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Target Discounts, Deals and Coupon Codes

Target Gift Card Promos May Have Charged Your Credit Card

5 14 December 1, 2015 at 06:26 AM in Occasions (2) Get Target coupons Coupons
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Hi All, I ordered some items on Target.com recently where you would receive a $5 emailed gift card. Upon them sending the gift card I was charged $5 on my credit card for both orders where I ordered items that received the promo gift cards. Beware and check your credit card statements. I have put in an inquiry to Target but not heard back as of yet.
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MrFurley13
12-01-2015 at 07:16 AM.
12-01-2015 at 07:16 AM.
They charge the promo gift cards and items you bought separately, but the 2 charges total the original order total. For example, if you bought 4 bottles of body wash for $13, and got a free $5 gift card, Target will bill it as $8 for the body wash and $5 for the gift card, still the same $13. They charge it as the items are shipped.
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harriss
12-01-2015 at 07:32 AM.
12-01-2015 at 07:32 AM.
Quote from MrFurley13 :
They charge the promo gift cards and items you bought separately, but the 2 charges total the original order total. For example, if you bought 4 bottles of body wash for $13, and got a free $5 gift card, Target will bill it as $8 for the body wash and $5 for the gift card, still the same $13. They charge it as the items are shipped.
Thank you. I will confirm when I have access to receipts, but guessing you are correct. Sure does throw someone off though on the credit card when they see these $5 charges.
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Hot damn!!
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kyussman
12-01-2015 at 08:40 AM.
12-01-2015 at 08:40 AM.
I had noticed that as well, but then realized what the above poster mentioned. so as you said, you should compare your receipts to your bank statement.
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HerbF4211
12-01-2015 at 10:39 AM.
12-01-2015 at 10:39 AM.
This is correct, but it has to be the stupidest way to bill people that was ever created.

