Giftcards.com review: Visa gift cards 1

I was gifted some visa gift cards from this company and they were in an envelope. It was 8 cards with $50 a piece on them, totaling $400 (don't know why that was that chosen denominations but that's what it was) I saved them for a rainy day. I went to activate them--they weren't even ever activated-- and my balance on each was $0. The cards saved for a rainy day were stored in an envelope. In small print on the BACK of the paper holding the card, that's within an envelope, it states that there is a $4.95 "monthly maintenance fee" charged each month after a year. How would I have known that? So, I guess the gift cards were purchased months prior to me receiving, and then I sat on them to save them, and therefore they are zero. Also, they run out faster monthly with 8 @ $50 each then 1 @ $400 each. So I thought I had $400 and I have $0. The bank made $400. I called and explained the situation and tried to get it fixed. Stating they were never even activated and these were given as a gift and I don't know what competitor does this, that's why I saved them. But they wouldn't help. Really disappointed. Bad business model. Sketchy banks being sketchy.