[Scam Alert] Prepaid Mastercard Purchased at Coles during 10% off Sale

lakers1222 on 08/11/2022 - 10:34
Last edited 08/11/2022 - 10:52

Hi OzBargainers,

Coles often discounts prepaid mastercards by 10% and the savings are enticing. There was a deal in June and again in October.

I followed Ozbargain protocol and purchased first and asked questions later and I have been a victim of fraud and would like to share my experience to protect others

I purchased 5 giftcards, all new and sealed. The cards are activated at the counter so a scammer can only use your money after you purchased it.

First 3 cards worked great (Choose credit at eftpos terminal) but the last 2 cards had been used by different scammers.

One card was used to purchase something in America. I have reported to this coles 1 month ago, and chased it up recently. Still no resolution, and I have not got a refund yet.

The other card was used to purchase from a WPY*JD SEAFOOD LLC that has already been bankrupt for over a year. It looks like an inside job to to launder steal money. I reported this to Coles today. And I expected to wait months before getting a refund.

If you are purchasing the giftcard to use straight away, you'll probably be safe.
If you are purchasing the giftcards and using them slowly (expiry in 2027), save yourself the trouble and don't buy it.

========================
The security on the giftcard is terrible.
1. First 9 digits are identical on all gift cards. 1 digit is a checksum. Thats leaves 6 digits to make the card unique.
2. Gift card expiry is the same on all gift cards (of that batch)
3. 3 digit CVV is not required on many transactions

Poll Options expired

  • 38
    I have never bought a Prepaid Mastercard Purchased
  • 20
    I have bought a Prepaid Mastercard Purchased and used it without problems
  • 11
    I have bought a Prepaid Mastercard Purchased and been a victim of fraud
Financial

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Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 08/11/2022 - 10:40
    +9

    I've always been amazed that there is so much demand for 10% off (not really 10% off I thought after fees?) coles mc's - to the point of buyers going in early to hide the cards or have people on the inside saving stashes.

    • lakers1222 on 08/11/2022 - 10:58
      +3

      After fees, buying the $100 giftcard is a saving of 5.5%
      and the $250 is a saving of 7.4%

      Definitely not worth it in retrospect.

  • Cheaplikethebird on 08/11/2022 - 10:45
    +1

    It looks like an inside job to to launder money.

    How does one launder money using another persons money?

    • lakers1222 on 08/11/2022 - 10:51
      +2

      You're right, I guess they aren't laundering money. But they are stealing money and making it look legitimate.
      A consumer can't buy from them because they are permanently closed.
      *edited original post

      • thatonethere on 08/11/2022 - 11:52

        Well the business might not be open - but certainly still have an EFTPOS machine active.

  • Muzeeb on 08/11/2022 - 10:50
    +3

    Here we go again - prepaid credit cards, gift cards

    • lakers1222 on 08/11/2022 - 11:02

      What am I going to use to pay for my dell monitor?

      • Muzeeb on 08/11/2022 - 11:34

        Cash only and meet-up in ozbargain carpark full of nest camera's (and it's opposite the police station).

  • PensionerXXL on 08/11/2022 - 10:58
    +2

    not writing this to be a prick, after this experience would you still buy gift cards to save a buck? or done with them for good?

    i always see these advertised on ozb but i dont see the $$$ saved being worth the cck in the as if something goes wrong

    • lakers1222 on 08/11/2022 - 11:00
      +2

      I would never go back to purchasing these gift cards. Not worth the trouble to save a few dollars

  • JIMB0 on 08/11/2022 - 11:17
    +1

    I had it happen on a Vanilla Visa card. Had to call them, get a form emailed, filled out and returned. Got my money back.

    • Stopback on 08/11/2022 - 11:37

      100 or 95

      • JIMB0 on 08/11/2022 - 11:52

        They refunded the amount of the fraudulent purchase to the card.

  • original15 on 08/11/2022 - 11:30

    Saw a table set up at coles with these and a lot of people crowding around. Recalled a few OzB posts warning people so I stayed away

  • Stopback on 08/11/2022 - 11:37

    How fast did you use the cards.

    I'd imagine you spend them as soon as activated so scammers don't have as much

  • AndyC1 on 08/11/2022 - 11:39
    +1

    Bit late to the party:
    https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/724029

  • brendanm on 08/11/2022 - 11:52
    +3

    Can people please just stop buying gift cards to attempt to save money. Just look at how many sob stories we've had in the last month.

