Supermarket Shoppers Battling Apple Gift Card Tampering Crisis
A growing number of Australian shoppers are finding themselves at the centre of a frustrating and costly issue involving tampered Apple gift cards, predominantly purchased from major supermarket chains. The problem, which has seen the crucial redemption information on these cards mysteriously disappear, is leaving consumers out of pocket and in a bureaucratic battle to reclaim their funds.
One Woolworths customer recently shared their distressing experience on the popular online forum Reddit. The shopper, who purchased four Apple gift cards from a Woolworths store in North Melbourne as part of a promotional offer, discovered a significant problem upon returning home.
“Bought four Apple gift cards from Woolworths North Melbourne today as part of the 20x rewards points promo,” they detailed. “Three of them had their redemption numbers and part of their serial numbers completely removed/scratched off. External packaging was undamaged.”
Alarmed by the discovery, the customer returned to the store within half an hour. They opened a third card in front of the store manager to demonstrate the issue. However, the response was far from satisfactory. The customer reported being informed that a refund could not be provided. Instead, the manager stated that the affected gift cards would be removed from sale, and the problem was deemed to be “Apple’s fault to deal with.”
Seeking further assistance, the shopper contacted the Woolworths gift card helpline. There, they were informed that Apple was aware of the widespread tampering issue and had instructed that customers experiencing such problems should be directed to them. This left the customer questioning why they were not entitled to a refund for what they considered a “tampered/faulty product,” especially with proof of purchase. They also raised concerns about whether Woolworths was aware of the ongoing issue and, if so, why they continued to stock the affected gift cards.
The Woolworths shopper eventually reached out to Apple support. They were told that an investigation would be launched, with a timeframe of “at least 10 business days.”
This incident is not an isolated one. Another customer, Georgia Perry, previously reported a similar ordeal with Coles supermarkets. Ms. Perry was left a staggering $2000 out of pocket after purchasing four Apple gift cards, each loaded with $500. Like the Woolworths shopper, she discovered the cards had been tampered with and were unusable once opened. Fortunately, Ms. Perry was eventually able to secure a refund from Coles.
In response to the growing concerns, a Woolworths spokesperson acknowledged the issue. “We take fraud prevention seriously and are aware that a very small number of our gift cards have been affected by tampering, which is impacting retailers across the industry,” they stated.
To combat this criminal activity, Woolworths has implemented several protective measures. “To help protect customers, we’ve introduced stronger in-store security measures and more secure gift card packaging, while also working closely with law enforcement and our suppliers to help stop this criminal activity,” the spokesperson added. They also advised customers to:
- Check the packaging and barcode before purchasing.
- Alert a team member to any concerns.
- If concerns arise after leaving the store, contact their customer service team for investigation and potential replacement.
The initial Woolworths shopper later provided an update on their Reddit post, confirming they had been contacted by the Woolworths gift card team and had received a full refund. Ms. Perry also confirmed receiving a full refund from Coles.
When approached for comment, Apple Australia directed inquiries to a gift card help page on its website. Under the heading ‘If your gift card code is unreadable,’ the advice simply states to ‘contact Apple support.’
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has also weighed in, urging gift card providers to “develop and maintain their systems appropriately to prevent gift card fraud.” The ACCC previously advised consumers facing difficulties redeeming gift cards, including those that have already been redeemed, to raise the issue with both the gift card provider and the retailer.
The ACCC’s guidance for consumers includes:
- Consumers are generally able to return tampered gift cards to the retailer where they were purchased, provided they have proof of purchase, to seek a refund or replacement.
- Retailers may require information from the gift card provider confirming that the gift card funds were redeemed fraudulently.
- While physical tampering isn’t always evident, consumers are encouraged to inspect gift cards carefully before purchasing for any signs of damage or tampering, as these can indicate potential validity or redemption problems.
- If issues cannot be resolved directly with the provider or retailer, consumers can contact their state or territory consumer protection agency for assistance.
A spokesperson for InComm Payments, a distributor of Apple Gift Cards, stated, “InComm Payments is aware of the situation and supporting Coles, Woolworths and Apple in their investigation of recent customer complaints. Redemption issues impact a small portion of total cards sold, and our highest priority is supporting customers who have been affected by this issue.”
Despite these ongoing issues, Apple gift cards remain available for purchase at major Australian supermarkets.
