, these cards are setup to fail on purpose by Vanilla.

I bought the Vanilla Visa gift card with the assumption because they advertised being able to use it online. Come to find out you can't use it online because you cannot register a ZIP code to it anymore. I used to be able to do this a while back. For some reason they have removed this feature but they do not tell you that. Customer service was of no assistance whatsoever. Useless now. Pretty much can throw it away.

My husband and I were gifted 2 Vanilla Visa Gift Cards for wedding presents when we got married in June 2021. We saved all of our gift cards to buy things for our house when we eventually bought it. Well, fast forward to August 2023 and we are finally trying to use the cards. I attempted to use the first one ($100) and it was declined. I thought I had to activate it first, so I called the number on the card to do so and the systems says there is a ZERO balance. Panicked, I checked the other card ($200), and the balance is $44.44. Both gift cards were unused, still in the original sealed paper they were purchased in.

Do not purchase!!!! I received $200 gift card, and I only used it once to buy a small purchase. And then 10 days I tried to use it and saw that there was only $3 left and used the funds on Microsoft and Xbox. I called customer service and filed a dispute. When I called customer service again to ask how the investigation was going they asked for my credit card number or my checking account. I said no and he kept saying that he would transfer me and changed his voice. He spoke terrible English. He kept trying to convince me to give the information. Then he said I needed to pay $3.99 to get the money back. Total scam. The whole company is a scam. Not only did they steal the money from the card, they also tried to steal my personal card information.

I purchased a Mother's Day e-card and a Birthday e-card for a family member. She printed the card out and tried to use it several places around town and it wouldn't work. I called to see if we could replace the e-card with a physical card (since neither had been used) and was told "that isn't our procedure". The company could care less if you are unable to use the cards and make zero attempt to help out. So I've spent $400 on cards that are useless. Don't buy a card from Vanilla...total SCAM!!!

I purchased a gift card for my teenage son for his birthday. He likes to buy what he wants himself. He activated it as soon as I gave it to him and we went to the store about 6 hours later. At the first store the pin pad wouldn't read the card when swiped. So, I purchased the items myself. The next store the same thing happened and they sent us to customer service to have it manually entered. Again, wouldn't accept it. So I purchased his stuff again then went home. I called the customer service number on the back of the card and they told me they could replace it but it would take 7-10 days to receive it. So I asked for a refund, I am a single mother and live paycheck to paycheck. They said it would take 3 weeks to receive a refund! I have never heard such a thing before it is usually 3-5 business days. I will never buy this again!!!

Do not buy Vanilla giftcard, their service has gone downhill. If you buy a vanilla giftcard your purchases online are guaranteed to not work and you will be stuck with a useless giftcard and you would of been better off with your cash in the end. Their customer service is awful, one call service representative instead of helping me fix my problem tried to throw service clauses and other bull, they will make excuses instead of trying to help you. Don't buy Vanilla Gift Cards unless you intend to pull some cruel joke on yourself for spending money and the person who has to figure out how to use the card.

Card kept being declined. We called customer service and they reported the card had been used two states away. It was a gift to my son without a receipt. Customer service agent was pleasant enough but kept asking for the receipt.

I bought a $50 gift card to use in stores. I went to go use it at Walmart one day and it was declined. I knew there was still money on it so I checked the balance. Someone used to fraudulently and left me less than a dollar. I have been on the phone about 5 times to get my money back for a Google charge I did not make. They are useless. Buy from a different company because it will take you forever to get the money back, it is going on two weeks.

I am a customer of Vanilla services. I had the opportunity to speak with their customer care representatives, with whom I discussed a matter. During our conversation, I disclosed that I am currently facing a distressing incident that involves a fraudulent act. I fell victim to a scammer who cunningly impersonated my superior, leading me to unknowingly share sensitive information. Regrettably, this deception resulted in the unauthorized acquisition of three gift visa cards.

