Give the ultimate gift-giving experience with the Visa Gift Card. Our most iconic prepaid debit card can be redeemed everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted in the United States. Use online or in-store. With 24/7 Service, zero after-purchase fees, and a network you can trust… imagine the possibilities! Show
“Expert verified” means that our Financial Review Board thoroughly evaluated the article for accuracy and clarity. The Review Board comprises a panel of financial experts whose objective is to ensure that our content is always objective and balanced. Their reviews hold us accountable for publishing high-quality and trustworthy content. About our Review BoardWritten by Holly D. Johnson Written by Holly D. JohnsonArrow RightAuthor, Award-Winning Writer Holly Johnson writes expert content on personal finance, credit cards, loyalty and insurance topics. In addition to writing for Bankrate and CreditCards.com, Johnson does ongoing work for clients that include CNN, Forbes Advisor, LendingTree, Time Magazine and more. Holly D. Johnson Edited by Liliana Hall Edited by Liliana HallArrow RightAssociate Editor Liliana is an editor and journalist with a background in feature writing on the Bankrate Credit Cards team. Liliana Hall Reviewed by Claire Dickey Reviewed by Claire DickeyArrow RightEditor, Product Claire Dickey is a product editor for Bankrate, CreditCards.com and To Her Credit. Before joining Bankrate, Claire worked as a copywriter for brands within the telecommunications industry as well as a hybrid marketing and content writer. Every year many millions of Americans are buying, giving and using prepaid Visa gift cards. It is a convenient and easy way to get around the purchaser’s gift shopping dilemma, even as the outsourcing of the real shopping decision works out just fine for the gift recipient, who gets to buy something he or she actually likes. For their part, merchants also love gift cards, not least because a substantial portion of the funds are never used up by the cardholders. It makes perfect sense then that gift cards, and prepaid cards in general, have long been the fastest-growing non-cash payment type in the U.S. Still, much loved as they are, gift cards are not exactly risk-free. Buyers often see them as little more than a convenient way to get through their shopping lists quickly and painlessly and end users are spending someone else’s money, so no one is nearly as cautious with gift cards as they are with their credit or debit cards. Yet, it’s still money and common sense dictates that both the gift card’s buyer and user should ensure that they are getting a good deal for the money. Now let’s see exactly what gift cards are, how they work and how to manage them correctly. Visa gift card is a prepaid Visa card, which can be used for purchases at merchants worldwide that accept Visa debit cards. Note that, if the front of your gift card states “Valid only in the United States”, your bank has issued a Domestic Use Only card. In this case, though your gift card will not be accepted at locations outside of the United States, it would still be welcome at millions of locations within the U.S., wherever Visa Debit cards are accepted. In the industry jargon, gift cards are known as a “general-use prepaid card”, which means that it is: The value of the prepaid Visa gift card is determined at the time of its purchase and the spending limit is the amount of money placed on the card by the buyer. Using a prepaid Visa gift card is simple — just follow these steps: Source: Visa Many Visa gift cards are activated at the time they are purchased and ready to use. However, if your card requires activation, you will usually see a sticker with instructions and a toll-free phone number to call. Source: Visa You can use your prepaid Visa gift card anywhere Visa is accepted, including at your supermarket, gas station and online. Remember that you can make purchases up to the amount limit that’s on the card (there are exception, as we will see below). 3. Using Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card in Stores and OnlineSource: Visa In a brick-and-mortar store, you would just slide or insert your gift card to pay. For an online checkout, you would enter your Visa gift card number, expiration date and CVV in the appropriate form field, as you would do with any other card. 4. Making Returns with Your Visa Gift CardSource: Visa Hold on to your Visa gift card, even when there is no balance left on it. In case you ever need to make a return, you would need to show the card to the merchant. Prepaid Visa Gift Cards Frequently Asked QuestionsDo You Need to Do Anything Before You Use the Card?Before using the card, store its information in a safe place, in case your card is lost or stolen. Sign the card on the back signature panel. It is also a good idea to register the card with the issuer, where available. How Does Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card Work?When you make a purchase, ensure that you know the remaining balance on the card, then select credit and sign for your purchase. Note that the debit option requires a PIN, in order to work. If your card does not come with a pre-set PIN, you will have to set one prior to making the purchase for the debit payment option to work. How Do