    • Neoika on 08/11/2022 - 13:36

      Some people still don't buy insurance after the lesson from an accident. Maybe it doesn't happen to me again!

  • Neoika on 08/11/2022 - 13:05

    No wonder Nobody posts the deal starting tomorrow.

    • Nugs on 08/11/2022 - 14:08

      wait, what?
      .

      • Neoika on 08/11/2022 - 14:19
        +1

        New deal only mentioned in the comment section.

        • Nugs on 08/11/2022 - 14:42

          thanks, hadn't seen that
          .

  • franco cozzo on 09/11/2022 - 03:59
    -1

    and thats why ….cash is king

    • JIMB0 on 09/11/2022 - 08:01
      +1

      Where can I buy discounted cash?

      • PensionerXXL on 19/11/2022 - 21:27

        when the dollar rises or drops? LOL

  • TrexKit on 01/02/2023 - 00:22

    Bloody hell I wish I'd seen this last year, just opened my last Coles MC gift card from October 2022 and I've been ripped off $87 in fraudulent purchases weeps Lodged a complaint but it'll be 45 days at least until I hear back, and I'm not particularly hopeful :(

    • chinaman on 23/02/2023 - 14:05

      Hi. Do you have a copy of the complaint form? Please!

    • Grale on 25/02/2023 - 20:36

      I am only realising 2 of mine from Oct 22 were compromised too.
      Can't wait for Monday to try and get this sorted out.
      Damn scammers.

  • knowwhat on 01/02/2023 - 20:15

    This happened to me as well. not sure where to make a complaint.
    I bought the coles gift-master card and have been scammed at petrol station with funds used for 'Tiktok'. I have never downloaded or used TikTok in my life apart from forwards on social media..

    • toniyellow on 23/02/2023 - 14:39

      Go viia colesmastercardbalance.com.au to get to the cardholder agreement - the fine print that comes with the card, if you didn't keep that. There's details in there about disputing transactions. Avoid going via google, you'll get the American website.

      • oneteaspoon469 on 11/10/2023 - 13:30

        I’ve just been there and called the QLD number only to be told that card numbers that start with 5314 are not covered by the company. I then called back the Cole’s prepaid number and was given the t&c website as https://www.coles.com.au/credit-cards/colesprepaidcards and told they cannot help me. The end.

        • toniyellow on 11/10/2023 - 13:56

          sorry to hear that.

          your cards are so old you could try some older threads about the issue, as they may have links or hints to the terms and conditions for cards bought at the same time as yours - e.g. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/654897 ?

          they have had a few card issuers over the years, and i think the fine print changes each time. unfortunately it doesn't seem they have found a version of the card that is immune to scams.

  • Munners1989 on 30/04/2023 - 15:24

    Have people been successful in getting a refund for cards that have been scammed?

  • rigram on 18/05/2023 - 16:09
    +2

    Gawd this is SO DODGY - I've been scammed, and when I rang the dispute number, they would only offer dispute/refund for half the disputed items.
    1. gamivo - $1.35
    2. gamivo - $53.90
    3. gamivo - $1.35
    4. gamivo - $53.90
    They would not dispute the smaller $1.35 amounts
    They also advised it's the same as CASH, and will only refund to me once the chargeback is successful - when I googled Gamivo, it appears fraudulent.

    They also told me to get in contact with Gamivo (in Malta) !!

    • Yola on 18/05/2023 - 18:30
      +1

      Just radiculous. Feel for you.

  • oneteaspoon469 on 11/10/2023 - 12:53

    I bought many back in 2021 and had been slowly using them. Each time I opened one I would check the balance before even scratching off the pin.

    Last week I decided to open and check the balance of the remaining cards I had left. One of the cards was in a negative balance with all the transactions made via TikTok with a currency conversion into NZD.

    I rang the Coles prepaid Mastercard number to be told to send screenshots of the transactions to the [email protected] only to receive a response saying that it is my responsibility to track down the merchant and recover the lost $250 myself.

    I’m sure people who use TikTok, I don’t, are aware just like facebook it is a nightmare to try to find the email addresses of TikTok so that you know your issue will be seen to.

    Still waiting on a reply from TikTok, if anyone has insight into how I can speak to someone please let me know.

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