Gift Card Frequently Asked Questions

The Gift Card is a NON-reloadable prepaid payment device with a pounds sterling value that is printed on the front of the Gift Card. The Gift Card is not a credit, charge, or debit Card. The Gift Card is not redeemable for cash. The Gift Card should not be used for unlawful purposes. The unspent amount of the initial value loaded/remaining onto your Gift Card is its "Gift Card Balance."

Upon delivery or receipt of an American Express Gift Card, the recipient should take a moment to:

1. Sign their name on the back of the Gift Card where indicated.
2. Write down on a separate piece of paper the 15-digit Gift Card number and the 4-digit security code printed on the front of the Gift Card, as well as the Customer Service number, and store this information in a safe place. Gift Card details are required to check Gift Card Balance.
3. If the Gift Card is purchased online, the recipient will need to Activate the Gift Card.

Note that if the Gift Card was purchased in store, the Gift Card is already Activated.

The Gift Card is not intended for long-term use. Starting 12 months after the date of Activation of the Gift Card, we will deduct a non-refundable monthly fee of £1.50 ("Monthly Fee") from the Gift Card Balance. The Monthly Fee applies to all Gift Cards, irrespective of purchase channel.

For Gift Cards purchased in-store or online, a one-time purchase fee ("Purchase Fee"), and in the case of online purchase a delivery fee ("Delivery Fee"), was payable at the time of purchase, as follows:

(1) In-store purchase

(2) Online purchase, A Purchase Fee of £2.95 per Gift Card was payable at the time of purchase, regardless of Gift Card denomination. A Delivery Fee of £1.00 for the delivery of one (1) Gift Card or £1.50 for two (2) to five (5) Gift Cards was also applicable.

The American Express Gift Card is accepted in the UK where American Express Cards are welcome.

Please note that exclusions apply: the Gift Card cannot be used at ATMs, gambling establishments, cruise lines, on, or in connection with ATOC (Association of Train Operating Companies) Services, payment and money transfer providers, customer activated terminals e.g., unattended ticket machines or for purposes of guaranteeing payment of future purchases. Please see the Gift Card Terms and Conditions  for more information

The American Express Gift Card is accepted at merchants across the UK that accept the American Express Gift Card (“Merchant”). Simply present the Gift Card to the cashier and specify that it is a Gift Card. The cashier will provide you with two copies of a receipt upon processing the payment. Please give one copy to the cashier after signing it, and retain the other for your records. The transaction is concluded after the cashier verifies your signature by comparing it with the one on the back of the Gift Card. You may use the Gift Card to make purchases only at Merchants in the United Kingdom that accept American Express Gift Cards, including mail order, online and physical establishments.

The "valid thru" date indicated on the front of the Gift Card indicates the date the Gift Card expires. The Gift Card is valid until the "valid thru" date shown on front of the Gift Card or until the Gift Card Balance on the Gift Card has been exhausted, whichever is earlier. This date is required by some merchants to process a transaction. If you have any available funds remaining on the Gift Card after the "valid thru" date, you may redeem the available balance within 6 years after the expiration date. For more information about the Gift Card or redeeming available funds, please call Customer Services at 01273 693 455.

Please note that the valid thru date is different than purchase date. Starting 12 months after the Activation Date of the Gift Card, we will deduct a non-refundable monthly fee of £1.50 (“Monthly Fee”) from the Gift Card Balance.

When using the Gift Card for online purchases, some Merchants may perform a security check that compares the information provided during the order with the information registered by American Express on the Gift Card being used for payment. While American Express may have already approved the transaction, the merchant may decline the payment if no information is available on the Gift Card or if the Customer gave different information during the payment process than that registered by American Express. To avoid this issue, American Express recommends you register your Gift Card prior to making an on-line transaction by calling American Express Customer Services at 01273 693 455.

Yes, you should write down the Gift Card number, along with the Customer Services number printed on the back of the Gift Card and keep these in a safe place. You will need the Gift Card number to check your Gift Card Balance or redeem the Gift Card Balance if the Gift Card is lost or stolen.

We strongly recommend that you keep the receipt issued by the Merchant after you have made a purchase with the American Express Gift Card. We may require this receipt if you request a refund, exchange or replacement of product/service from the Merchant (as per such Merchant’s policies). If you make a purchase using your Gift Card from the Merchant website, please reference your e-mail confirmation from that transaction.