They have in fact had hundreds of inquiries because of it ( I have a friend who works there) and thy still don't see the wisdom of changing it.
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GR246
10-30-2016 at 11:06 AM.
10-30-2016 at 11:06 AM.
They try to make it right but end up messing something up in another way. I don't buy online anymore from Target with Gift card purchases that don't end up being free.
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CorTL
11-08-2016 at 08:34 PM.
11-08-2016 at 08:34 PM.
If they take off $5 for your $13 bottle wash, so you pay $8 upfront...but later they charge you for the $5 gift card then doesn't that mean you aren't receiving any promotional gift card? You should be receiving $5 to spend on anything else you want in the store.
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BarneyGumble
11-08-2016 at 08:42 PM.
11-08-2016 at 08:42 PM.
hows this a coupon?
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LaurieB727
12-21-2016 at 02:58 AM.
12-21-2016 at 02:58 AM.
As of yesterday, Target still is doing this. Leading customers to believe that they are getting a free promo gift card, but actually charging you for it. And if you are not charged that full amount when you pick up your item at guest services, they simply go and charge, in my case, twice to collect the amt for the gift cards. My issue is, I ordered it online was given a price online, but was not charged at the time I placed the order. I had my husband pick it(keurig) up. He actually by chance had a supervisor check him out. She said ok, the balance you owe is $30.04. She said that they would now process that payment. He said yes and she processed the payment for $30.04. I have a receipt for $30.04 saying the item was paid for. No mention of charging us later for the 'free' promo gift cards. He didn't have any idea what this keurig was supposed to cost so he assumed I just got a really good deal. When he told me, I thought there must have been an additional discount that was applied for a sale or something like that. I check my online bank acct usually every couple days, and yesterday I saw that there were 2 additional separate charges also from target. So 3 charges. 1) 30.04 2) $20 3) $15 my husband and I were on the phone for hours, being treated like we were stupid. One of the supervisors that I spoke to, couldn't understand that I didn't agree to pay for my 'free' gift cards. We spoke to 4 different people. So I told her that we didn't agree to that. If that's the situation then void the gift cards, they have not been used and refund my $35. Nope, can't refund gift cards that were received online. She said its in the promo gift card details, that I would be charged for the 'free' gift cards. That target had to get the money from somewhere to put a value on the gift cards. Well, when I'm lead to believe that I would be getting these free promo gift cards, I trusted that target would give me the free gift cards. I've shopped at target for years and hadn't had this or really any other problems. If I was told up front that this would happen I would not have entered the promo codes for the gift cards. I may have decided not to purchase it at all. But I made the mistake of trusting target. So now even though on their help page, that 1) our card would be charged at the time we pick up our purchase 2) Prices are also confirmed at this time, we were charged twice for the gift cards. My husband again was told we owed $30.04. He paid that. Received a receipt, and walked this keurig out to our car. He was not stopped by security for not paying enough for the keurig. We didn't get a text, email, or phone call notifying us that they didn't charge us enough to cover the free gift cards. They simply charged my account 2 more times. I wish I could add these screen shots. My point is, if he had been charged $70.04, he would have paid it. We would have thought that was the cost of the item and thought nothing more about it. (That amount above is including a $5 free promo gift card from a prior purchase that I wasn't charged separately for.) but now, he in good faith paid what he was told was the balance owed. She didn't say, btw, we'll be charging your account 2 more times to cover the cost of your free promo gift cards. She is a supervisor. Looking at her computer screen. We trusted that when she said that $30.04 was owed, that amount was all that was owed. I see from previous posts that this has been happening for at least a year. It happens so often that on their help page, sort of a faq page, this question is listed: Why was I charged for my Free promo gift card. The answer was given. My problem is I was mislead. Even if this information about being charged for the free gift cards is in the clickable link about free promo gift cards, I didn't go over it because I trusted when Target says they are giving me free gift cards, that I will receive free gift cards. Which of course I cannot return to get my money back. Bottom line: This is intentionally misleading. I'm going to dispute the charged with my bank, but who knows if I'll actually get my money back. I'm also going to cancel my Redcard and never shop at target again. I thought there were consumer protection laws to prevent these underhanded practices. I'm sure that whatever the law is, target is right in that gray area. We'll see.
Thanks for being my venting buddy tonight. I literally can't sleep tonight because my mind is racing over this.
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KymNgin
10-17-2019 at 01:54 AM.
10-17-2019 at 01:54 AM.
Quote from LaurieB727 :
As of yesterday, Target still is doing this. Leading customers to believe that they are getting a free promo gift card, but actually charging you for it. And if you are not charged that full amount when you pick up your item at guest services, they simply go and charge, in my case, twice to collect the amt for the gift cards. My issue is, I ordered it online was given a price online, but was not charged at the time I placed the order. I had my husband pick it(keurig) up. He actually by chance had a supervisor check him out. She said ok, the balance you owe is $30.04. She said that they would now process that payment. He said yes and she processed the payment for $30.04. I have a receipt for $30.04 saying the item was paid for. No mention of charging us later for the 'free' promo gift cards. He didn't have any idea what this keurig was supposed to cost so he assumed I just got a really good deal. When he told me, I thought there must have been an additional discount that was applied for a sale or something like that. I check my online bank acct usually every couple days, and yesterday I saw that there were 2 additional separate charges also from target. So 3 charges. 1) 30.04 2) $20 3) $15 my husband and I were on the phone for hours, being treated like we were stupid. One of the supervisors that I spoke to, couldn't understand that I didn't agree to pay for my 'free' gift cards. We spoke to 4 different people. So I told her that we didn't agree to that. If that's the situation then void the gift cards, they have not been used and refund my $35. Nope, can't refund gift cards that were received online. She said its in the promo gift card details, that I would be charged for the 'free' gift cards. That target had to get the money from somewhere to put a value on the gift cards. Well, when I'm lead to believe that I would be getting these free promo gift cards, I trusted that target would give me the free gift cards. I've shopped at target for years and hadn't had this or really any other problems. If I was told up front that this would happen I would not have entered the promo codes for the gift cards. I may have decided not to purchase it at all. But I made the mistake of trusting target. So now even though on their help page, that 1) our card would be charged at the time we pick up our purchase 2) Prices are also confirmed at this time, we were charged twice for the gift cards. My husband again was told we owed $30.04. He paid that. Received a receipt, and walked this keurig out to our car. He was not stopped by security for not paying enough for the keurig. We didn't get a text, email, or phone call notifying us that they didn't charge us enough to cover the free gift cards. They simply charged my account 2 more times. I wish I could add these screen shots. My point is, if he had been charged $70.04, he would have paid it. We would have thought that was the cost of the item and thought nothing more about it. (That amount above is including a $5 free promo gift card from a prior purchase that I wasn't charged separately for.) but now, he in good faith paid what he was told was the balance owed. She didn't say, btw, we'll be charging your account 2 more times to cover the cost of your free promo gift cards. She is a supervisor. Looking at her computer screen. We trusted that when she said that $30.04 was owed, that amount was all that was owed. I see from previous posts that this has been happening for at least a year. It happens so often that on their help page, sort of a faq page, this question is listed: Why was I charged for my Free promo gift card. The answer was given. My problem is I was mislead. Even if this information about being charged for the free gift cards is in the clickable link about free promo gift cards, I didn't go over it because I trusted when Target says they are giving me free gift cards, that I will receive free gift cards. Which of course I cannot return to get my money back. Bottom line: This is intentionally misleading. I'm going to dispute the charged with my bank, but who knows if I'll actually get my money back. I'm also going to cancel my Redcard and never shop at target again. I thought there were consumer protection laws to prevent these underhanded practices. I'm sure that whatever the law is, target is right in that gray area. We'll see.
Thanks for being my venting buddy tonight. I literally can't sleep tonight because my mind is racing over this.

