Vanilla Visa Good thru date is a lie-monthly maintenance fee ate the value of the card in a few months. Fortson Georgia

This card was presented as a Christmas gift 12/07. It appears to be a $25 Debit visa card with a "good thru" date of 06/09. On March 28, 09, we attempted to use the card, but it had a $0 balance? It was researched online, to find that beginning in April, '08., a monthly fee of $2.50 per month was charged. The print on the back is extremely small and printed where the bumps from the numbers are. With a magnifying glass, I see it states a $1.50 per month maintenance fee per month after the 13 month. I had to go online to find the updated cardholder agreement changed to $2.50 a month, and the fee started 4 months after it was purchased, NOT the 13 as stated on the back of the card.

I called customer service, and got a rude person telling me I am like most who don't read the fine print. I asked if she as a consumer thought it was fair to put a 'good thru' date in big print on the front, but print the maintenance info very tiny on the back. "You need to read all the paper work!"......and she did nothing for me. I was left believing I had a zero balance!?!?!

Again, I called customer service. Miranda was much more informative. Since I called inquiring about the change in the cardholder agreement, and the card was purchased before the date of the change, she could indeed credit the card with $18 dollars. Why did the first representative not give me the full information? Miranda also explained how when the card is being redeemed, we must go to a clerk, explain the card has $18 on it (not the original $25), and to swipe it as a credit card.....even though it says DEBIT on the front.

Wouldn't it be nice if these companies would make 'products' consumer friendly, rather than making us feel they are scheming to rip us off any which way they can?

~please give cash as gifts...not this plastic crap

Colleen
annville, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.