Oh my god, I was on a road trip and I was coming home so I decided to go to ONmarket inside of ONroute store. I am just a little kid but I was buying a gift card but the cashier fake scanned it and I did not know at the time but I am a stupid kid and I learned my lesson to ALWAYS take receipts. I call the customer sevice on the Vanilla Prepaid because my card was not working because I was trying to buy video games. So once I use customer service the kind guy said that there is no money in it. So he said that he could help me and that if I can get the receipt I can get the money back. Since my dad bought Tim Horton's there, we knew the time of my purchasing. I also ended up finding the location so I went to the ONroute website and went to the customer service. I am currently waiting for a response, wish me well pls.

I received a vanilla gift card for Father's day and it didn't have a security code printed on it. I called the number on the card about an hour after receiving the card and they asked me to send copies of the card front and back copies of the receipt so they can do an investigation. I was told they would have to do an investigation and they will get back to me in three days. I've called several times talked with many different people. They don't seem to have a supervisor that will come to the phone. I just called again for the 8th time. This time I told the person that I would be recording the conversation. They tried to tell me that I could not do such a thing. And Hung up on me. I don't think that these fraudulent companies should be allowed to operate in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

The card was purchased at Safeway. The card did not work at a number of businesses. Safeway says they cannot help. I was instructed to go through Safeway gift department and someone would get back with me. It has been two weeks and I have heard nothing. Today, at the two week point, I contacted Vanilla Gift Card Customer "care". The agents were professional and kind, but they referred me on to send a email to their "compliance" department. It can take another 30 days while they "investigate" and send a new card. In the meantime, I am out $205.95. I will NEVER again purchase a gift card at Safeway, Vanilla or otherwise.

DO NOT GIVE THEM MONEY. We received a Vanilla gift card from a family member who purchased it for a birthday. The amount was for $230.00. We received the card in March 30, 2021. We left the card unused and in an envelope until activating it May 14, 2023 (it is valid until June 6, 2029). Upon logging into the card account and activating it, we found that the balance was $9.00. We found charges online for the rest of the balance and had never made a single purchase on the card ourselves. Someone had used the card before we registered and activated it.

My wife and I bought Vanilla prepaid cards for each other at the local HEB. Both cards had zero balance when we tried to use them. We called Vanilla customer support and learned both cards had been used in other states for online purchases. We were told replacement cards would be sent but they never were. Customer support is difficult to reach when we call for a status and when someone finally answers it’s obvious they don’t care and don’t seem to know anything anyway. We informed the HEB manager of the issue just so he would know. He was very nice and told us he has been aware of the fraud problems with Vanilla prepaid cards for some time. We will never buy Vanilla prepaid cards again.

I bought a Vanilla gift card from the store in December 2022 to order some items online. Upon checkout, the order was declined. I called the number on the card and they said there was no fund and that the card had been used by someone in Georgia. I opened a fraud case with Vanilla in January 2023 and till now they have refused to pay. Each time I call they ask me to call back in two business days and the money would be sent back to me. Today is 07/28/2023 and they are still giving me a run around. They still need me to call back for no reason. They train managers and help desk to keep lying about the situation till you get tired of calling every 48 hours and leave the money for them.

NO Vanilla gift card was ever redeemable; purchasers lose money. Scam ... my own experience. "Visa" card sent after Vanilla complaint ALSO not redeemable even after verifying. Embarrassing time while shopping when card would not pay for part of my purchases; the line got longer as I tried to use the "$50.00" Vanilla gift card.

Absolutely trash!! This company is a scam. They sell a car with some digits missing but good luck to ever get it replaced. We have contacted every agency but was never able to get our $300 gift that was given. Buy any car except this.

I bought this prepaid card until my regular card came in the mail, and I regret it! You can't use these cards ANYWHERE! Doordash, CashApp, Google wallet, online companies all declined. After 2 days of trying to contact support, a man answered and told me, "You can't use this card at ANY of these websites or companies." Now I am stuck with a prepaid card that I can't use at all. Please, don't purchase these. You're so limited it's like being scammed.