You Select Your Card’s PIN?You can go to your issuer’s website and login with your Visa gift card number and the 3 digit security code on the back of the card. Alternatively, you can also choose your PIN by calling the toll free number on the back of your card. What Type of Purchases Can You Make with Your Gift Card?You can use your card to make purchases anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted, either as PIN-based or signature merchant transactions. Can You Use the Card, Even Though Your Name Is Not Embossed on It?Yes, you can use your gift card. Just make sure to sign the back of the card. Merchants will compare the signature on the back of the card to the one on the sales receipt that you sign. How Can You Check the Balance on Your Gift Card?Every time you use your Visa gift card, the purchase amount is deducted from the available balance on the card. You might want to keep track of your purchases and know your remaining balance, before making a payment, to ensure that your card will be accepted. As your gift card is similar to a debit or credit card, merchants cannot see the remaining balance on your card. To check your balance, you may call the toll free number on the back of the card or check online, where available. You will need your 16-digit Visa gift card number and the 3 digit security code from the back of the card. Is There a Limit on Transaction Frequency or Number of Stores?There is no limit either on how frequently you use your gift card to make purchases or the number of merchants where you use it. The only limit is on the amount of funds available on your Visa gift card. Can You Use Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card to Make a Purchase for a Greater than the Remaining Balance on the Card?Most merchants will allow you to use your card for part of the purchase price and pay the remainder by cash, check or another card. This type of payment is known as a split tender transaction. Tell the merchant that you will be using two payment methods. Let them know precisely what amount is to be applied to the gift card, then pay the remaining amount with your second type of payment. What Happens when You Have Used up the Balance on Your Card?Your prepaid Visa gift card is non-reloadable and can no longer be used. However, as already noted, it is still a good idea to keep your gift card, in case you need to return merchandise for credit. Can You Use Your Visa Gift Card Internationally?If your gift card carries the statement “Valid only in the United States” on the front, your issuer has issued a Domestic Use Only card. Otherwise, your card can be used at any merchant that accepts Visa debit cards. Note that transactions made in currencies other than U.S. dollars will be converted to U.S. dollars, plus any issuer international transaction Fee, if applicable. Can You Get Cash from Your Gift Card?Yes, your gift card can be used to withdraw funds by ATM or to receive cash advances. You will need to enter your pre-selected PIN (login to your issuer’s website or call them to set a PIN) and follow the ATM instructions. There may be a maximum limit of the daily amount you are allowed to withdraw, including any fees that the ATM owner may charge per transaction. Can Your Visa Gift Card Be Used at Gas Stations?Yes, you can use your card at gas stations. Do You Get Monthly Statements?No monthly statements are generated. You may check your card balance by calling the number on the back of your gift card or online at your issuer’s website, where available. How Long Can You Use Your Visa Gift Card?You can use your prepaid Visa gift card until the funds are fully used up, or until the last day of the expiration date on the card. Note that if any balance remains on the card after the expiration date, it is forfeited. What if You Need to Return a Product that You Purchased with Your Gift Card?Different merchants have instituted different return policies. Yet, returns on your Visa gift card will be handled by the merchant in the same way that returns are handled with any other Visa card. As already noted, you should save your sales receipt and the card, even after its balance has been fully used up, in case the merchant’s policy is to credit the amount back to your card. (See below for further details.) No, your prepaid Visa gift card cannot be used to reserve any balance that has not yet accrued, including for hotel rooms or rental cars. Can You Use Your Visa Gift Card at Restaurants and Beauty Salons?Yes, you can, but note that many restaurants, hair salons and nail salons will add in an automatic 20-percent tip to the purchase price. If this amount exceeds the available balance on your gift card, the transaction authorization may be declined. Notify the merchant that they should only deduct a specific amount from your gift card and make payment for the remaining balance by another payment method. Once the transaction has been processed you cannot use the card to make a tip. Can You Use Your Visa Gift Card for Internet or Phone Purchases?For security reasons, most internet, mail order, and telephone order merchants require that the billing address for your order match the billing address on your card. With that in mind, register your card before placing any orders, if your issuer supports the option. Note