PSA - Google Play Gift Cards Are NOT Guaranteed to Load on Redemption

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  MS Paint on 09/07/2024 - 19:02

  +8

  ADAGCHS

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  JimmyF on 09/07/2024 - 19:26

  +1

  In other words, buying Google Play Gift Card now no longer guarantees immediate load and you carry the risk of losing the value of the card and each gift card will need to be approved one by one.

  Honestly this sounds like a 'you' problem compared to a widespread google gift card issue. I'm guessing your account has been flagged for some reason as you said

  but given the low google search hits, I suspected this may not be a widespread issue

  Have you tried to redeem any questionable giftcards? This might have caused it.

  • 

    burningrage on 09/07/2024 - 19:46

    Nope. All Google Play Gift Cards were obtained legit from Coles/Woolies during the 10%-15% off events so there was no reason why my account was flagged. Even the CSO admitted there was nothing in my account that warranted flagging.

    If this is a "me" problem, then if it happens to you, can't say I did not warn you. I mean, look, I would be in a minority to cop up near 100% increase in youtube red subscription and the only way to fund that is by buying legit Google Play gift cards so I don't think it's exactly a "me" problem.

    All I am saying is it might be a taste of things to come and I happened to get it early.

    • 

      MS Paint on 09/07/2024 - 20:04

      I thought the name YouTube Red was cancelled years ago.

      Edit: just checked. It was rebranded in 2018. FFS. No wonder you're flagged. You're probably using Netscape trying to add credit to some old YouTube Red cached account.

      • 

        burningrage on 09/07/2024 - 21:20

        I wish I can show you the screenshot that Youtube is still using Youtube Red as they deducted my Google credits to pay for subscription even to this very day. I did wonder why.

    • 

      JimmyF on 09/07/2024 - 21:04

      All I am saying is it might be a taste of things to come and I happened to get it early.

      Google sells thousands of gift cards a day, they don't want to be doing this for each and every gift card sold.

      Even the CSO admitted there was nothing in my account that warranted flagging.

      What did you have to provide them to prove you really purchased it?

      If this is a "me" problem

      When the giftcard fails to be redeemed, have you tried to redeem it on a different account? This will tell you if its a you problem or a Google problem.

      BTW Do you have a VPN connected to some strange far away land?

      • 

        burningrage on 09/07/2024 - 21:26

        What did you have to provide them to prove you really purchased it?

        For the first one, I only sent pictures of the front and back of the gift card. The second one, I attached the pictures PLUS the Coles receipt. The first one was approved today for redemption and so I did. The second one is still producing that error. Tomorrow I might get an approval because it seems to follow the pattern of 3 business days as the CSO said.

        When the giftcard fails to be redeemed, have you tried to redeem it on a different account? This will tell you if its a you problem or a Google problem.

        Nope. I only have one Google account that links to my Youtube Premium (or Red?) and that's the one I funded using gift cards, until today.

        BTW Do you have a VPN connected to some strange far away land?

        I wish I do have one BUT remember how Youtube says they're going hard on ad-blocks? Well, I still have Ublock Origin and Adblock and I swear my Youtube at one point was helleva slower and sometimes did not load until I deactivated those two. It's not a problem these days. Not sure if it relates.

        • 

          JimmyF on 09/07/2024 - 21:46

          @burningrage:

          For the first one, I only sent pictures of the front and back of the gift card. The second one, I attached the pictures PLUS the Coles receipt. The first one was approved today for redemption and so I did. The second one is still producing that error. Tomorrow I might get an approval because it seems to follow the pattern of 3 business days as the CSO said.

          So nothing really of value then. As I said, Google sell thousands a day, they can't do this for each sale.

          Nope. I only have one Google account that links to my Youtube Premium (or Red?) and that's the one I funded using gift cards, until today.

          I think your one and only account has been flagged. Buy the smallest giftcard you can get, if it fails to redeem, give it to someone else to try and redeem as a 'gift'. That will tell you.

          Well, I still have Ublock Origin and Adblock

          Have you tried to redeem with all this turned off? Try from your mobile using the mobile network instead of your wifi.

          • 

            burningrage on 10/07/2024 - 07:55

            @JimmyF:

            I think your one and only account has been flagged. Buy the smallest giftcard you can get, if it fails to redeem, give it to someone else to try and redeem as a 'gift'. That will tell you.

            I was going to give it to my wife but because this is to pay Youtube Premium subs, I kept that option as last resort if they haven't replied within 1 week. So I didn't try.

            Have you tried to redeem with all this turned off? Try from your mobile using the mobile network instead of your wifi.

            No but as you can see now (especially after the 2nd one), it looks like something that was controlled by Google. My account does appear to be flagged.

            • 

              JimmyF on 10/07/2024 - 08:50

              @burningrage:

              I was going to give it to my wife but because this is to pay Youtube Premium subs, I kept that option as last resort if they haven't replied within 1 week. So I didn't try.

              If you are unsure, buy the smallest giftcard you can get to try, which is $20.

              My account does appear to be flagged.

              But this seems to be the view of everyone here as well.

              If it isn't giftcards you have redeemed, maybe something else?

              • 

                burningrage on 10/07/2024 - 09:06

                @JimmyF: Mayhap. I wish they would tell me what it is. Well, all is good for now but I will be wary of this from now on. You just simply cannot immediately redeem your Google Play cards and would have to potentially wait up to 3-4 days.