Bought a $150 gift card from Walmart for a friend but fortunately gave another gift. Tried to use twice unsuccessfully. An hour and two calls to customer service located in the Philippines and I was told (like others) to submit purchase details and they would undertake an investigation and that would take around 30 days - what exactly is there to investigate that takes 30 days?! Scam warning. I chose an alternative action and took back to Walmart for a refund. I had to be very assertive and forceful as it was clear the conventional advice is to refer the unlucky purchaser back to Vanilla. Walmart did come through and I received a Walmart Gift Card of equal value - no problem as we shop there often. But big lesson learned. I will NEVER buy another prepaid Visa card. And Walmart, thank you for your understanding and help and a few words of advice. Stop selling Vanilla Prepaid Cards for the benefit of everyone.

My mother in law was scammed by an email and purchased 2 $200 Vanilla visa gift cards, took photos and sent them to the “friend” in need. When the scam was discovered the next morning and I checked the cards, the funds were still there. I contacted Vanilla customer service number on the back of the cards immediately and explained the situation asking if I could transfer the funds to my credit card before the scammer used them. The customer service person said yes and acquired my Visa credit card information, my name and personal information to transfer the funds. They gave me a confirmation number and said they will transfer the funds. I called a second time to be sure this was how to handle it and got a second conf. Number.

I bought $25 Vanilla gift card for my teen to take it to his sport competition last Saturday, so that he can buy some food and also because I didn’t want to give him my credit card for this. Of course I registered it. Do you think my kid was able to eat his lunch with his team this day? Of course not, otherwise I wouldn’t write all that here. That “vanilla” was declined when he tried to pay $14 on it at the cafeteria. In short, this gift card was just a waste of money.

My son received a $75 Vanilla Visa Gift card as a gift. The packing was perfectly intact. When he opened there were four digits scratched off the front and the security code on the back was also scratched off. It seems this is a COMMON problem. I have no idea how this company is still able to sell these cards. It’s an absolute scam. We have tried contacting customer service multiple times with no success. I have filed a formal complaint with the FDIC as I believe this entire company is a sham. Do not buy!!!!

DO NOT BUY A VANILLA GIFT CARD. I know the balance I have remaining is greater than the voice recording says. They don't have an email address for contacts and the telephone line will not allow you to reach a person. I tried to use their website to see my last transaction-an option their website claims is possible and when I tried I was .... sent to the Target.com website. I have used other Visa gift cards in the past and never had problems. AVOID THESE THIEVES.

I purchased a $200.00 gift card at Walgreen on 6/16/23. Opened the card and last 4 digits on the card were missing. I called Customer Service and they advised it would take 7 to 10 business days to receive a replacement card. On July 2nd I called and asked where my replacement card was. Customer Service rep asked for my address and when she read the wrong address to me she advised that an error was made on the address and she shut down the card that was lost in the mail. On July 7th I received the card that was mis- addressed.

I bought 3 cards. They never worked and I was told they would send me new ones. They never did. Ripped me off. Worse experience ever. I've been waiting 4 months. I sent them all the info several time. They are rude and have been lying to me. I will provide proof. Just ask. I will make it public.

I received $50.00 gift card. My first attempt was rejected. When I called, I was told that my purchases must be less or equal to card value. Next time I tried to use it, it was rejected. When I called again, I was told to try somewhere. Third time, same result and guidance - try again elsewhere. As of yesterday, I have made 8 attempts and nothing has worked.

My mother sent me a $50 Visa gift card purchased from Walgreens in June. She came to visit me this past weekend and brought the Gift card receipts. I contacted Walgreen to replace the cards. I was told to contact the Merchant (Vanilla). I called Vanilla and spoke with a representative today, explained my problem. He asked for the card number. When I provided it, he transferred my call to the cue during the middle of me speaking. I got another representative. I asked for a Supervisor to report the previous representative once I was assisted. This representative asked for the last four digits of the card number. As I gave it, the call was transferred. I just heard music. I was on hold for 45 minutes. I hung up and called back. I held for just over an hour. I got a supervisor who took my dispute with outlandish requests. He asked me to submit a copy of the receipt, Driver’s License, and proof of address such as utility bill.

