A few weeks ago, Amazon closed my 3rd account. Here’s the email I got:
Hello,
We have closed your account, canceled all outstanding orders, and voided your current Amazon.com Gift Card balance.
We took these actions because you were using Amazon.com Gift Cards in violation of our Terms and Conditions. We cannot reissue the Gift Cards or provide a refund.
If you believe you received this message in error, please call Customer Service at:
Customers within U.S. and Canada: 1-888-280-4331 International customers: 1-206-922-0880
You can find more information about the terms and conditions that apply to Amazon.com Gift Cards here:
Sincerely, Account Specialist
Amazon.com
This time, I made sure to keep my GC balances low; I think it was less than $50 when they axed the account. So what do I think caused this? I don’t really know; all I know is that I had bought $300 of Safeway gift cards about a week or two earlier using an Amazon balance (from loading GCs.) Before that, I hardly bought anything for the past 2-3 months (no other gift cards from Amazon.)
Where did I get the gift cards that I used to load my Amazon account? I think it was from random Fluz or Fold app, so it wasn’t like I was using “hot” gift cards. All the GCs were personally bought by me.
The lessons learned here besides f* Amazon? Well, stop buying Amazon gift cards and/or stop buying 3rd party gift cards using an Amazon balance (even though they technically allow it.)
wow… I own total of 5 amazon accounts and 4 of those are primarily for buying 3rd party gift cards during one of those xx% or $xx’ off when redeeming “xxxx” reward point promotions. I use the trick to unroll and re-enroll “purchase with points” to be targeted for the promotion for citi, capitalone, discover, chase and amex and have taken advantage of these promotions several times a year. and guess what? i always maximize the deal buy using amazon GC purchased at the grocery store earning category bonus and fuel points. Yet no shutdowns knock on wood. I always thought that if amazon had to shut down 4 accounts out of billions, all of mine would be it except 1 I use to buy other stuff too. I had no idea using amazon GC to pay for third party GC is against the rule? are we sure about that? I know its’ specifically not allowed on visa/mc/amazon GC purchase but others too?
So red flags I see
1) third account after prior shutdowns
2) gift card with gift card
3) lemme guess, buying groups /shipping to not your address?
4) wonder of fluz/fold Amazon gift cards are somehow sketchier than ones bought at grocery/staples
Why would anyone add Amazon GC all at once to their account? I keep a box with [physical] GCs in it, including a bunch of Amazon GC. When I need to replenish my balance, I add a few to my account. When my wife needs to replenish her balance, she adds a few to her account. Same for my kids.
I try to buy most of my Amazon GCs at a discount when available.
I used to wonder about that until it happened to me. It’s not that I kept a high gc balance but all the pending orders are cancelled and if they were pending with amazon gc balance, that balance is gone.
Is it possible, they’re just realizing that they’ve shut you down twice, that’s why closing the 3rd account, even though there’s no questionable transactions?
Sorry to hear Vinh.. Just couple of days ago, one of my orders was cancelled, and voided the GC’s that were used in placing the order. I’m not sure if I should send all the documentation /receipts requested to get my balance back, for the fear of getting my account closed.
Had you been buying GCs with GCs? What do you think caused it?
Wondering the same
The only games I’ve ever played with Amazon GC balance is to use it as a dumping ground for the small remains of VGCs after liquidating by MOs and also to make $1-ish charges on debit cards after opening a bank account and doing X number of transactions for a bonus. I hope that’s not something that will upset them.
What volume were you doing for the most recent shutdown? Seems crazy that they’d shut you down for a balance of $30-300 how would anyone redeem a gift card?
Same. Sucks because I had a bunch of pending orders and lost a few k. Never again.
Thanks for your heads up, felt like highway robbery by Amazon. Its one thing to close account, its definitely not right to forfeit account balance.
I appreciate your data and am sorry for your situation. I am surprised to see they would let you use AMZ GC balance towards their 3P GCs. I will be extra careful to confirm that box is not ticked for payment if I have a balance when purchasing any 3P GC there.
AFAIK, I’ve not done this but I would never want to risk my account. The closest thing I have done to MS via AMZ is using their pay with points offers with various CCs to buy 3P GCs.
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