What's the difference between OneVanilla VGC and Vanilla VGC? I was picking some up at a 7-11 and I saw two types (both were a black/silver theme). One had a giant gift box on it, and said it was a gift card; this had the Vanilla logo on it. The other was more sleek/non-gift looking and it said it was a Prepaid VIsa Card with 'OneVanilla' on the package. It too had the Vanilla logo on it.

So what's the difference, if any, between Vanilla Gift card and OneVanilla Prepaid Visa card?

Is this legit? Or is this a scam card? We got these from load/the truck as we’ve been pushing our huge stocks of load.

It’s weird cus there’s no security code or if there was it’s scratched off when we tilt it towards a light and the front numbers at the end look to be scratched off too.

We voided the transaction and grabbed one that is familiar to us and have sold. We did get a myDay chat showing ones with QR codes and other discrepancies on the card. We have like 3 full racks of these new VISA/Vanilla Cards ??

Lost some money today on a Visa Vanilla card and wanted to alert this community. Some background first. In the past, there have been 2 types of VV scams I've seen that could be defended against. The first type of scam involves a strange packaging type that looks like this:

https://cardvest.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/one-vanilla.jpg

In this packaging, you cannot verify that the card ID on the packaging that is scanned to activate matches the ID that is actually printed on the card. This is the "usual" type of packaging that alerts you to this:

https://images2.imgbox.com/6f/c5/QkAqaEDJ_o.jpg

Note where it tells you in red to "check that the underlined portion of this number matches the number below". Curiously, in the "one vanilla" type packaging this verification system does not exist. So, these types of cards are by definition unsafe to purchase. Only purchase the second type of VV cards (https://images2.imgbox.com/6f/c5/QkAqaEDJ_o.jpg).

But this is where the second scam comes in, and is the better known "sticker scam" where thieves will place a sticker over the card ID so that when it's scanned at checkout the money is loaded onto their card and not yours. This scam can be detected by looking for signs of a sticker and tampering in general. If you google visa vanilla sticker scam you will see many stories about this. An example of this is here:

https://images2.imgbox.com/05/d7/NRElDkFI_o.jpg

But now there is a new scam that I don't believe we can defend against because the evidence points to an inside job by someone working in the manufacturing of the cards. I recently purchased a VV card and clearly inspected the packaging to look for evidence of tampering and stickers. If you know about VV packaging then the notion that someone is opening them up, modifying the cards (why even do this? just write down the details) and sealing them back up makes no sense. The packaging is good, it is tamper proof.

Despite no evidence of tampering, the card had been demagnetized on the strip, and the CVV was scratched off completely. Total loss. Upon doing some searching it seems clear that these cards are arriving TO THE STORES in this condition. This points to an inside job. See:

https://old.reddit.com/r/CreditCards/comments/14tm44s/vanilla_gift_card_scratched_off_numbers/

https://old.reddit.com/r/CVS/comments/15glw0v/bad_gift_cards/

My conclusion here is that it is basically unsafe to purchase Visa Vanillas cards now. At the very least you MUST open the card and inspect its digits, date, CVV, and ID before you pay for it at the POS. Clerks may not allow you to do this at every store. An inside job like this where the cards are primed for a scam before they hit the shelves can not effectively be defended against otherwise.

Would love to hear your experiences, thoughts on this.

It was really obvious right away that this was a scam. I wanted to goat them into giving me more info so I could understand how the scam works to inform others and know what to look out for. The scammer messaged me via Depop asking for more photos of a camera I’m selling. They assured me they would make the payment through Depop but would need pictures through text. I have a “burner” phone so I felt fine with sending some pics. (I do not recommend interacting with scammers on your main phone!) After sending additional photos they said they’d send payment right away. After a few minutes they texted me back with a fake screen shot of a declined purchase saying to email the depop sales teams (obvious fake email). At this point the scammer became a bit rude and was rushing me to email the “sales issue team”. They will use this rushing tactic to hurry you into making a fast decision with out thinking about it. I tried to maintain a professional tone to keep them on the hook a bit longer. After a few more texts and emails (with a burner email) I got enough screen shots of how the scam works to be satisfied. They are trying to take advantage of newer sellers especially. An experienced seller would know that you DO NOT need a One Vanilla prepaid card to receive payment on Depop. The way the scam works is they have you go to a store and buy this prepaid card then you email the card details to the fake Depop support team where they then have access to the money on the card and boom the $500 you put on the card is their’s now and there is no getting that money back. They will even try to scam you again by saying it didn’t work, or you need to add more. It seems like a pretty flimsy scam (and it is) but imagine a younger person who is not as internet savoy or street wise. They are just trying to be respectful and provide good customer service.