I purchased a card and the three digit security code on the back could not be revealed to allow activation. Box seemed to be covered with a very had adhesive. When I tried to call customer service, it doesn't actually connect you to a rep but gives you information on trivial pieces of information and no mention of the security code box.

I bought a gift card online on father's day and after I tried to make a purchase they said that the card was on hold, I understood why they would put it on hold considering it was sent through an email and you never know the possibility of somebody making a purchase hacking through the card. I called them the next day and they said they would send a replacement card in 7-10 business days. I waited for a week and still didn't see it in the mail but I tried to be patient and wait a couple more days. At this point I had almost been waiting 2 weeks so I decided to call the number on the back of the card to see if it was still being sent, the lady told me the same thing - to wait 7-10 business days. It didn't make it any better that I waited for 30 minutes to be put on call to hear information I was already informed about.

I received a gift card for my birthday and reported that it was all ready used. And never heard anything back. And sent papers to refund and to have it investigated. Nothing. No response at all. Never!!

Gave my son a $100 Vanilla Visa Gift Card for Father's Day.... I purchased it at Walgreens and looked it over carefully to make sure it had not been tampered with. He opened it last night... And saw that 4 digits on the front and the security code on the back were scratched out! So I called the number on the back of the card and told them what happened! Got someone in India... They asked me for my full name, address, phone number and birth date... Then they proceeded to tell me that I needed to email them a copy of my receipt, a copy of the front and back of the card and a copy of the front and back of my driver's license! I'm still not comfortable sending my driver's license that has all MY personal info. on it! I asked if I could conceal my DL number before sending it and he told me No! They would not accept that!

My son received a $100 Vanilla Gift Card (Visa card) for his high school graduation. He opened the card (the package was sealed) and somehow 4 of the 16 digits of the card as well as the security code on the back had been scratched out. It was not usable. He took it back to the CVS where it had just been purchased by his friend the day before and he had the receipt from the purchase. They were kind enough to believe him and replace the card (there was still a $100 balance on it at the time). He received his replacement card and the CVS manager had him buy a pack of gum just to be sure it worked. It did. He then took it home and activated it. That evening he tried to use it at a restaurant and they told him it didn't work.

Frustrating, embarrassing trying to use a $50 gift card my friend gave me for my birthday. Card was used by scammer! Had to start claim. Who knows where this went. Up to 90 days to find out. Please STOP buying these cards. Nightmare.

My story is much like the others on here. I was given a $100 gift card. I opened the package, verified the funds and put it down for 2 days before I tried to use it. Went to the store, loaded my cart and proceeded to register only to be embarrassed. The card was empty. Called to get balance $1.95. Can't be. Checked transaction history to find 3 -$32.82 transactions were made via Paypal. How could that be when the card was in my possession the entire time. Customer service was a never ending hold cycle. Hung up once I found the online community has experienced the same scam. Do better Vanilla. Do better.

I tried to purchase in Walmart using Vanilla gift card, I know I still have $60+ left on the card however I got declined twice. When I checked Walmart receipt it says declined so I ended up paying my own card. I checked the balance online. It came out there’s transaction of $26.95. What a thief. No wonder they have a bad reviews.

I received a $100 gift card as a graduation gift. Somehow this card was already activated and all $100 was depleted at 8 AM at Target. I was skeptical that I went to Target at 8 AM on a Tuesday and purchased anything-- cross-checked it with my Google timeline to find that in fact I had not gone there. Nor did my bank debit or credit cards reveal any excess charges from Target. There's definitely fraudulent risk involved.

I just opened my card today and checked the balance just to make sure I was actually $50. (I got it from my baby shower last week.) It had multiple Google charges after it was purchased (on 6/3/23 and charges were from 6/4 and 6/5) so there is $0.05 left on a card someone spent $50 to give to us... I called to report it and when there was FINALLY an answer they acted like they could hear me and hung up. Don't waste your money. Just give cash.

