Can I Buy Gift Cards With A Credit Card
Yes, you can use a credit card to buy gift cards at most retailers. Occasionally, this wont be allowed for a variety of possible reasons for example, store-specific policies or a flagged transaction from your card issuer.
Buying gift cards with your credit card is usually coded as a purchase rather than a cash advance, though there may be exceptions.
Prepaid Cards Vs Gift Cards: An Overview
Prepaid cards and gift cards are both pieces of plastic that can be used to make purchases. They make popular presents as well: A versatile way to give a recipient the funds to buy whatever they like that seems safer and a touch classier than a wad of cash, and more convenient than a personal check. The biggest difference between the two reflects their permanence: prepaid cards can be reloaded and used indefinitely, while gift cards can generally only be used until the dollar amount on them is exhausted.
Convincing Square To Accept The Visa Gift Card
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Can A Victim Of A Gift Card Scam Dispute Credit Card Transaction
One of my colleagues got scammed for $14,000 by one of the Apple Gift Card scams.
He paid $4,000 in Cash for Gift Cards and bought the other $10,000 worth by maxing out a credit card.
He’s gone ahead and registered a complaint with NYPD and is considering opening a dispute with the Credit Card company. My question is, does he have any grounds for opening up a dispute and what are the chances of it being resolved in his favor.
More details for context and the story as narrated by him on the lunch table today. He got a call on Friday in the afternoon from NYPDs Official Number telling him that his SSN would be blocked as they suspected him or his acquaintances to be involved in human trafficking in Texas and that he would not be able to access any funds. They suggested to him to withdraw cash and to convert it to Apple Gift-Cards. He went to an Apple store in NYC after withdrawing the max allowance from his bank and bought Gift-Cards, when asked by the cashier at the store as to why he was buying gift cards of such a high denomination. He told him that it was for personal use.
The specific question here is that since he went and used the card in person at the store, then lied to the associate who asked him why he was buying gift cards of such a high denomination on the instructions of the scammers does he really have a case for disputing the transaction? Is this not similar to being responsible for transactions made by another authorized user?
Redeem Rewards For Gift Cards

If you dont have a cash-back credit card, another option is to redeem the points or miles youve accrued for a gift card.When you redeem your points/miles for a gift card, you typically receive a 1:1 value, which means one point/mile is worth a penny. This is a standard redemption rate and can help you get gift cards without charging anything new to your card.
You should also look out for gift card redemption promotions. Chase is the main issuer that offers Ultimate Rewards® cardholders 10% off a variety of gift cards, currently including Grubhub and Subway. Some eligible cards include the Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Through these promotions, a $25 gift card that would typically cost 2,500 points, would only cost 2,250 points.
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Can I Get A Va Loan With A 580 Fico Score
Many borrowers do not realize that they can get qualified for VA Loans With 580 Credit Scores . Actually, the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs has no minimum credit score requirements on VA Loans . However, in order to get an approve/eligible per Automated Underwriting System Findings, a 580 credit score is highly recommended. Jul 23 2019
Gift Cards Make Receiving More Fun
Opening a gift is a fun experience, but, even if its a gift you love, the excitement subsides quickly almost as soon as the gift is unwrapped, looked at and put down.
A gift card is different. The excitement slowly builds up. When you receive a gift card, you become the one who starts to plan what to buy. You might visit the store or search online. Your anticipation grows as you shop, and the excitement pops when you get the gift home or receive it in the mail.
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How To Buy A Gift Card
Kroger
5 minute read
Whether you like shopping in store or prefer to do everything online, there are so many ways to buy gift cards.
From preloaded cards for big name brands to open loop gift cards you can load with as much or as little money as you like, gift cards are a great way to treat someone special or manage your own budget. Want to know how to buy a gift card? Heres our easy-to-understand guide.
Should You Purchase Gift Cards With A Credit Card
Theres nothing wrong with paying for gift cards with a credit card, but you should know there are some major pros and cons in doing so.