Thanks for reading and please spread the word!

These gift cards have to be some sort of scam.

I got a $50 Visa Vanilla gift card about a week ago, and I haven't considered using it until today. I log into the Vanilla website, activate the card, and go to Amazon so i can dump the funds into their own gift card credit. It obviously didn't work, so I said "whatever" and proceeded to use the card by punching in the numbers manually so that I could buy something on Amazon. To nobody's surprise, it didn't work.

The gift card has not been used (Still has $50 according to the Vanilla website), it does not work in person OR online, and it can't even be added to Apple pay because it's not supported. What the actual *!@# do I do?

Also, I'm in the process of filing a complaint at the CFPB, but I highly doubt that's gonna do me any justice...

I have an odd question. My grandmother purchased me a vanilla gift card today. It’s a visa. I’m wanting to use it to buy kits online without having to give any websites an actual credit card number that I use for other things and more important things that I don’t want, something seriously bad happening. Anyway, I can’t get this card to even work so that I can see my balance. Has anyone ever experienced this issue?

I have about 3 of these cards. I’ve activated them all on the Vanilla website, called support and everything, but not a single website I’ve gone to accepts the cards when I try using them to checkout.

I also tried just using them to buy fast food, not even that works.

Anywhere I use the card simply declines it, so what am I supposed to do with them?

I bought an Visa e-gift card from Vanilla Gift. It was compromised and they will email me a replacement in 30 business days.

Do you have any strategies for me as to how I could speed this up? I really doubt they need 30 days to send me an email.

I recently got a $100 and a $150 visa gift card from CVS. I've used prepaid visa gift cards before so I thought I could use like a normal debit card for online purchases, but little did I know that it was made by vanilla... For some ungodly reason they've apparently gotten rid of the option to add a zip code to the card, meaning that it cannot be used for anything online! I cant even buy a normal visa card off amazon because you need a valid billing address and you cant connect one to the card. When I tried talking to customer service they said that I have to find a merchant that doesn't require a billing address, and that this ISN'T a prepaid debit card, despite literally saying so on the face of the card! What do I do with these useless $250 annoyances?

Definitely a big Scam Going On Read This!

Just had this happen to me bought $100 Vanilla Visa Gift Card at CVS as a fathers day gift. Right out of the package card number on the front with last 4 digits scratched off and 3 CVV numbers on the back scratched off as well. It looked deliberately scratched off also the scan bar had scratches and wouldn't scan at the store. I read another reddit thread people talking about the same problem or some with all numbers missing being a defect and getting a refund but this case is definitely deliberate.

Even worse my dad didn't try to use it till 2 or 3 weeks later and when he told me that it didn't work I tried to see what I could do. Figured out if you held the card just right in the glare of a light you could see the imprint of the numbers still. Put in the info to check the balance on there website and saw that all $100 was spent at a Target which my dad never went to.

Called the number on the card to report it stolen and they said they need pictures of the card, recipient (which I saved thank god) and my ID and said to call back to follow up in a month. Before I hung up I asked the guy on the phone if he could tell me the location of the Target it was used at and he said New York and I live in Ohio lol. I also went to CVS to see what they could do but they couldn't do anything since the money was already spent. They showed me other cards with the same exact scratched off numbers that people returned and a pile of all the cards because they took them all off the shelves since so many had scratched off numbers.

