PrepaidGiftBalance.com

Failure to resolve fraud issues (theft of the card # and usage by unknown person) with gift cards given to me in December 2018
I was given 5-100 gift cards in December 2018 as a Christmas gift from my parents. 2 cards were successfully used the following January and Feb/March timeframe. The remaining 3 cards we took on a Vegas trip the end of May 2019. After trying to use one of the cards at CVS, the card was declined. I tried another, and it was declined. I called the customer service number to obtain the balance and speak to someone about the issue, and with that I learned all 3 cards had 0 balances and had been registered to someone else, not me. The customer service rep explained that it was unfortunately a common problem that people will steal the barcodes off of gift cards, then register the cards in their name, so the original card holder no longer has the ability to use the cards. I was asked by the rep "Giovanni" to submit a copy of each card (f/b) and with specific 200% enlargement, a copy of my drivers license, proof of my address with a utility invoice, and luckily I had the original receipt and activation codes to include to show I was the card holder. I did all of this and faxed to the requested number. This was sometime the first week of June 2019 after returning from Vegas. I was told that it would take several weeks for the issue to resolve and to follow up. About a month later, I called back (and dealt with Giovanni) to find out the gift cards were a "special situation" and that I needed to now resubmit everything to a different department. He also asked that I send my SS#, which I refused. Giovanni gave me additional instructions that included specific reference codes to attach to the gift card copies. I was beyond frustrated and also felt uneasy with all the requests. I commented that I was starting to feel scammed by the company. He assured me that once I resubmitted everything to the special fraud department, that this would resolve everything and they would issue me new cards if not reactivate the ones in my possession. I gave it a couple of months before following up today...I called the number on the back of the card to hear the balance was still at 0. I asked the rep who took the call (whose name I don't recall) if there was any chance Giovanni was available since he was the one who I spoke with the previous 2 times. He didn't know who he was, and got agitated that I was frustrated. He told me he saw the notes, but now I had to dispute the fraudulent charges in order to have the cards reactivated, and that it would take XX-XXX days to resolve. I told him that was never previously discussed as an additional step. He also told me one of the cards was active and I could go ahead and use it. I decided to try by buying my daughters some ice cream, and the card was declined! I have done everything that was asked of me, twice, and have spent money on faxes and copies each time to send them the requested information. This has taken 4 months with no resolve!! I also explained that I am moving out of the country next week, and at this point I will never have the joy of spending my Christmas gift. And, my parents would be so upset to know that we have gone thru all of this. There is no reason for this drawn out process with no resolve. The fact that I provided the original receipts and activation slips should have been adequate documentation on it's own. I feel that I have been scammed by the company or there is a fraudulent practice from their employees. Something isn't right!
I do have copies of all the information that was faxed to them.