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Shell review: gift card trickery 13

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Author of the review
3:16 pm EDT
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Shell sells gift cards however some shell gas stations do not accept them claiming shell will not repay them for the sale. Shell's corp people refuse to handle any complaints and refuse to refund the $$ spent for the gift card. It's bad enough that shell screws us on the gas, now they have a scheme to screw us on gift card purchases. She should not be allowed to do business in the USA... Their cooperate people are non-concerned with consumers and will even hang up on phone calls when they have no logical response to issues.

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13 comments
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Eveline Meunier Crozier
, US
May 23, 2018 9:22 am EDT

I frequently by Shell gift cards during Publix promotions. Recently I had $10.47 balance on one of those cards and received a message at pump saying I had to go inside for authorization. I did and clerk ran my card through their readers and said it had a zero balance. I protested saying I had $10.47 on it for sure. She said "you can always call the # on the back", which I did. The operator I got asked me how many ties did you try to authorize the card. I told her I ran it through once at pump and they ran it once inside. She then babbled something I couldn't understand because she had a marked Asian accent. Ultimately I understood that she had "reinstated my balance". Had I not pursued this I was out $10.47. It is completely unacceptable. Also I had a couple of similar incidents before with a small Balance of $3.50 but I did not know how to pursue it. Now I know. Someone is making money on this but it is not the Shell gift card buyers.

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T-Gotro
, US
Sep 15, 2017 7:10 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

The Shell Gift card was purchased on July 8, 2017 at Kroger store. On that day I purchased two (2) $100.00 gift cards. In used one of the cards immediately I was waiting for a trip to use the second card. The card was still in its package and still sealed, on September 12, 2107 I removed the card at the pump from the packaging and attempted to use the card, that is when the pump stated the card was declined and that I should see the cashier. The cashier at a Shell station started the pump from the inside to allow me to pump gas. After pumping the gas I returned inside the station to finish the transaction and the gift card was still declined. Luckily for me I had another method of payment available. After I completed the transaction I called [protected] as per the instructions on the gift card package and that is when I found out the card had zero balance. The agent on the phone informed me the card balance was used somewhere in California on August 16, 2017 and I was in the state of Georgia in August, not in California. I did not provide the card information to anyone in California nor authorize them to use the card. I am assuming the number was stolen and the balance was transferred to another card/account for the person in California to use. If you purchase one of these Gift Cards use immediately!

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Shell Scanm
, US
Apr 03, 2018 1:16 pm EDT
Replying to comment of T-Gotro

Same thing happened to me in California yesterday. I filed a dispute with the card vendor. Someone is getting the card numbers before the cards are activated and then cloning and using them. Sound like an inside job.

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Aim Fern
, US
Jan 16, 2017 12:59 pm EST

found this thread via google search. I have tried to use a Shell gift card but was declined at the gas station. Called the 800 number (call center from the Philippines, i presume), because the online (https://www.buyshellgiftcards.com/CheckBalanceError.aspx) balance checker is not working. I was told that my card has been flagged as stolen, therefore i need to file a dispute if i want my balance back. how can it be stolen from my home office desk drawer, and previously still sealed envelope just before i attempted using it?

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Oleg Pliss
, US
Dec 22, 2016 8:29 pm EST

I bought several $50 Shell gift cards a few years ago. The site explicitly declared that there is no expiration date and no usage fees for Shell gift cards. I use a few of those cards before, they worked. I tried to use one of the remaining ones today. To my surprise, it did not work. I went to Shell web site, it redirected me to "RPG service" which apparently does not allow to check the balance online. I called their phone [protected], the automatic service responded that "the card is either frozen or its balance is transferred to other card". I tried one of the other cards with the same result. I tried to reach for an operator - no, the operator does not pick the phone. I am still not sure why my gift cards are "frozen" and see no way to unfreeze them.

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Maria Elena Garcia 12
, US
Apr 09, 2016 10:24 am EDT

I use She'll for my 4 cars. NOT ANYMORE! I've used She'll gift cards before and have given many gift cards as gifts. This one that my daughter had gotten will not work and they refuse to call at the gas stations. Over the phone they told me that I have to do it at the gas station and have a transfer done, or fax a copy of the card over to them. Why should I have to spend money to fax a copy over when I tell them the number over the phone? And why can't they punch the card number in at the gas station? What's the point of there being a card number if they can't punch it in? Get your company straight! I will be sure to tell my 11 other brothers and sisters, all nieces, nephews, and friends not to use Shell for ANYTHING! I loved shell until now! Bye bye shell, hello BP!

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Howard W
, US
Jun 22, 2015 10:11 am EDT

Do not buy Shell Gift cards, the new thing the independent gas stations do is CHARGE A PROCESSING FEE. therefore you shell gift card that was always treated as cash is now treated as a CREDIT CARD. Therefore you are wasting you time and money buying gift cards. This is one big RIP OFF and shell is not interested is doing anything.

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thesheet
Mount Forest, CA
Apr 30, 2015 12:41 pm EDT

i have been using shell gift cards for a while now and most of the time all the employee has to do is call the shell number on the back for help... I had to use parts of two cards and the employee at one cash station at
(tower st, Fergus, ontario canada) refused to input the second card. I asked him the call the help line, to which he did, (impossibly fast). I believe he did not call the line and simply refused to input the second card like i asked. I had to go to my car and get 10$ of change from my glove box...

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ooh lala james hunt
tampa, US
Dec 31, 2014 7:28 am EST

I have also used this card, lets inform all the consumers not to purchase any gift card that does not have an visa or front readable number, that way if the strip does not read the clerk can input the number on the front of the card. Less hassle and no more inconvenience.
Shell Stations your a rip off artist!

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J L James
San Antonio, US
Jun 03, 2014 1:35 pm EDT

I have a $50 gift card that does not read at the pump. The Dutch person on the 800 number told me to go to my nearest station and get a balance transfer to another card. The staff at two retailers told me they can't do that.

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jennylee
Chillicothe, US
Jul 17, 2011 4:25 am EDT

went to station in rome il w/ 2 dollar in pennies and was told by manager in front of employee that i had to go to the bank they wouldnt take my pennies. went in 2 weeks later and the employee told me she was put out because she didnt want to take 37 pennies. told her it was us currency and if she didnt want to take the pennies then dont hand me any pennies for change. during a weekend when our town hosts summer camp the manager locked bathrooms to custumers because they were too dirty and then stood outside and washed down women in bikinis w/ the hose. during this time a local reporter happened to be in the store and gave a humorous yet scathing review on the managment at this station on 102.3 max peoria.i would also appreciate it if this manager stopped making lewd comments to my friend about her large breasts when frequenting this station. many conplaints from sooo many people, but nothing never gets done about this kinda stuff. just the top of the barrel in complaints about this place.

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MadAtShell
Piscataway, US
Aug 25, 2009 1:59 pm EDT

I have a $100 shell gift card, with a balance of $10.40. It has worked so far. However, today I wanted to use it up and it was rejected at two different Shell gas stations. The attendants were snotty and abusive, and would not let me use their phone to call the 800 number on the card. After driving 10 extra miles because of this fraudulent card, I called the customer service number and complained about it. They could not give me a good reason why it wouldn't work and just told me to try it again after 20 minutes. Yeah right! I asked for the supervisor and was told he/she was unavailable.

Don't ever buy Shell gift cards, they don't work! And don't use Shell gas stations. The company is a fraud.

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kyle
,
Oct 12, 2008 5:42 pm EDT

I was sent a $25 gift card and did what the say and still dont work its a scam. On both citi and shell.