Gift Card Balance: A Warning

Image by Tom Eppenberger, Jr.

This Christmas I was blessed with a gift card to use at a popular, nationwide craft store. The card or envelope, however, didn't indicate the balance, so I don't know if it's for $5 or $50. No problem, right? I can just go online or call the number printed to find the balance.Usually this is right, but not in this instance.

The store's website doesn't give you the ability to check a gift card balance online.The customer service line isn't staffed on Sundays and operates during regular business hours during the week. When I looked at the back of the gift card again, it said that I could ask about my balance at a retail location, so I called a store near my house. The associate told me that she couldn't check my gift card balance over the phone, but I could look it up online. 

Thinking that I missed something on the site's home page or gift card section, I did a Google search using the words "(name of the store) gift card balance." The results that popped up were surprising -- several sites that offered to check the balance for me.

A Warning about Checking Gift Card Balances Online

When I saw the list of sites that are nice enough to look up my gift certificate balance, I immediately ignored them. Why? Because of the following red flag and conclusion:

• The sites aren't endorsed or created by the retailer
• There is a high probability that the sites would steal the information about a gift card (e.g., the card number and pin) instead of do you a favor

Always check your gift card balance by following the instructions printed on the back of the card. Never use an unfamiliar site or one that the company doesn't officially endorse, or you could become a victim of gift card theft.