‘I want my money back’: N.S. woman’s warning after gift cards spent by strangers

A Nova Scotia woman is out thousands of dollars after strangers spent her gift cards.

A Nova Scotia woman is sharing a warning about buying gift cards.

Just before Christmas, Michelle O’Sullivan bought thousands of dollars worth of prepaid Visa cards from Sobeys to be given as gifts. It turns out six of those cards – worth $500 each – had been compromised.

“Somebody in California used them. Somebody in Yarri, Australia used them,” said O’Sullivan.

Sobeys was able to replace one of the cards, which had not yet been registered.

In a statement to CTV News, Sobeys said the customer should seek resolution through the gift card vendor or Visa directly.

“We encourage customers to be hyper vigilant, as unfortunately gift card fraud is becoming more sophisticated all the time.”

O’Sullivan said it’s been a struggle to get a refund on the remaining $2,500. She has since been dealing with Visa.

“I’ve been on the phone two weeks now on and off with them, emailing them, and I’ve sent them my ID, a picture of the receipt that they were purchased with,” said O’Sullivan.

“I want my money back.”

In a statement to CTV News, Visa Canada said Visa operates the network the payment flows through, not the individual product.

“As such, our dispute resolution process is between card issuers and merchant acquirers.”

O’Sullivan said this is the second time this has happened to her in recent years, so she was extra cautious.

“I made sure that these gift cards were bought from the back storage room,” she said.

“I told the lady that I was buying the gift cards from, ‘If I buy these gift cards and they’re compromised, will you guys help me?’ ‘Oh yeah, we’ll help.’ I said, ‘OK, great. I’m going to buy them then.’ Yeah, no. Big mistake.”

O’Sullivan said this has changed how she plans to buy gifts next Christmas.

“I will never buy gift cards again. We’re just going to give money.”

O’Sullivan said over the weekend she was told by Visa that she would be sent a cheque for $2,500.

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