Gift Credit Cards are prepaid debit cards that are designed to be given as gifts. They often have some kind of gift image on the front, and a gift card holder for presenting your gift to the recipient. Gift credit cards are used just like any other credit card, but often have hidden fees. These cards can be available as bank gift cards or prepaid gift cards.
Links to find these Gift Credit Cards can be found throughout this page.
Policies and Restrictions
The terms and conditions on these card vary greatly. You will need to consult the website of the company that issues the card for exact details. These cards can carry a number of fees, from purchasing fees, to fees for not using them within a certain period of time.
See How to Avoid Gift Card Fees for tips on getting the most out of your Gift Credit cards.
Most of these cards are available for use worldwide, because of the Mastercard or Visa logo on the card itself. However, there are cards that restrict their use to the US only. These cards will be marked with a statement like "Valid only in the United States" on the front of the card.http://usa.visa.com/personal/cards/prepaid/using-gift-cards.html
Gift Cards? Watch Out
In this video by MoneyTalks News Stacy Johnson shows us three things to be on guard for when giving someone a gift card. 1. Avoid activation redemption and other fees: check online, 2. Look for incentives and 3. Beware of bankruptcies. A recent survey showed at least 60% of us will be giving a gift card this year.
References
Fast Facts
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Products/Services
Works as a prepaid debit card
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Types of Gift Cards
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Pros
Ease of use, ease of distribution, many offer cards, many options
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Cons
Purchased in advance of redemption, expiration fees or other restrictions
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Fact:
They rank as the second-most given gift by consumers in the United States (2006) and the most-wanted gift by women, and the third-most wanted by males
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Fact:
Gift Card Warning: Check Retailer's Health
