If you have a problem with a gift card, the first step is to contact the store or financial institution that issued the card. If you can't resolve the problem at that level, you may want to file a complaint with the appropriate authorities:
• For cards issued by retailers: Contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov, or call toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP. You also may file a complaint with your state attorney general (for a list of state offices, visit www.naag.org).
• For cards issued by national banks: Contact the Comptroller of the Currency's (OCC) Customer Assistance Group by calling 800-613-6743 or sending an e-mail to: customer.assistance@occ.treas.gov. The OCC charters, regulates, and supervises national banks, some of which issue gift cards.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov, or call toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad.
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