Reward or Incentive cards ??

[drumbeater]

Well I just got off the phone with American Express because I had question about a reward cards we got to give away (birthdays ,x-mas). I never notice they have an expiration date on them. We buy these thru the school so I never looked before. I went to use one yesterday and they said it's pass the valid dates ...??? When I call about these Am Ex said they all have expiration dates, and if they don't get use to bad for the person that got them. We buy 10to15 $50.00 cards at the start of the school year then give them out. I had 3 in my money clip all expired so much foe that $150.00. So if you get any cards USE them or Lose them.

[Unholy]

Originally Posted by drumbeater

Well I just got off the phone with American Express because I had question about a reward cards we got to give away (birthdays ,x-mas). I never notice they have an expiration date on them. We buy these thru the school so I never looked before. I went to use one yesterday and they said it's pass the valid dates ...??? When I call about these Am Ex said they all have expiration dates, and if they don't get use to bad for the person that got them. We buy 10to15 $50.00 cards at the start of the school year then give them out. I had 3 in my money clip all expired so much foe that $150.00. So if you get any cards USE them or Lose them.

This practice makes the news every year around Christmas time...

[jason]

You might check with your state. In Colorado it is illegal for them to expire, even though they have dates. After they expire the company has to turn the money over to the state and you can then go down and claim it.

[drumbeater]

I just got a call back from the school and they said if people don't use the cards or if money is left on the cards.. they get all the money back for the cards they sold. Time to go back to giving cash.

[drumbeater]

Originally Posted by Unholy

This practice makes the news every year around Christmas time...

We buy in Sept. but we can buy all year long. They only last 3 months.

[TIMZKRAWLER]

i was gonna say the same as Jason...i believe in california it is illegal for a gift card to expire,tho i'm not sure if a reward card or incentive card as you called them are the same...i'm not sure who to contact. last year my sister went to use a card that was about to expire and was told by the salesclerk that they couldnt expire

[binaryterror]

I believe most laws do say they can not expire when called a gift card, however FEES can be assessed yearly on the gift card for non-use.

[NorCal 2500HD]

Originally Posted by TIMZKRAWLER

i was gonna say the same as Jason...i believe in california it is illegal for a gift card to expire,tho i'm not sure if a reward card or incentive card as you called them are the same...i'm not sure who to contact. last year my sister went to use a card that was about to expire and was told by the salesclerk that they couldnt expire

Exactly....in Ca there are no EXP dates on gift cards.

• No expiration dates and no fees, with one exception.
• Permits a $1 per month fee only when the card has a balance of $5 or less, the card has been unused for 24 months, and the card is reloadable.
• Covers gift cards at a single store or chain. Multiple-use gift cards are not covered.

But...(with a few exceptions, including gift certificates for food, from nonprofit fundraisers, and from awards programs).

[PROTOTYPE]

Originally Posted by Unholy

This practice makes the news every year around Christmas time...

I was gonna say that. Its a shame to. My grandparents are oldie old , But always give the kids cards so they buy what they want. Sometimes they cant find what they want and they forget about it .

Originally Posted by jason

You might check with your state. In Colorado it is illegal for them to expire, even though they have dates. After they expire the company has to turn the money over to the state and you can then go down and claim it.

Just another reason to like that state!

[Unholy]

Originally Posted by PROTOTYPE

I was gonna say that. Its a shame to. My grandparents are oldie old , But always give the kids cards so they buy what they want. Sometimes they cant find what they want and they forget about it .

My mom always wastes gift cards... always!

I started giving her ones I already drained 4 years ago!

[drumbeater]

Originally Posted by NorCal 2500HD

Exactly....in Ca there are no EXP dates on gift cards.

• No expiration dates and no fees, with one exception.
• Permits a $1 per month fee only when the card has a balance of $5 or less, the card has been unused for 24 months, and the card is reloadable.
• Covers gift cards at a single store or chain. Multiple-use gift cards are not covered.

But...(with a few exceptions, including gift certificates for food, from nonprofit fundraisers, and from awards programs).

My kids go to a private school

[Coligny]

Originally Posted by Unholy

This practice makes the news every year around Christmas time...

It's the kind of pratice that put the Nova Language School to be bankrupted by the state in Japan. They where selling "point cards" to buy lecture times, with a short expiry date on them and it was extremely difficult to obtain lecture in a schedule that was fitting with people who had daily jobs. Everybody wanted evening classes, no teacher were available, points where expiring. It was ruled illegal. School had to give back te money. school (Maybe the biggest one in the country with teachers in nearly every towns) had to be shut down... No money to pay the teachers anymore or their rent.
Got what they deserved...

I'm surprised Amex can still pull this kind of stunts somewhere in the USA.

[TIMZKRAWLER]

Originally Posted by NorCal 2500HD

Exactly....in Ca there are no EXP dates on gift cards.

• No expiration dates and no fees, with one exception.
• Permits a $1 per month fee only when the card has a balance of $5 or less, the card has been unused for 24 months, and the card is reloadable.
• Covers gift cards at a single store or chain. Multiple-use gift cards are not covered.

But...(with a few exceptions, including gift certificates for food, from nonprofit fundraisers, and from awards programs).

Thanks NorCal 2500HD....good info there...i buy them a lot too for gifts and get them a lot too