1. Why this matters
Gift cards are a common way to move the proceeds of crime. Cards bought with stolen bank details, obtained by scamming an elderly person, or taken in a phishing attack all end up being sold for cash somewhere. We would rather that somewhere was not us.
Fraud is not a victimless problem here. Every stolen card we buy is money taken from the person it was stolen from, and it pushes down the rates we can offer everyone else. That is why we verify, and why we would rather decline a card than wave it through.
2. What counts as fraud
Selling us a card is a fraud on us, and usually an offence, if:
- the card was stolen, or bought with stolen payment details;
- you obtained it by deceiving somebody, including by a scam or phishing;
- it is counterfeit, or the code was generated rather than issued;
- it has already been redeemed, or has been sold to somebody else;
- you are selling it on behalf of someone else and hiding that fact;
- you know or suspect the money involved is the proceeds of crime.
Opening more than one account to get around a limit or a ban, and giving us false personal details, are also breaches of our Terms.
3. How we verify a card
Every card is checked by a person before we pay for it. We confirm the code is valid and that the balance is what you told us. That is why verification takes up to 24 hours rather than being instant, and why the payout sits as a pending balance until it clears.
We may ask you for a photo of the card, for proof of purchase, or for an explanation of how you came by it — particularly for high-value cards or unusual patterns of selling. You are free to decline, and we are free to decline the card.
4. What we look at
To be plain about it, here is what we use and what we do not.
We do use: manual review of every card by our verification team; the balance and validity of the card itself; the history of orders on your account; the IP address recorded in our server logs at the time you submit; and any evidence you give us.
We do not use: device fingerprinting, behavioural tracking, advertising profiles, or automated decision-making that produces a legal effect on you without a human involved. We do not track you across other websites — see our Cookie Policy.
5. What happens if we suspect fraud
Depending on what we find, we may:
- decline the card and release the pending amount;
- ask you for more information before going further;
- suspend your account and hold the balance while we investigate — we will tell you we have done this, and we will not take longer than is reasonable;
- close the account and refuse to pay out money we believe came from crime;
- report the matter to Action Fraud, to the police, or to the card issuer.
We will not withhold money that is lawfully yours. A suspicion is not a finding, and if an investigation clears you, we pay you.
Selling stolen gift cards is a criminal offence in the UK — it can amount to fraud under the Fraud Act 2006 and to money laundering under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Where we are legally required to report a suspicion, we will, and the law may prevent us from telling you that we have done so.
6. Your responsibilities
Only sell cards you actually own. Keep the receipt where you can — it is the single most useful thing if a card is ever queried. Do not sell a card on behalf of somebody you met online, however plausible the story: if you have been asked to receive gift cards and cash them out for someone else, you are very likely being used as a money mule, and that is a criminal offence even if you did not know the money was stolen.
7. If you think we have got it wrong
Write to support@giftcasher.uk with your order reference and anything that supports your case — a receipt, a bank statement showing you bought the card, or an email confirming it was a gift.
We will acknowledge your appeal within one working day and aim to give you a decision within 14 days. A different person from the one who made the original decision will review it. If you are still unhappy, our complaints process is set out in our Terms of Service.
8. Reporting fraud to us
If you believe someone is using GiftCasher to sell stolen cards, or if you have been contacted by somebody impersonating us, tell us at support@giftcasher.uk.
If you are in the UK and have been the victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or to Police Scotland on 101 if you are in Scotland. If a crime is in progress, call 999.
9. Contact
GiftCasher
78 Grange Rd, Bedford, MK44 3NS, United Kingdom
support@giftcasher.uk