that when making payments online, the information on the card must match exactly the information provided to the merchant. What if Your Gift Card Is Lost or Stolen?If your card is lost or stolen, notify your issuer immediately by calling the number on the back of your card or go online on their website. (See below for further details.) You may be issued a replacement card for the remaining balance, less a reissue fee, which your issuer may charge you. You will be asked to provide the issuer with your 16-digit Visa gift card number to cancel your lost or stolen card and receive a replacement card. That is another reason to keep your card number in a safe place in the event this should happen. Can You Cancel a Purchase?If you change your mind and ask a merchant to cancel your purchase, you should know that, if the merchant has already obtained an authorization for your payment, you may need to wait 3 – 7 days for your funds to be added back to your card’s balance. What if Your Purchase Is Declined?In most cases where a payment is declined, your Visa gift card’s remaining balance is not enough to cover the purchase amount. Note that some merchants, such as restaurants, beauty salons, cruise lines or mail order companies require that your card must have a greater remaining balance than the purchase amount, in order to allow for tips or incidental expenses. Can Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card Ever Have a Negative Balance?If a merchant submits a transaction for processing without prior authorization, and sufficient funds are not available on your gift card, you may be liable for the amount greater than your available balance and be required to make payment to cover that amount. So, pay close attention to the transaction amount and make sure you know whether it is applied to your Visa gift card. Is There Any Maintenance Fee on Your Visa Gift Card?Your prepaid Visa card issuer may charge a monthly maintenance fee, if you haven’t used your card for a certain predefined time period. If applicable, that inactivity fee would be deducted from your balance at a predefined time. Check the terms of use and make sure you understand whether and when such a fee is assessed, and at what amount. What if You Dispute A Purchase on Your Visa Gift Card?In case you have a question about, or are disputing, a certain transaction, you should contact the merchant directly to settle the transaction in question. If you are still unsatisfied with the outcome, contact your card issuer by phone or on their website, where available. What if You See an Error on a Transaction?In case of a transaction error, contact your card issuer by phone or online. Can You Use Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card to Make a Payment for a Recurring Monthly Bill?No, your gift card cannot be used for pre-authorized, regular transactions, including recurring payments. Is Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card the Same as a Credit Card?No, your card is not the same as a credit card. The difference is that you can only spend the amount of money that was originally loaded to the card. Is Your Prepaid Visa Gift Card the Same as a Debit Card?Similarly to a debit card, you can spend only the funds available on the gift card. However, the difference is that a bank account is not associated with a gift card. Can You Use Your Visa Gift Card to Buy a Money Order?Yes, you can, as long as the business selling you the money order accepts Visa cards. How to Protect Yourself from Gift Card ScamsSince 2018, consumers have been defrauded of $245 million on gift cards, which they used to pay scammers for a wide variety of scams, according to data analysis by the FTC. The median individual loss was $840. Most often, the victims are taken in by an imposter scam. These scams can take on various forms, but the ones most likely to include gift cards as a payment method were government imposters, family imposters, business imposters, and tech support scams. Note that scammers always have some reason why you need to buy gift cards. These might try to convince you that you are in serious trouble of some form or other with the government and must therefore buy “electronic vouchers” to avoid arrest. Some people on the receiving end have reported scammers posing as businesses promising special promotional pricing for things like phone or TV service, as long as they paid for the first three months with a gift card. Others were scammed into buying gift cards to evaluate a retailer as a “secret shopper.” If someone asks you to pay for something by putting money on a gift card, like a Visa gift card, and then giving them the numbers on the back of that card, they are trying to scam you. No real business will ever insist that you pay them with a gift card. Anyone who demands to be paid exclusively with a gift card is a scammer. How to Recognize a Gift Card ScamGift cards are popular with scammers, because they are easy for people to buy and have fewer protections for buyers, as opposed to some other card payment options. Prepaid gift cards are more like cash in that once you use the card, the money on it is gone. And scammers love this. If someone calls you and demands that you pay them with gift cards, you can be certain that you are dealing with a scammer. Once they have your gift card number and PIN, they will have your money. Scammers can be incredibly inventive and may tell you all kinds of stories to get you to pay them with a gift card, but here is what typically happens:
