American Express is finally dropping their annoying dormancy fees just in time for the holidays. The company previously began charging a $2 per month deduction after an American Express gift card sat dormant for 12 months. Now thanks to consumer complaints and a third party company, the Simon Property Group, no fee American Express gift cards will be rolled out at 230 malls across America. The products are being promoted as the “100% gift” which will most likely fly way over the average consumers head. Most people who buy a gift card expect to receive 100% of the balance on the card regardless of how long they wait to use.

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A woman in Florida recently purchased a Visa gift card to use in her online shopping transactions, a sound idea to help avoid identity threat. Although this is a great way to protect your regular credit card from fraud it is important to read all of the Visa gift card fine print before proceeding. The woman tried to use the card online without following the instructions only to discover that the card was voided. When she tried to get her money back from Visa and the store neither were able to offer her a full refund. What happened? Many people use Visa gift cards online, what went wrong?

Visa gift cards can take up to 24 hours to activate, although they typically are activated this card did not and as a result the card was voided when someone attempted to use it before it had been activated. The woman recouped some of her money, but not all of it. Remember to read all of the fine print when you purchase a prepaid Visa or Visa gift card. Failure to follow instructions can void the card with no one left accountable for the lost balance.

Another tip to keep in mind if you are having trouble using your prepaid Visa online is to go to the Visa website and tie your name and address to the gift card. Some online retailers will not accept credit cards if the card holders name and address are available.

Although the prepaid American Express gift cards is one of the most popular prepaid credit card gift cards out there, checking the balance can often be challenging. The website is not set up very well and it can take forever to get the right extension on the phone. The following two ways are the easiest ways to check the balance of your American Express gift card:

1) Check American Express Gift Card Balance By Phone, Call 1-877-297-4438

2) Check American Express Gift Card Balance Online, Click Here.

If you discover a balance still remains but would rather get cash for your gift card, consider selling the gift card online. Popular gift card exchange site  Giftah lets you convert your gift cards into cash, the site is easy and fun to use and will get you the most cash for your card