I know this is an old thread, but I have just noticed the same thing. I am considering boycotting Target and their red card. It isn't right that they would charge you for the free gift cards they promised for buying said items. I am extremely irritated over the whole idea of it. After reading your comment I'm not sure if i even want to waste time talking to them about it.
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CoralCorn8976
02-28-2020 at 04:37 PM.
02-28-2020 at 04:37 PM.
Can this be made a class action lawsuit? BEcause I tried to do the math also. ANd all i found was that the "free $10 giftcard" i was supposed to get was deducted from each item in different amounts, then I was re-charged $10 for the gift card..and I also had 3 separate transactions on my bank statement.
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asiu1990
04-01-2020 at 10:09 AM.
04-01-2020 at 10:09 AM.
Quote from CoralCorn8976 :
Can this be made a class action lawsuit? BEcause I tried to do the math also. ANd all i found was that the "free $10 giftcard" i was supposed to get was deducted from each item in different amounts, then I was re-charged $10 for the gift card..and I also had 3 separate transactions on my bank statement.
nope. look at your receipt and do the math again. their only fault is a stupid way of itemizing
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PurpleDime4124
04-21-2020 at 02:08 PM.
04-21-2020 at 02:08 PM.
Quote from CoralCorn8976 :
Can this be made a class action lawsuit? BEcause I tried to do the math also. ANd all i found was that the "free $10 giftcard" i was supposed to get was deducted from each item in different amounts, then I was re-charged $10 for the gift card..and I also had 3 separate transactions on my bank statement.
Wondering the same thing as I just saw I was charged for $25 of "free" gift cards. LLbean gives you a real "free" GC towards your purchase none of this free advertised but we charge you business. It's a deceitful practice to get you to buy their promo items. Very bait and switch.
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njf
04-21-2020 at 02:47 PM.
04-21-2020 at 02:47 PM.
Quote from CoralCorn8976 :
Can this be made a class action lawsuit? BEcause I tried to do the math also. ANd all i found was that the "free $10 giftcard" i was supposed to get was deducted from each item in different amounts, then I was re-charged $10 for the gift card..and I also had 3 separate transactions on my bank statement.
That's how it's supposed to work. They deduct the cost of the gift card from the items you buy and then charge for the gc. That way you can't return the items and get to keep the gift card.
For example say it's buy 3, get a $5 gift
Item 1 $4.99- $1.67 = $3.32
Item 2 $4.99- $1.67 = $3.32
Item 3 $4.99 - $1.66 = $3.33
Subtotal of items would be $14.97
Subtotal after discount $9.97
Gift card value $5
So subtotal after discount + gift card value = $14.97 original

You are charged the same price whether you got the gc or not just how the math works out is different.
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crazymomvivi
06-03-2020 at 12:59 PM.
06-03-2020 at 12:59 PM.
Consider those "FREE" GC as buying yourself Target GC, and your cash is stuck with them! Don't fall for those promos anymore. Just wait till there is a sale or discount code to buy! Keep your cash in your own pockets. Peace I bought myself $30 of "FREE" GC last week! Dumb!EEK!
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