Bought A 45 dollar Card and it won't even work. THIS IS A SCAM. Website won't work. The phone call doesn't help. Whoever runs this company let me quote a Bible verse to you. Revelation 21:8 "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

I called number provided on back of the card 5 times to report fraudulent charges on it and it never connects, just automated message keep playing and eventually disconnecting by itself after 30-40 min. I tried different times of the day and different days.

I received a Vanilla VISA Gift Card, but am unable to activate it by phone or online. I called Customer Service several times but am always on hold endlessly. Researched online and see that this is a common complaint in USA and Canada. This product is a scam!

I have bought so many Vanilla Visa Cards and had 0 problems until the last two cards I have bought and they keep putting them on hold. I don't know if it's because I buy from multiple different websites or what but it's getting on my nerves because you can't really contact customer service without being on the phone for hours and I wish they would get their ** act together. I have definitely spent close or over $1,000 on these.

If I could give 0 stars I would. I had received 3, THREE Vanilla gift cards from different people and all 3 had transactions on them before I could even use them! I've been fighting with them to get them reimbursed for the 1st two and now this morning tried to use the one my daughter gave me and it was already compromised. People use their hard earned money to give gifts and they are being ripped off. DO NOT BUY VANILLA GIFT CARDS!!!!

This company is a scam, please, do not waste your money to buy it. I received this gift card of $50 two weeks ago and tried with multiple store, it does not work and you will not be help by their customer service.

I have 2 gift cards and when I tried to check the balance I was told there is an issue with the cards. I've called Vanilla 4 or 5 times, been on hold for hours and was never able to talk to someone. I want to know what the issue is???? I will never buy a vanilla gift card again and will not recommend them!!!

I purchased a $100 card and only registered it on Amazon. I made a purchase and had $44.00 left. A day later I went to make another purchase on Amazon and it was declined. After 2 days of on and off trying to check the balance, it showed 2 payments to someone through PayPal of 20.99. I tried contacting Vanilla and after an hour on hold I managed to get a person. She took all the information and told me it would be 45 to 90 days for them to investigate it. They deactivated the card which still had funds left on it.

My card was used before I even activated it. It had a balance of $6 on a $100 card. I called customer service the first time and it took 32 minutes for someone to get to me. You have to listen to this god awful (I think Lynyrd Skynyrd in loop). Had to give them all the info. About a week later got an email that I had to send them a copy of the receipt and front of the card. Was told to call back in 10 business days. I called back and waited for 37 minutes on the phone. The guy answered and I started to give him my case number and was disconnect. I sit here now waiting on the phone and it's been 26 minutes. This card is a scam. Don't buy! I still have no resolution for my $100 gift card.

I have used Vanilla prepaid gift cards for over a decade, for travel, reservations, restaurants, gift giving, online shopping, groceries, and more. They are acceptable at any location accepting VISA. I have been totally satisfied with the ease from purchasing and activation, to making purchases. Great way to protect your personall accounts from scammers and I have an online record of my purchases.

The gift card I was given can't be used in most stores - physical or online. The only place I could find is a coffee shop. The Vanilla Gift website doesn't really work either. Want to check your balance or activate your card? Good luck with that. All you'll see is a "system error". Want to call them? The only department you could possibly reach is the one to report the card "stolen".

Was given a $50 card as a gift. Tried using it 3 different times, all declined. A few days later was curious and checked balance, it was used up at places I hadn't been to. Called customer service and after 30 minutes talked to someone. Said they couldn't do anything because the charges were pending. Said I would have to call back in 8 days to dispute the charges. This company rips you off.

Received a Mother's Day gift card for $50. Activated on 5/19. Went to use the morning of 5/20. Declined. Only 08cents! Company change my pin #. When I went online now says card invalid. I'm writing to the BBB. I will not allow this to continue. People work hard for their money for it to be stolen by this company. I encourage everyone to report to the BBB to shut this business DOWN!!!!

