I accumulated 3 Home Depot Gift Cards. Yesterday I was going to use them for a little microwave. The cards were EXPIRED, so they were worth only $5 each 🙁
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The "She Build" initiative is empowering women in Seattle, WA by ensuring they have safe, healthy homes.
Featured Video
Builder’s Advocate: An Interview With ViewrailHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I'm in Ma.
they passed a law here that cards have a life of 7 years, no fees.
some places were charging a monthly fee for no using the card until the money was all gone.
"Gift Certificates, Gift Cards to be good for seven years before expiration.
A law passed last year requires that all gift certificates -- including gift cards -- redeemed in Massachusetts not expire for seven years from the date of purchase. This law went into effect June 1, 2003.
This new law enables businesses to keep the money of unredeemed gift certificates after seven years from issuance -- as long as said gift certificates have dates of issuance and expiration clearly marked on them. Under the new law, gift certificates without such dates are redeemable in perpetuity. Previously, state law -- which required that gift certificates be good for a period of at least two years -- mandated merchants turn over the value of expired gift certificates to the State Treasurer's Abandoned Property Division.
Anyone with questions regarding this new law should contact either the issuing retailer directly or the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation at (617) 973-8787 or (888) 283-3757 (toll free, Massachusetts only) or via e-mail at [email protected]."
bobl Volo, non valeo
Baloney detecter WFR
"But when you're a kibbutzer and have no responsibility to decide the facts and apply the law, you can reach any conclusion you want because it doesn't matter." SHG
Edited 5/15/2007 10:56 am ET by bobl
Were the gift cards gratus from HD through a store promotion? Were they purchased gift cards? If they were purchased gift cards there should be no limit on redemption in which case I would really make some noise.
Virginbuild
This were Giftcards from friends Birthday and Christmas.
http://www.dca.ca.gov/legal/s-11.htm
Check this site. California has a law that gift cards can't expire.
Can you take a gift card from some other state and take it to CA and use it whenever? Same chain of course. But a NJ Home Depot card sent to CA, say?
Can you take a gift card from some other state and take it to CA and use it whenever? Same chain of course. But a NJ Home Depot card sent to CA, say?
Good Question. I couldn't find the answer, but some digging might get one.
I just Googled "Gift card laws" to get an answer to your question and had no luck, but did find the site below that lists other states with expiration laws.
http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_financial_services/003889.html
Interesting. Found that here in PA, they are turned over to the state who (in theory) tries to find the rightful owner.
http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/consumers.aspx?id=280
Send me all your HD & Lowes gift cards and I will run some "scientific" tests here in California. You can trust me, I'm an engineer.
Experienced, but still dangerous!
Don't shop at Home Depot in the first place! Support your local lumberyard.(sorry, couldn't resist...)
I put every single one I have in the mail to you Monday...
Can you take a gift card from some other state and take it to CA and use it whenever?
When I lived in Texas my FIL who lived in Iowa, sent me a gift card from HD each X-mas and I was able to use them without any problems. I believe he sent me one from Lowes one time so both compaines cards worked.
Doug
Funny this thread comes up. Yesterday I found three Walgreens phone cards that had gotten stuck away and went to use one. Two had been used and one was brand new. (125 minutes each) Try one, it comes back - expired.
On the back of the card, in tiny letters - valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. And I used to like that store too..
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
I had one of those Visa gift cards you are supposed to be able to use anywhere they take Visa.
Forgot about it, then tried to use it and it only had $3.00 on it. Called the number on the card and they tell me there is a $7.00 a month fee associated with the card.
John
These companies get to claim the cards as liabilities. Once they expire - voila! Their bottom line looks better.
I meant to say one that was expired in one state, and take it to a state that doesn't allow expirations.
Oh, never tried that.
That reminds me: I've got one from my BIL that I haven't spent. I usually go to Lowe's and forget I have the card.
Was there an expiration date printed on them? How old were they?
The ones I have don't have an expiration date, so I don't see how they could say they are expired.
dont microwave them!!
I suspect that they can be used in California. Maybe you can mail them to a CA BT reader or relative who shops at HD who could use them and then send you some bucks.
I hope you threw the microwave back towards the appliance section. IMO if these were gift cards and they wouldnt redeem them they stole from you. I wouldnt suggest you steal from them to get your monies worth, but it would be a shame if some displays "fell" from the shelves as you passed by.
Thanks for the info. I had an HD card laying around that my son said had a few $ left. I went to HD a couple days ago to use it up (after your post). Card was still OK and I only spent about $100 more than the card!