Vanilla Visa Gift Card Explained
The Vanilla Visa gift card is one of the most popular Visa gift cards. You can purchase one at many drug or convenience stores and they come in denominations of $25, $50 and $100. They are accepted anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted but they cannot be used at merchants outside of the United States.
One of the nice features about the Vanilla Visa gift card is that they are replaceable when lost. Just contact Vanilla Visa online at Vanillavisa.com and a new card will be issued. There is however a $5.95 Re-Issuance Fee for replacing a card. The cards are not reloadable or returnable once purchased.
The Vanilla Visa gift card is activated by the cashier at the time of purchase. All you need to do is sign the back of the card and you can use it immediately. There is no need to call a special number to activate the card.
Like other bank issued gift cards, the Vanilla Visa gift card comes with fees, including activation fees that are paid when you purchase the card. They range from $4.95 to $6.95 depending on the value of the card. There is also a monthly service fee of $2.50 that is charged from the 7th month after purchase. If you use the entire balance of the card before the 7th month, you will not be charged the service fee.
A note of caution: Some have had trouble using the Vanilla Visa card online, even after registering the card with Vanilla Visa. Other issues reported include the inability to link the card to PayPal or use it on eBay. In addition, some merchants do not accept bank issued Visa gift cards in general, so be sure to check with the merchant before buying the card.
Here is a summary of FAQs related to the Vanilla Visa gift card.
1. How to Check the Balance on a Vanilla Visa Gift Card
To check the balance on your Vanilla Visa Gift Card, go to https://www.vanillavisa.com/home.html or call customer service at 1-800-571-1376, 24/7. You can also call the same number for general information regarding your Vanilla Visa Gift Card.
2. Can the Vanilla Visa Gift Card Be Used to Shop Online?
The short answer is yes and no. Yes, because Vanilla Visa has information on their FAQs addressing the issue of using the card online. They do encourage card holders to use their mailing address when using the card online. They do not explicitly say that you cannot use the card online, but they do acknowledge that your personal information is not linked to the card. And that is where the problem lies. Since your personal information is not linked to the card, when the online merchant tries to verify the name and address you provide against the information on file with your gift card issuer (just like the do for credit cards), they are not able to match the information against your Vanilla Visa card, which leads to the card being rejected. I am not sure why Vanilla Visa will not come out and just tell their customers that. Some people buy these cards with the hope of using them online only to find out they cannot. That can be frustrating. For more on using bank issued gift cards online, click here.
Quite a number of people have also reported that they are not able to link the Vanilla Visa card to PayPal or use it on eBay. Part of the problem with linking the card to PayPal is that PayPal may require you to go through their extended verification process when you try to link a gift card, credit, or debit card. Since most bank issued gift cards do not provide a statement of the transactions, you are unable to get the code needed to complete the verification. And if you cannot complete the PayPal verification, then you are out of luck. For more on this problem, click here.
Furthermore, the Vanilla Visa Card does not support recurring bill payment or pre-authorized transactions.
3. Can you get cash from the ATM with your Vanilla Visa Gift Card?
Unfortunately, you cannot get cash from the ATM with your Vanilla Visa card. One option is to sell the card to us at http://www.giftcardrescue.com/. We will pay you 75% of the card value and send you the cash in no time.
4. Do I have to call a number to activate the card before I can use it?
No, you do not have to call a number to activate the card before use. The Vanilla Visa gift card is activated by the cashier at the time of purchase. All you need to do is sign the back of the card and you can use it immediately.
5. Where can I use my Vanilla Visa Card?
The card is accepted anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Vanilla Visa cards purchased in the United States can only be used in the United States. They cannot be used at merchants outside of the United States, including online merchants based outside the United States.
6. Are there fees associated with the Vanilla Visa Gift Card?
Yes. Like other bank issued gift cards, the Vanilla Visa gift card comes with fees. You will be charged an activation fees at the time of purchase, which can be anywhere from $4.95 to $6.95 depending on the value of the card. This is in addition to the value of the card. You may also be charged a monthly service fee of $2.50, but that only kicks in beginning the 7th month after purchase. You will also be charged a fee of $5.95 if your card is lost and has to be re-issued.
7. Is the Vanilla Visa Card Reloadable?
No, the Vanilla Visa Card is not reloadable. If you need a reloadable Visa Gift Card, click here for more information.
As you can see, the Vanilla Visa gift card is convenient to use and gives you more options on where you can shop, as compared to a department store gift card for example, but there are other things to consider before you buy one, including the fees that come with the card and challenges of using it online.
Where to Buy the Vanilla Visa Gift Card
The following store locations sell the Vanilla Visa gift card. It is always a good idea to call the store location to confirm that they still carry the card as some stores may run out from time to time.
7-Eleven
Valero
Carlton Cards
Freedom
Flash Foods
Irving
Kerr Drug
Longs Drugs
CVS Pharmacy
Drug Fair
Country Fair
Kinney Drugs
Winn Dixie
Duane Reade
Fastrac Markets
Huck’s
Fred’s
Family Express
H-E-B
AAFES
Associated Food Stores
Parker’s
Plaid Pantry
Village Pantry
TA
Scolari’s
Casey’s General Store
Brookshire Brothers
RaceTrac
Raley’s
Murphy USA
Office Depot
Scaff’s Market
Stripes
Town & Country
Kangaroo Express
Weigel’s
Schnucks
Sheetz
Spartan Stores
Dash In
Dollar General
ConocoPhillips
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[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards [...]
