The National Retail Federation estimates gift card spending will reach $29.8 billion for the 2013 holiday season. It’s likely a gift card or two was tucked under your Christmas tree. If you recently received—and then lost—your gift card, know that you have a few options.
CreditCards.com reports that if you can prove you purchased the gift card, or that you received one as a present, you just might be in luck. They advise consumers with receipts to contact the retailer as soon as they know their card has been lost or stolen. If you don’t have the receipt, the gift card number may also suffice. Many retailers have a dedicated toll-free number where shoppers can talk to a customer service representative who can cancel the gift card and then issue a new one.
Be aware that replacing your gift card might come with a fee. Says CreditCards.com, “American Express now offers to replace lost or stolen gift cards for free if you have the original card number, but replacing a Wells Fargo Visa card costs $7.50 and SunTrust charges $5 to replace a MasterCard gift card. If your bank wants to charge a replacement fee, ask about simply getting your money refunded instead, which may be free.â€