Defective gift card

[Lorna287]

We received three gift cards for Christmas. Two were bought from the same retailer in Greater Manchester. Both these gift cards were defective with the second set of four digits coming off with the silver strip. Both cards had exactly the same error! Really astonishing conversation with customer who agreed the cards were defective but they refused to refund them. Each are worth £100 so it’s a lot of money. We sent photos of both the defective cards and the original receipt. This appears totally contradictory to their policy! Strangely we were also told the reason we can’t redeem the cards was because they were bought in London and we lived in Scotland!  This is clearly not true as our third gift card that was not defective was redeemed without any problem. We have been using Airbnb for years and often ask for gift cards. Confused, disappointed and feeling ripped off!

Has anyone else had this issue?

Lorna

[Emiel1]

@Lorna287 

Did you also contacted the seller of the cards ?

[Lorna287]

Hi Emiel! 

Thanks for replying. We have.  They were sold via Morrison's. We have been into store and in touch with online support. They are pushing us back to Airbnb. It seems nobody wants to take accountability for this.

We did manage to trace down the missing digits via Morrisions - however the cards had already been redeemed in November the same day they were bought.  To be honest I think they must have been interfered with in the factory as there was no sign of the cards being tampered with (silver strip totally intact). My husband had a really close look and he said there is a plastic film over the digits. This film is intact at the missing digits and no digits are under the film. It unfortunately seems clear to me that this is gift card fraud. I have asked for this to be escalated to Airbnb Fraud team - but the request was refused. I would have thought that tracking down fraud would be a priority for Airbnb. We have contacted our local police to report as don't want others to lose out. £200 is alot of money for us 😞

Lorna

[Helen3]

You might have to take Morrisons/Airbnb to small claims court . Appalling I agree .

have you tried both by posting publicly on their social media ? @Lorna287 

[Lorna287]

Thanks for your thoughts Helen. I hope it doesn’t come to going through the small claims courts although I think solicitors are offering no win no fee!

The cards were actually bought in Bredbury Manchester by my 78 year old mother-in-law. We really don’t want to involve her as she’s just a wee old lady. I think she’d also try and compensate us herself which we really don’t want!

Husband suggested radio 4 who have a fraud slot?!  We have a meeting with the police tomorrow  so hopefully they will help provide a definitive answer to who is accountable. Also going to escalate via Morrison’s as Airbnb aren’t able (willing?) to do anything else. 

[Lucy1179]

Hi just googled this issue as ive had the exact same issue got a gift card for Christmas it was missing 4 digits and by the time air b&b gave us the correct code they said the voucher was redeemed on the 28th Jan 4 days before I opened the voucher absolute scam 

[Lorna287]

Hi Lucy

so sorry to hear that this has happened to you also!

Did You get any resolution? Which set of digits were missing? I was missing digits 5-8. Both my cards have the same batch number bottom middle is 1015013 and bottom right 076750461712. Perhaps it is the same batch?

i just can’t understand why Airbnb is not following this up as fraud. 

Lorna 

[Helen3]

What did Airbnb and Morrison's say when you called them out about this on their social media @Lorna287  

Much easier to fill in an online form to do a small claims application then be involved with a national TV programme. 
airbnb normally don't respond and you will win by default 😀😀

[Lorna287]

Hi Helen

i think posting on social media is a great idea. I’m still waiting for Morrisons to get back to me. Few email exchanges. My gut is there is a dodgy batch that they are already aware off. 

I’ll look into the small claims application if we hit another brick wall. Thank you so much I didn’t realise it is only filling out a form.

I’ve spent a lot of money on Airbnb over the years but this experience has really shook me.  It’s annoying losing £200 but really what I cannot comprehend is the fact they have no interest in fraudulent activity.  I hate that thought - particularly from those renting their homes?!

[Andrew4005]

@Lorna287 Did you get anywhere further with this. I am having the exact same issue with a card gifted by my mother at Christmas. Went to use it and after finally getting the missing pin number digits been told it has been used. After over a week of back and forth forth with Airbnb who can even tell me the name of the person who has used it, it is now not their problem. 

[Lorna287]

Hi Andrew

Sorry to hear Andrew. We are still waiting to hear back from Morrisons who are looking into it.  Really frustrating as we were planning to use the gift card for our holiday next week.  Airbnb have wiped their hands off the matter. Astonished they don’t care that fraud is happening. Surely they should be suspending these accounts?!

Our situation got worse! My daughter got a gift card from her gran too. I videoed her scratching it just in case it was defective. Unfortunately it was. It was not a £100 card like ours but one that any amount could be put on it. Airbnb anga not interested. Another £100 lost. She doesn’t even have a receipt 🥺 Even worse for a student!!!

[Andrew4005]

Sorry to hear that Lorna, 

We have tried Tesco who were about as interested as Airbnb. 

Sounds like everyone is too worried about ruining the fraudsters holidays that they don’t care about the actual paying customers. 

My mum has discovered that she knows a number of other people who bought their cards from the same store are having the same problem. I suspect these vouchers should be put behind lock and key. 

I hope Morrisons are more helpful. 

[Lorna287]

Don’t give up Andrew. After 3 months and countless emails Morrisons have given us a £200 voucher. This is after several emails stating they couldn’t do anything to help us. Luckily (?) the vouchers had missing digits so they were clearly defective at the point of sale. Airbnb can clearly see whose cashed in the vouchers so poor show from them not tackling the fraud their end.