☆DO NOT BUY!!! This is the worst company. My $300 gc wasn't active 5 minutes when it was "used". It's incredible the amount of time I have spent on hold with them trying to get answers. Still haven't fixed anything. Is there anyone out there that can advise on some kind of legal action towards this company?

The company sent me new cards to replace the defective ones.

Was given a $100 gift card for my birthday. Upon opening the completely sealed package I found the card number on the front was missing the 3rd set of numbers and the ccv was missing from the back. I assumed printing error and tried to use it in store. But in store it wasn't even recognized as a card when swiped. Called customer service and after 20min waiting they said they wouldn't do anything for me unless I had a receipt. My grandmother is the one who gave me it snd she unfortunately just buys gift cards whenever she has money too and saves them for gifts so we had no idea when it was purchased. We did go to her local Walmart she shops at but they weren't able to find the receipt. Called customer service back and told them I couldn't get the receipt but that I had the card and packaging and would send photos or even mail the entire card in but they refused and just said they won't help me without a receipt. Even though it was their issue.

My employer bought a Vanilla gift card for me. I tried to use it for purchases online and it never worked. At some point, after trying the card a few times, the link to view the card information wouldn't even work, so I couldn't call customer service. Some months later, I got my employer to reissue the link to view the card and it showed it was on hold. I called customer service, waited over an hour to speak to someone. The person I finally got a hold of asked me a lot of the same questions over and over again, then told me they submitted a case and I should hear something back within a week. I did not, so I called again, this time waiting about 40 min to speak to someone.

Don't ever buy from Vanilla gift, bunch of dog** scammers. =They don't care about you and your money is likely to be stolen the moment you purchase your card. Probably a money laundering scheme. Customer service is useless, hangs up on you.

Phone Customer Support - WORTHLESS. Gift Cards - WORTHLESS. Scammers who try to make you deposit cash into a Bitcoin ATM have a better organized system and better human interaction and you can always say no to them. VanillaGift is a scam that you cannot get out of, once you get a gift you are trapped in a never-ending scam where the gift cards are empty and they just literally hang up on you or put you on hold for hours. Cards bought in stores are empty before you get home. Even the new replacement cards sent in the mail are already empty. This is nothing but a Ponzi scheme. They just keep taking in cash and people never get their cards. Tried to give 5 cards out to employees as gifts, all empty within 2 days, from everywhere in the world except where they were purchased. Replacement cards took a month to arrive and are empty right out of the envelope. How are they still in business!? Oh right, they stole all the cash lol.

I received one of these cards as a gift ($100). I took it out of its originally packaging and tried to use it yesterday 5/7/23. The card was denied by a major department store (actually they said there was nine cents left on the card). I called Vanilla (1-833-322-6760). After spending 20+ minutes waiting to get a "customer care agent", the woman located in SE Asia, said it had been used in February 2023 at various times. She said she would be happy to file a claim, but she needed my D.O.B., address, name, etc. I did not give this information. Vanilla is a nefarious company and I am afraid of identity theft-- felt like I was talking to an devil. Please do not buy this card for anyone-- It is stressful for the recipient and is definitively not a gift.

Daughter was given $50 prepaid gift card for her birthday, activation receipt was not attached. When attempting to use the card, it was declined so days later I am looking online. Online it states "encountered a problem", waited on phone hold for 10 minutes and was asked to provide a picture ID and receipt information as there was a problem. I repeated, this was a gift and no receipt was attached. If this company is legitimate, they can see right in front of them if the $50 was already used by someone fraudulently. Instead they "transferred" me to their fraud department and my call was dropped. Is this worth $50 to me, no...but just wanted to put it out there that this is a company I will never purchase a gift card from!!

I got a $500 card for myself so I could purchase something online. When I got it and tried to buy something, it said there was an error with my card. So I tried to check my balance and the the website said there was also an error?? even though I was looking right at my card's details. I tried to call customer service but I was on hold for 2+ HOURS. Ridiculous. This company is a joke. Just lost 500 dollars.