Lewkat
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey, USA
Should any of you purchase or receive a debit Visa card from an outfit called Vanilla, beware! I was the recipient of one from a good friend recently, and when I attempted to activate the card, I kept getting a message telling me that an error occurred and to try later.
After 2 days of this, with my suspicions aroused, I investigated, and lo and behold, this outfit is sketchy to say the least. If one is lucky enough to have been able to activate and use the card, when an attempt to see what the balance is, there is a lot of mumbo jumbo stating why it isn't available.
Efforts to contact Customer Service is an exercise in futility. These cards are sold at Walgreens and Target. Probably elsewhere too. Take the card back to the store of purchase, they will tell you to contact this company. At least you made the effort. Then notify, Visa or Mastercard, Better Business Bureau, Equifax and Amex. Do no wait to hear back from Vanilla. They will only give you some song and dance that the card was either tampered with, or a fraud alert was put on it.
They always have a poor excuse. Those of you on FB, go to the search, type in Vanilla and click on problems with Vanilla. It is an eye opener. Over 450 cases against them and only 5 have been settled.
File a complaint with the BBB and CFPB and Visa. Do not wait for Vanilla to get back to you.
After 2 days of this, with my suspicions aroused, I investigated, and lo and behold, this outfit is sketchy to say the least. If one is lucky enough to have been able to activate and use the card, when an attempt to see what the balance is, there is a lot of mumbo jumbo stating why it isn't available.
Efforts to contact Customer Service is an exercise in futility. These cards are sold at Walgreens and Target. Probably elsewhere too. Take the card back to the store of purchase, they will tell you to contact this company. At least you made the effort. Then notify, Visa or Mastercard, Better Business Bureau, Equifax and Amex. Do no wait to hear back from Vanilla. They will only give you some song and dance that the card was either tampered with, or a fraud alert was put on it.
They always have a poor excuse. Those of you on FB, go to the search, type in Vanilla and click on problems with Vanilla. It is an eye opener. Over 450 cases against them and only 5 have been settled.
File a complaint with the BBB and CFPB and Visa. Do not wait for Vanilla to get back to you.