Advantages include the potential for rewards on your spending, although how much youll earn depends on the cash back credit card or rewards credit card you have. Its also common to find ways to buy gift cards at a discount so you can save money on a large purchase. For example, many people buy Disney gift cards at Target with the Target Redcard in order to secure 5 percent off. That may not sound like a big deal, but saving 5 percent off a Disney vacation that costs thousands can be worth the extra trouble.
As a side note, buying gift cards from small businesses can also be a helpful move if you want them to survive the economic impact of COVID-19. By buying gift cards now, you can send businesses some much-needed cash and wait to redeem your gift card for goods or services at a later date.
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When I Buy A Gift Card With A Credit Card Is This A Cash Advance
The answer is usually not. Buying a gift card with a credit card is usually considered a purchase. However, this transaction could be coded as a cash advance in certain instances, such as when:
- You buy a prepaid card.Products such as Visa Gift Cards and American Express Gift Cards are sometimes considered cash equivalents, especially as they can be used virtually anywhere credit cards are accepted. Youll rarely have this problem with closed-loop credit cards, because they can be used only at the stores that issue them.
- You buy a gift card at a financial institution.If your card issuer generally codes a merchants services as cash advances, your gift-card purchase may fall under this category as well.
There Are 2 Types Of Gift Cards
There are two types of gift cards: store-based and open-loop, and typically, you should be able to use your credit card to purchase either.
As the name suggests, store-based gift cards have to be purchased from that particular purveyor, and can be used only at that location. So if you have a Starbucks gift card, for example, you can’t use it to pay for your burrito bowl at Chipotle, and vice versa.
An open-loop gift card is an even more broad form of gift card that’s issued through a financial institution like Visa or MasterCard, for example and can be used anywhere that that type of card is accepted. It’s essentially an all-purpose charge card, designed for when you don’t want the recipient to be tied down to one specific outlet.
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How Can I Use A Credit Card To Improve My Credit Score
Paying your credit card on time and not going over your credit limit shows that you can use credit responsibly.
Its also a good idea to keep your account balances below 35% of your available credit. For example, if you have a credit card with a $1,000 limit, try to keep the outstanding balance below $350.
Compare Credit Cards To Buy Gift Cards

Buying gift cards with grocery store credit cards can be a great choice. This is because grocery stores can offer a wide selection of gift cards, and certain cards offer strong rewards at these locations.
Rotating-cashback cards can be useful as well, occasionally offering bonus rewards in categories such as grocery stores and Amazon.com.
Lastly, store-specific credit cards can be lucrative for gift cards on top of giving you rewards for everyday purchases. Be sure to learn their bonus-reward rules for gift card purchases, though. With the Target REDcard Credit Card, for example, you wont get the 5% discount on Target gift cards or prepaid cards, or on lottery, Stockpile or Gift of College gift cards.
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Pay With A Rewards Card
When you don’t have a credit card with instant discounts, consider using a rewards card for your gift card purchases. The best rewards credit card to use for purchasing gift cards is one that earns an above-average cash-back rate, around 2% or more.
The earns 5% cash back on Amazon.com. You could purchase a $150 Amazon.com gift card with your Amazon Prime card, earn $5 cash back, then redeem it for a statement credit to offset your bill.
Check Your Gift Card Balance
To check the balance on your Netflix gift card, go to netflix.com/redeem.
Find the code by scratching the foil off the back of your card gently with a coin.
If you have a digital gift card, the code is on the email.
If you have a code on receipt, the code is on your receipt.
Enter the code and select the Redeem button. Your gift card balance will display on the next screen.
Unless you have another payment method on file, you can watch Netflix until the entire amount on the gift card is used. We’ll remind you when the balance is getting low.
If you want to keep watching Netflix, simply add another gift card or payment method before your balance runs out.
If you change plans, it will change the rate at which the available balance is used.
