Released: January 27, 2019

Help Desk FAQ

What happens to my gift card balance if my card is lost or stolen?

Many retailers will help you recover your gift card balance, but only if you can prove you purchased the card. That means it’s important for either the purchaser or the recipient of the gift card to hang on to the receipt for as long as there’s still a balance on the card.

Contact the retailer immediately upon noticing the card missing to cancel the card and find out the process for getting a new one. If you don’t have the original card receipt, you may still be able to be reimbursed if you have the gift card number or if you registered the card at the issuer’s site when you received it. (If you do have the number and expiration date but not the card, you could still use it online.)

There may or may not be a card replacement fee. If the card was stolen from your home or car, ask your insurance company if it’s covered.