Dear Editor:
I’m writing to alert folks about gift card scams, which are “popular” across Canada.
We purchased two $50 Amazon gift cards in December at the Shoppers Drug Mart. When unsealed, the cards had the authentication number partially scratched out, so neither card could be used. We complained to the store manager, who advised he could not help, and to call the 1-800 Shoppers number. The 1-800 people told us they could not help, and said to call Amazon. After four hours on the phone with Amazon, they could do nothing for us. So we are out $100. We are pursuing this with Shoppers’ parent company, Loblaws.
A friend advised she had a similar problem with Winners cards purchased at Shoppers – when trying to use the cards, they had zero value on them. Shoppers advised her this was Winners problem.
Another friend sent us a link to a Vancouver TV station report on unusable cards purchased at Shoppers.
In summary, don’t buy gift cards! If you do, be prepared for a fight if (when) it turns out they are worthless.
Ken Lancaster,
Rockwood