The Gift Card may be used at Merchants in the UK where American Express Gift Cards are accepted for electronic transactions (excluding transactions at ATMs and on, or in connection with ATOC services). The Gift Card is not a credit Card nor is it linked to a deposit account with a bank. Some Merchants may choose not to accept the Gift Card. Please note that the Gift Card cannot be used to obtain or redeem cash, at ATMs, or for making direct debit, or for recurring charges or regular installment payments (such as monthly utilities or subscriptions where recurring payments are required to be made on a periodic basis as per standing instructions). Car rental establishments may accept the Gift Card at the end of the rental, but may not allow you to reserve a car with the Gift Card.

The Gift Card cannot be used for recurring billing transactions (such as magazine subscriptions) or at automated teller machines (ATMs), gambling establishments, cruise lines, on, or in connection with ATOC (Association of Train Operating Companies) services, payment and money transfer providers , customer activated terminals e.g. unattended ticket machines or for purposes of guaranteeing payment of future purchases. Please review the section on “Prohibited Uses” in the Gift Card Terms and Conditions for additional details on how not to use your Gift Card

The only way to use the Gift Card Balance on the Gift Card is by making a purchase with the Gift Card. Every time you do this, the full amount of the purchase, including VAT and any other fees, gets deducted from the Gift Card Balance.

If you wish to purchase an item worth more than your Gift Card Balance, depending on the Merchant’s policy, you may be able to use your Gift Card toward a portion of the final purchase price, and then use another form of payment to pay the balance of the final purchase price. This is known as a “Split Tender Transaction”.

Before you request a Split Tender Transaction, check your Gift Card Balance by calling American Express Customer Service or by visiting www.americanexpress.co.uk/gift. Then, you must ask the Merchant if two forms of payment will be accepted for the purchase. If the Merchant agrees, first request that a specific amount be placed on the other form of payment (e.g. the final transaction amount less your Gift Card Balance), and then use your Gift Card to pay the remaining balance. Some retailers will only allow a Split Tender Transaction if the second form of payment is cash or cheque. Internet and most mail order Merchants do not permit Split Tender Transactions.

If your Gift Card is lost or stolen, you must report it immediately to American Express Customer Service. You agree that you will be responsible for all Charges associated with the Gift Card, including any unauthorised Charges taking place prior to you reporting to us that the Gift Card was lost or stolen.

In order for us to process a report for a lost or stolen Gift Card, we will need you to provide the 15-digit Gift Card number and other details relating to the purchase and use of your Gift Card. Once reported, the Gift Card will be suspended and no additional Charges will be permitted to take place. At that point you may request Redemption for the Gift Card Balance as described in the section “Spending and Redeeming the Electronic Money on the Gift Card”. Unfortunately, we are unable to issue replacement cards.

No Redemptions will be provided to cover amounts debited from your lost or stolen Gift Card Balance prior to the time you notified us.

We reserve the right to decline the Redemption of the Gift Card Balance for lost or stolen Gift Cards if sufficient information, including the Gift Card details, are not provided.

If your Gift Card is damaged, you may contact American Express Customer Service with a copy of your receipt or proof of purchase to request a redemption of the Gift Card Balance.

Merchandise purchased with the Gift Card is subject to the Merchant’s return policies. If the Merchant agrees to issue a credit to the Gift Card that has not expired, this amount may not be reflected in the Gift Card Balance until the credit posts, which may take up to seven days. For expired Gift Cards, the Merchant will not be able to post the credit for returned merchandise. You will need to keep the Gift Card if you anticipate that you may return merchandise purchased with the Gift Card.

Purchases made with the Gift Card are similar to those made with cash, in that you cannot "stop payment" or lodge a "billing dispute" on purchases made with the Gift Card. Any problems or disputes you have regarding a purchase should be addressed directly with the Merchant. If you cannot resolve the dispute, you may call Customer Service at 01273 693 455.

American Express may restrict or stop the use of the Gift Card, with or without notice, if there are potential fraud or security risks associated with the Gift Card. If you experience trouble completing a transaction with your Gift Card, first check your Gift Card Balance online or call American Express Customer Service at 01273 693 455.

No. The Gift Card cannot be used for transactions in foreign currency and is available for use only within the UK for payment in pound sterling.

American Express Gift Cards are no longer available for purchase in the UK. Anyone who has an American Express Gift Card can continue to use it at as normal at any establishment that accepts American Express.

If you have made a mistake please call Customer Services at 01273 693 455, quoting your order reference number.

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