Now im guessing this is a deliberate scam going on by either whoever is packaging the cards or vanilla themselves. Think how many people have this happen to them that don't have the receipt and just take the loss and it seems like they are hoping the card isn't used after being activated and whoever is scratching off the numbers is saving the info for themselves and trying to use them once the card is purchased. I don't get how they would know when and which cards or maybe they just randomly keep trying them or its actually Vanilla themselves but I bet if anyone who had this happen to them were able to see the numbers still like I did and checked the balance it was probably all used already.

I could see why people believe it was a defect or damaged but the fact that the money was spent at a Target in New York and I find it weird that if I opened it the day I bought it and figured out how to see the numbers I could have used it still or just returned it to CVS but because it wasn't opened till weeks later the money was already used in New York. Whoever is packaging these cards should be investigated or Vanilla themselves should be investigated because this is a deliberate scam that is probably pulling in loads of money. Someone should call the news and tell them to put out a story to make vanilla acknowledge it lol.

Created a throwaway specifically to help anyone in this nightmare.

For anyone that experienced the horror of this Vanilla gift card ( hardly works anywhere in person or online) and needs a way to cash out I discovered the following solve after being declined for money orders at grocers and Walmart.

Staples - in person.

1. Buy the VISA gift card that has a design black and gold hexagon boxes in the background and VISA in gold print that ranges for $20-500 using the vanilla card - will need to confirm last four of card after swiping.

2. Register the card with your name and address (website on the back at the top right - giftcardmall.com/mygift)

3. Pay trusted individual via PayPal as goods and services.

It’s been a fun 24 hours but lesson learned. Never again. Sharing to help anyone else out there searching for answers.

Last night I wanted to get a Visa card for myself so I wasnt handling cash all the time. I went to my nearest Walgreens and bought one. As soon as I got home. I opened it just to realize that the last four numbers were missing. I went back up to the Walgreens and tried to see if I could trade it out. I couldn't. I call the number on the back. I got support to answer and to replace my card. They ask for my info and Said it would come to the 1 to 3 business days. Is this true to anyone else? I feel like I'm getting scammed again.

I currently have a $410 Vanilla visa gift card. I have tried reloading my amazon gift balance with it for $400 and it always says on hold, and then is cancelled. I called customer service and they told me to match the card name to my billing address, which did not work. I used another visa gift card to reload $5 of my balance a couple days before, which worked fine. I also saw some people saying to change the card name to "Gift Card" which again did not work. On the amazon help page it says these cards are accepted, how in the world do I get this thing to go through?

Hi, I received a visa gift card after selling my phone and i want to get the cash out of it as it doesn’t work on many websites. Can you suggest a way to get hands on money. Worth CAD$740.

Spent $50 on a Vanilla Gift Card for a friend who wanted an online purchase, doesn't even work online. Any help?

Walmart sells these vanilla gift cards and both time i have purchased none of them work. Ive tried contacting the support by email and phone call and get no response. Do not purchase these shitty ass cards or you’ll get scammed.

We gave my mom a digital $150 Vanilla Gift Card for Xmas. She finally activated in February. From the day she activated it, the money was drained in numerous small amounts ($10-$15 each).

After researching the card, i was SHOCKED to find HUNDREDS of the exact same stories on numerous consumer review sites dating back to 2008 (could be even farther but that’s where i stopped).

And it happens as soon as they activate the card (which gives the impression that it’s an inside job from someone in the company…but who really knows).

I don’t understand how they are still in business and how they have gotten away with it for SO long, how Visa is backing them, or places like Walmart are selling them.

If this has happened to you, here is a link to try to dispute it with visa: Visa dispute form. No idea if it works but i saw it on another post about the card.

And here are some of the review sites:

Sitejabber Reviews

Complaintsboard.com

Productreview.com.au

Reviewopedia

Trustpilot

*Investigative Article written about vanilla being a scam

Consumer Class-action site about Vanilla

Viewpoints Reviews

PissedConsumer.com reviews

I’m sure there is more but it was insane to discover SO many of the same scams with this card going on for so long! They need to be stopped.

Also another thought….would they now have access to your bank account details that you purchased the card with? Definitely a possibility!

Here is the vanilla Visa card website.