Archived Pre-paid scratch cards

[oneteamonedream]

The other day a guest had a phone card that the silver scratch off was scratched off. She had a receipt but I still denied a return because the back of the card clearly stated no returns or exchanges may be made ( must contact manufactor)if scratched.
Another guest service member told me later they would of returned it. AP told me to always deny if it is scratched off. What does your store do?

 

[arloiscool]

The register will not allow you to return a prepaid card if it has already been used. The screen will prompt you to scan the barcode to deactivate the card, and if it has not been used, it will go through. If it has been used it will say something along the lines of "Return Declined." We still accept returns on cards that have been scratched off, but not used. We just defect them out so the already scratched off card doesn't hit the sales floor.

 

[Electronics Man]

We don't take back cards period.

 

[Squid7085]

I would never take a card back that had been scratched off, even if it hasn't been activated. If it is scratched off, that means they have the number. So say for an iTunes card, they keep the number and just keep waiting until the card is sold again. That's why you should also always check when you sell a card, we had an issue awhile back with people scratching off Checklane iTunes cards and getting the number, then when they were sold they would enter the number. In all honesty, I wouldn't take back any cards.

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

I would never take a card back that had been scratched off, even if it hasn't been activated. If it is scratched off, that means they have the number. So say for an iTunes card, they keep the number and just keep waiting until the card is sold again. That's why you should also always check when you sell a card, we had an issue awhile back with people scratching off Checklane iTunes cards and getting the number, then when they were sold they would enter the number. In all honesty, I wouldn't take back any cards.

This would never happen, because as soon as ANY "card" is returned, scratched or not, the computer makes you defect it RED. Aka it gets destroyed. The numbers they may or may not have will do them no good when the card is sitting at the bottom of the compactor.

My store takes these cards as returns, because it's true that the system will NOT let you deactivate it if it's already been used. I've seen returns of cards be declined for that reason.

 

[SuzyTarget]

This would never happen, because as soon as ANY "card" is returned, scratched or not, the computer makes you defect it RED. Aka it gets destroyed. The numbers they may or may not have will do them no good when the card is sitting at the bottom of the compactor.

My store takes these cards as returns, because it's true that the system will NOT let you deactivate it if it's already been used. I've seen returns of cards be declined for that reason.

This is true. There's no item that we sell that we won't return. Return refusals are based on circumstances not the merchandise or dollar amount involved.

 

[Kalaen]

Most of the cards do not state that they are unable to be returned if scratched off. But either way, like everyone said, the system knows if it's been used. If it has, it gets defected RED-TOSS, and deactivated--which means the company who sells them knows that that particular number on the card is no longer redeemable. Plus, officially, Target's best practice for returns is attempt ALL returns that are new and unused, and follow register prompts--not to read the fine print on the back of some card and arbitrarily deny it based thereupon. I'd say the only way you should be denying a return of a card is if the ETLs (more specifically, your ETL-GE and/or STL) or anyone from AP at your store tells you to do so.

 

[twonice]

I'd say sorry we can't take it, you have #'s blah blah & we can't sell. That usually makes them OK. If they argue GSTL that's what they are for! I think the unscratched one's go RED too when returned.

 

[Barcode]

You should return the card as long as POS allows it. If they say it doesn't work/etc. then it classifies as defective merchandise and should always be attempted to be returned.

Above posters are correct, POS will stop the return if the card has been used. At this point you can refer them to the support ph# on the back of the card. Also, all returned ph cards will automatically defect to RED.

 

[SuzyTarget]

I'd say sorry we can't take it, you have #'s blah blah & we can't sell. That usually makes them OK. If they argue GSTL that's what they are for! I think the unscratched one's go RED too when returned.

A couple of Christmas's ago we had many returns/exchanges one certain type Ipod prepaid cards with scratched-off numbers because the cards were defective. Many of these were returned by some of our most reliable guests so we had no reason to be suspicious. It is possible for a guest to have a legitimate reason to return a prepaid card even after they scratched off the numbers, and as others have pointed out, the cards go defective anyway. Good guest service says you attempt the return and you refuse only if the register says you cannot return it. If you really feel uncomfortable, offer them an exchange.

 

[buliSBI]

At one time Target couldn't return any pre-paid cards, but a few years back there was a process for a few lines of pre-paid cell phone cards (Virgin/AT&T/Verizon) and iTune cards with receipt. There was an authorization code or something you had to punch in. If it came back used, then the return was denied. TracFones and long distance calling cards were not able to be returned at all, if I remember correctly.

 

[SuzyTarget]

At one time Target couldn't return any pre-paid cards, but a few years back there was a process for a few lines of pre-paid cell phone cards (Virgin/AT&T/Verizon) and iTune cards with receipt. There was an authorization code or something you had to punch in. If it came back used, then the return was denied. TracFones and long distance calling cards were not able to be returned at all, if I remember correctly.

When I first started as a cashier we would pretty frequently have guests who would come to check out with prepaid cards and a bunch of other items to be rung up and then when we'd get everything scanned in including the activation code on the card they would say--oops, they forgot something could we hold onto their stuff and they'd be right back and then they'd disappear and never come back. I'm not sure how it worked because I've never really been a user of prepaid cards, but somehow they'd upload info off the card onto whatever device they wanted it for, get us to activate the card so the time/dollars would be available to them and skip out on paying. But how the cards work had been changed to prevent this--I think that's why returns are now allowed.

 

[redeye58]

Cards aren't activated until the transaction is completed. They can upload what they want but, until payment goes through & a receipt is printed, the card isn't active.

 

[SuzyTarget]

Cards aren't activated until the transaction is completed. They can upload what they want but, until payment goes through & a receipt is printed, the card isn't active.

The situation I described was happening a number of years ago, so something was different then.