"The gift card supplier deactivated the $2,000 worth of cards and returned the money to Coles, making Perry eligible for a refund."
Summary: Coles, an Australian supermarket chain, is investigating potential tampering of Apple gift cards sold in-store after a customer reported that four vouchers were rendered unusable due to scratched-off redemption codes. The customer received a refund following a social media complaint and a subsequent investigation by the company.
Incident Details
Melbourne artist Georgia Perry purchased four Apple gift cards, each valued at $500, from a Coles store in Yarraville, Victoria, on Tuesday night. Upon attempting to use the cards online, she discovered that the redemption codes on the back of each card had been scratched or peeled off, making them unusable. The serial numbers were also partially obscured.
Perry reported the issue to Coles store staff, who declined to provide a refund, citing the cards as third-party products. She then submitted a formal complaint to both Coles and Apple. Perry also posted about the incident on Instagram, where a video garnered over 150,000 views.
Response and Resolution
Coles' customer care team responded within one hour of Perry's enquiry and, following an investigation, offered a refund. The company stated that the gift card supplier deactivated the $2,000 worth of cards and returned the money to Coles, making Perry eligible for a refund.
Investigation
A Coles spokesperson stated that the company is "working closely with our supplier as part of our investigation into the gift cards involved." The company is investigating how the tampering occurred, whether in-store or before the product reached the shop floor. Gift card supplier InComm and Apple have been contacted for comment. Apple has not responded to inquiries.
Consumer Advice
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) advises consumers to inspect gift card packaging for signs of tampering before purchase and to contact both the gift card provider and retailer with proof of purchase if issues arise.