Tactics Scammers Employ to Trick You into Paying with a Gift CardScammers will pretend to be someone else to trick you into paying with gift cards. They will want to scare or otherwise pressure you into taking immediate action, so that you don’t have the time to think it over or seek advice. Commonplace gift card scams include:
What Should You Do if You Paid a Scammer with Prepaid Visa Gift Cards?If, even after your best efforts to protect yourself, you still find that you paid a scammer with a gift card, call the company that issued it immediately. You will find the issuer’s phone number on the back of your card. In case you no longer have access to your card, do some research online to find out how to reach the card issuer. If you cannot find their contact information or the issuer isn’t helpful, report the incident to the FTC. How to Safely Buy and Use Visa Gift CardsIt’s even in their name, so remember that gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. With that in mind, whenever you buy gift cards as a present or to donate:
How to Recognize a Valid Visa Gift CardEach prepaid Visa gift card issuer uses their own unique design. To ensure the card’s authenticity, look for the standard features in the image below:
Source: Visa
Source: Visa Prepaid Visa Gift Card’s Key ElementsElectronic Use OnlyThe statement “Electronic use only” appears on all unembossed Visa cards to indicate that the card must be swiped and authorized through an electronic point-of-sale (POS) terminal. The reason is that unembossed cards have no raised letters or digits and so can’t be used with manual imprint machines. Note that merchants, which accept only manual imprints must request an alternate payment form to avoid risking the transaction being charged back for a “Missing Imprint” or “Card Not Present” reason. When Is Additional Payment Required?If the sales amount is greater than the remaining balance on your Visa gift card, the POS terminal will automatically deduct the amount left on the gift card from the transaction total and show you the additional amount you need to pay. If it’s a stand-alone POS terminal (meaning that it’s not integrated with the cash register), it will generate a partial authorization request for the remaining amount on your gift card. Then you will use another form of payment to complete the sale. How to Do Returns on Your Gift Card?When requesting a return, you will need to present your prepaid Visa gift card, along with the original transaction receipt. The credit will be applied to your Visa gift card, which may take three to seven business days. How to Void Visa Gift Card Transactions?You can void a purchase on your Visa gift card the same way you would any other Visa payment card purchase. Once again, the credit transaction may take three to seven business days to complete. Where to Report Gift Card FraudSource: Visa Whenever someone requests that you to pay them with gift cards:
The TakeawayGift cards have been highly hugely popular in the United States for as long as they have existed, so much so that in 2006 they were ranked as the second-most given gift by consumers, including the most-wanted gift by women, and the third-most wanted by males, according to the Journal of Consumer Affairs. Perhaps the biggest reason for their popularity is that gift cards relieve the donor of the necessity to select a specific gift. The gift card recipient, for their part, can use it at their discretion to buy whatever it is they want for themselves. In 2012, close to 50 percent of all U.S. consumers claimed to have bought a gift card as a present during the holiday season, according to Consumer Affairs. In Canada, $1.8 billion was spent on gift cards, while in the UK that spending total is estimated to have reached £3 billion in 2009, according to The CPA Journal, whereas in the United States about $80 billion was spent on gift cards in 2006. These amounts are only likely to keep growing. Can I use a Visa gift card to buy a gift card?Yes, you can purchase a new Visa gift card using your current Visa gift card.
Can I use a Visa gift card to purchase a Walmart gift card?You cannot use one gift card to buy another gift card at Walmart. You can, however, purchase other types of gift cards at Walmart, including Visa, travel, restaurant, e-gift cards, gaming, specialty gift cards and so on.
Can you use a Visa gift card to buy a Target gift card?Are there any restrictions with Visa®, Mastercard®, or American Express® Gift Cards? Visa, Mastercard, or American Express Gift Cards cannot be used to purchase Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, Target GiftCards or other specialty or prepaid cards.
Can I purchase a gift card with a gift card?No federal or state law regulates whether it is possible to buy a gift card with another gift card. It's up to companies to decide on their policies. It means that every retailer can choose whether they will allow their customers to purchase the same brand or third-party gift cards using another gift card.
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