IDT Financial Services FRAUD ON PREPAID NOT RELOADABLE $20-$500 GIFT CARD Newark, New Jersey

    IDT Financial Services is a leader in the sale of prepaid debit cards.  I purchased a GIFT2GO Visa Prepaid gift card on 9/2/11 and loaded it with $240.00 cash. I was going to a casino resort for the weekend and did not want to use my credit card.  Upon check -in the hotel placed a hold on $150.00 which amounted to $50.00 per night for a three night stay.  IDT Financial placed a hold on the $150.00 plus a 15% additional fee which amounted to another $22.50. Total hold $172.50.

    Upon checkout the hotel released the hold on my monies as I made no charges to my room.  I waited a week then called the customer service dept. of IDT Financial to get my card balance.  The money had not been credited back to my card.  I called the resort hotel and they could not have been more helpful.  They stated they have these problems with this gift card vendor all the time and asked for their telephone number.  The hotel clerk called me back and stated she had talked with them and was going to fax a letter on their hotel letterhead advising IDT to release the hold.

    A few days later I checked with IDT again.  Still no credit to my card.  I speak with a customer service rep.  I can barely understand a thing they are saying as they are foreign speaking.  She tells me since this is a hotel hold they will not release my funds for 30 days.  That is just how it is!!!! I ask for a supervisor.  I speak with another individual who also is foreign speaking and difficult to understand.  He tells me to read my terms and conditions.  They are going to hold my funds for 30 days.  They will be available 10/3/11.  Then he hangs up one me.

    I have a problem with this.  You can't access the terms and conditions without purchasing the card first.  The card is sealed in a cardboard holder that cannot be opened until after purchase.  Once you break the cardboard open the vendor who sold the card will not give you a refund if you don't like what the terms and condition say.  Guess I'm stuck.

    Okay.  So today is 10/3/11.  I call the customer service dept. expecting my funds to be available.  GUESS WHAT?  They aren't.  Now I am being told they are going to hold my funds for 30 BUSINESS days.  Ask for a supervisor.  Same thing.  I ask for IDT financial services phone number.  They give it to me.  I call the number.  Guess what?  I get the same people again.  No means to contact IDT directly.

    At this point I am beside myself.  They will not give me my money.  Every time I call I am given a different answer.  

    Is there no protection here for the consumer?  You have no idea what you are purchasing because you can't read the terms and conditions prior to purchasing.  There is no return.  They are holding MY FUNDS which were released by the hotel on 9/6/11.  I have no control over my funds.  They have it all.  They literally can do what they want with my money.  At this point I highly doubt I will ever see these monies made available to me.

    Do not buy VISA GIFT2GO loadable gift cards.  They are a fraud.  You likely will never see your monies again.