[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards [...]
[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards [...]
[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards [...]
[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards [...]
Vanilla gift cards are a scam. They charges $2.50 per month using up the balance before the expiration date ever arrives. Everything about them is misleading and they are only a class action lawsuit away from being gone.
This is a total scam. They took $22.50 off my son’s $50 birthday gift. The card SAYS it will take $1.50 a month after 13 months but “they changed their policy” to $2.50 a month after 7 months. I pitched a fit today and they gave me part of it back but then hung up on me when I said I would never do business with them again. Why are they charging a “service fee” anyway? All they are doing is keeping the gift giver’s money. No service is provided there! A total racket!!!! Should be illegal
Vanilla Visa indicates on their packaging that the card can be used online as long as you go through the simple registration process on their website. What they DONT tell you before you spend money to purchase the card is that Paypal, Linden Labs, Verizon and other online merchants will NOT accept this card.
Let the buyer beware!
DO NOT BUY A VANILLA VISA CARD — they take you balance with the $2.50 a month and tell you that even though it says activation is from the first purchase, it is NOT! It is the second it is bought. JU
DO NOT BUY their card. Just give the person cash or you are helping to hurt the person by taking their gift.
This should be ILLEGAL and hopefully it will be soon. You spend the face amount of the gift card along with an activation fee of $4.95 when you buy it. You present it and expect that that money will be available when the receiver is ready – but it won’t be. They present the card only to find out that the balance isn’t the original amount or worse – that there is nothing left. NEVER BUY THESE. WRITE A CHECK OR GIVE CASH!
Don’t trust this name!!!!!!!!!It is scam. Everyday I have called and was told to give it 24 hours x 7 days!!!!!!I would have much preferred to give the money to a local food bankbut I trusted the Visa name, what a fool
[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards ideas. Kwame is also editor of the Ghana Tribune, a source for Ghana [...]
[...] a gift card expert and runs a popular gift card blog. He has written many articles on topics like Vanilla Visa Gift Card and Gift Cards ideas. Kwame is also editor of the Ghana Tribune, a source for Ghana [...]
The Vanilla Visa Card is a joke. This is the biggest ripoff out there. I hope someone gets a class action l;awsuit going against this company because everything on their packaging is misleading. The $2.50 per month service fees is bogus. You do not know when this gift card is purchased so you don’t know when the clock starts ticking on this ridiculous fee. they already make their $3.95 up front when the buyer purchases the card. But they have to be greedy and drain the balance with a bogus $2.50 charge per month. The only people that this could work for are folks that are going to spend the whole card balance shortly after the card is purcahsed. AVOID at all costs. RIPOFF!
BEWARE! The comments here are correct–this is sleazy operation. Someone pays say $50 for a gift card that is then hit repeatedly with fees adn carries a short-lived expiration date. Wait even a bit of time adn the balance is zero. The company executives behind this deserve serious jail time.
Complete rip off. Web sites appear shut down (both Vanillavisa.com and myfastcard.com), no way to reach customer service on 800 number on card (found alternate number on a cached copy of the myfastcard web site, thank you Google). Tried to use card online at pizza place, it was declined and yet when I checked my balance with the toll free number it had been deducted from my balance already. Held for 18 minutes, got customer svc rep: “sorry. can’t help. must wait 7 days and see if the pizza place enters a credit. Too bad for you.” Oh, yes, and the extra $3 ABOVE THE AMOUNT CHARGED BY THE PIZZA CHAIN? “we automatically add 20% to every restaurant bill”. HELLO, I had already added a tip. So: can’t get to the web site to “register” my card, tried to use it online and order was “declined” however, the charge went through and was deducted from my balance PLUS an arbitrary 20%; had to find a “hidden” number to get customer svc, no luck there: “too bad, so sorry for you” is the answer from Vanilla Visa. This card is a total rip off. Give cash.
DO NOT BUY THESE CARDS, YOU ARE BETTER OFF GIVING CASH! I purchased these gift cards for my 13 year old to take with her on vacation with a friend. Not only was I shocked by the 7.00 charge for each card, but there was an immediate 2.50 service charge on all 3 cards. In addition, she did not use a fraction of the money and when she returned from vacation forgot about the cards. We tried to use them for Christmas shopping and the entire remaining balance on all 3 cards had been eaten up by service charges. In addition, when I contacted Visa to voice my amazement at how disengenious and misleading this program is, they kindly (?!) reinstated a small (and I mean small) credit on each card, only to have a service charge applied to the balance the very next day. AGAIN, DO NOT BUY. You are better off taking chance with cash!
… what the hell are you guys talking about? I bought it today, used it on paypal today, and the activation showed up the moment paypal charged it 1.95 to verify it. required no information from me at purchase or any moment yet, the only drawback is i still have $30 left over and need 35.40 for the other purchaseid like to make and cant cash it out at an atm, otherwise very happy with this it was better than greendot that wont even send me my real card
This card is an outright fraud. The cardboard package containing the card is sealed, and states “IF TAMPER EVIDENT, DO NOT PURCHASE”. It is only after the card is purchased that you can open the cardboard package and find the terms and conditions, which essentially states they will take your money from you.
Well this is pretty cool that you can have a gift card that does not need to be used at just one place but can be used at many except out side the USA which would make sense considering that card would have $’s on it making coveting a whole other issue. I see that this card does have a fee on it which I find rather strange considering it is a gift card.