If you cancel your account, you can keep watching Netflix until your gift card balance runs out. Gift cards are non-refundable.
Once you’ve redeemed your gift card, you can check your available balance any time on your Billing Details page.
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Why Get A Prepaid Card
Prepaid cards can be a great option for those with no credit history or a low credit score. In the case of preloaded cards, there is no credit check needed and its very easy to get approved since you use your own money to load the card. Often there isnt even an approval process you simply get the card and load money onto it.
A prepaid card can also be ideal for individuals who tend to overspend with a credit card. With a prepaid card, you can set monthly budgets and spending limits and ensure you dont overspend. Aside from that, prepaid cards can often be used to pay bills, which is helpful if you want a card that functions like a credit card without the possibility of collecting debt.
Secured credit cards are a smart option for individuals looking to improve their credit score and who would have trouble getting approved for a traditional, non-secured credit card. Unlike with preloaded cards, the activity on a secured credit card is reported to credit bureaus and so if you use the card responsibly, make on-time payments and pay off your balances, you will boost your credit score. Furthermore, for pre-paid credit cards, the requirements are usually minimal, and a cardholders security deposit will be returned to them when they close the card in good standing.
Why Should I Use Gift Cards
The most obvious reason to buy gift cards is to use them as a gift to a friend or loved one, but there are also reasons why buying gift cards for yourself might be a good idea.
Gift cards operate like cash at most retailers, so using the gift cards themselves wont earn rewards. So, you might be asking why I would suggest purchasing them to use. Wouldnt it be better to use a rewards credit card for your retail purchase to earn rewards?
Unfortunately, a lot of retailers dont fall into common bonus categories, which means youd likely only end up with 1% or 1x on those purchases. But gift cards can be bought at locations that do earn rewards. If you buy a gift card to Nordstroms or Bass Pro Shop at Staples with your Ink Business Cash, thats 5%/5x earned on those purchases instead of the 1%/1x you would earn otherwise.
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Buying Generic Gift Cards With A Credit Card
Generic gift cards also known as open-loop gift cards can be used at any location and can be exchanged for their cash value. Many retailers will permit the purchase of open-loop gift cards with a credit card. Examples of open-loop gift cards include Visa, Mastercard, or American Express gift cards.
Other Us Credit Card Issuers
In addition to Chase, a few other US-based issuers will also accept ITINs for credit card applications, with many products that are worth getting:
- Citi credit cards allow you to earn Citi ThankYou points, which can transfer to a variety of useful or unique airline partners.
- Capital One credit cards sometime come with elevated welcome bonuses, which can also be transferred to a series of airline partners.
- Bank of Americas Alaska Airlines co-branded credit cards offer another way to earn miles with Alaska Mileage Plan. Bank of America only accepts ITIN applications over the phone or in-branch.
Overall, the for US credit cards is a lot more focused on playing the long game than up here in Canada.
US-issued credit cards tend to have strict rules on welcome bonus eligibility, so the strategy is generally more conservative and more about building your credit history over the long run to be eligible for the much wider range of bonuses and benefits found in the US.
Lastly, if you have a spouse or partner, Id highly recommend going through this process for both of you at the same time. After all, we know that playing the two-person game is one of the best ways to maximize points here in Canada, so just imagine how much is on the table when it comes to US credit cards.
America, the land of opportunity indeed!
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Best Credit Cards For Purchasing Gift Cards At Office Supply Stores
As a business owner, youll have plenty of reasons to purchase gift cards at office supply stores. Office renovations, promotional incentives for employees, and paying for business dining/travel/entertainment could be likely examples.
Here are a couple of business credit cards that can be used for earning maximum rewards at office supply stores.
Learn More |
Must Reads: For more info on the Chase Ink Cash Card, see our guide on its benefits and our full review. This is one of several business credit cards from Chase. |
The Ink Business Cash card is likely the best card for office supply store purchases as it earns 5% cash-back on up to $25,000 in purchases each account anniversary year.