  • 

    CodeXD on 09/07/2024 - 20:15

    +1

    Came to say this too.

    Sounds like OP's account has been flagged

    • 

      burningrage on 09/07/2024 - 21:30

      No doubt about it but what is it? I asked the CSO about it and she said there is nothing being flagged out of my account.

      But the fact that after approval then all of the sudden I can claim that SPECIFIC gift card code, means I was definitely flagged. Especially after when I tried to redeem the 2nd gift card and came out with the same error despite okay for the first one.

      The only fear out of this is that from overseas experiences, they cannot claim refund after being rejected so effectively Google "stole" their funds. In Australia, Consumer Law should prevail on the grounds of goods not provided as described provision. That's why I now keep my receipts.

      I swear I am squeeky clean with Google and yet I got flagged.

      Keep the receipts is what I think I will do from now on for every gift cards I bought.

  • 

    JimmyF on 10/07/2024 - 08:57

    I have a lot of sympathy, after one time I spent many hours trying to redeem a gift card on which the code had been damaged from the scratchy removal. Google support was not accommodating in any way shape or form.

    Standard outcome for all damaged gift cards regardless of the company. Not sure what you wanted Google to do for you? The codes are unique, the front line support staff have no way to validate them or see what code you buggered up when scratching it.

    No company issues replacement codes, you know how many people remove half the code after use and try to claim a 'replacement' as the code isn't readable? LOTS.

    There is a reason they say treat them as cash.

    • • 

        JimmyF on 10/07/2024 - 09:14

        If you think that's fair, that's fine

        I never said it was fine, I said that google wasn't unique in not providing help or replacement for a damaged code. Too many people try to scam them. Same reason as the place of purchase won't take it back.

        That said, google does seem to offer some help if you have the card and receipt, looking at the online help here https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/11564359?hl=en

        But I can use slightly damaged cash no worries, so when I have the receipt I would have hoped they could be more accommodating.

        Sure, you can use slightly damaged cash, but if more than a 1/4 of the note is missing most places won't accept it.

        Even if they couldn't help me, I would have appreciated clear messaging on that, but every support person I talked to dragged me round a circuit of really weird solutions.

        Not sure what they did, but yes clear and direct messaging would be best for all.

• 

  Jumpingmanjim on 10/07/2024 - 07:41

  +1

  DO NOT REDEEM

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  burningrage on 10/07/2024 - 07:47

  EDIT 10/07/2024 am: The second gift card is now approved for redemption. Given an almost similar pattern of 3-4 days, I got this feeling this is automated (the reply is exactly the same the first one - word by word), further strengthening the case of this could soon become a norm.

  I noted the case number has a title, "Payment Compliance". Apparently this has been going on for a while and obviously spreading now to more people.

  https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=358881

  • 

    JimmyF on 10/07/2024 - 09:04

    further strengthening the case of this could soon become a norm.

    Have you noticed the lack of replies in this thread saying others have been having the same issue as you? This is not the norm, what does google have to gain from this?

    So let me see… You go to the store and buy a giftcard, you go home and try to redeem it, it doesn't work, you contact google with a picture of the card, then 3 days later it now works.

    Nothing to be gained from google here other than pissing off users for no reason.

    Apparently this has been going on for a while and obviously spreading now to more people.

    Did you read the thread? Everyone agrees there account has been flagged/block for some reason. Lots say it was fixed by adding a valid credit card payment to the account so it has a working payment method other than giftcards. Have you done this?

    • 

      burningrage on 10/07/2024 - 09:10

      +1

      Already have an existing working payment method (ie: Credit Card) due to family account requirement so that's not it either.

      Thanks for keep replying to this. I am aware this might be a minority (given the relatively low hit rates in Google search especially from Australia) but if other people starting to have this problem, there is a record now and hopefully that will spurn more discussion should it happen.

      I wouldn't wish this to happen to anyone else.

      • 

        JimmyF on 10/07/2024 - 09:17

        I wouldn't wish this to happen to anyone else.

        Hasn't expired?

        I wouldn't wish this to happen to anyone else.

        Would be nicer if they gave more details.

        From the thread, have a look around and confirm all the account settings/locations are correct. Maybe do this for all the accounts part of the family account.

        Are you redeeming a Australian Youtube Red sub? Do you have a overseas payment profile setup?

        • 

          burningrage on 10/07/2024 - 12:32

          @JimmyF: Redeeming credit to be used for Aus Youtube Red subs. Nothing else.
          No overseas payment profile (I mean how do you even do that?). Is it like paying for overseas subs like Disney+ via Itunes?

• 

  jugsy on 10/07/2024 - 11:28

  Hope the Coles points and your time were worth it!

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  ynotm8 on 31/10/2024 - 23:42

  i bought a google play gift card wasn't able to redeem it either got a msg saying (We need more info to redeem your gift card) ….
  searched google and it seems to happen alot i believe

  • 

    ynotm8 on 02/11/2024 - 17:58

    2-3 days later they sent me a link for a new one funny enough it didn't work at all and my old gift card finally works.

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  snapper17 on 14/11/2024 - 13:13

  +1

  I just ran into this problem. I e redeemed them in the past before but now they dont work.

  Google just said there are inconsistencies in my account but wouldn’t say what. Coles where it was purchased from don’t offer any help

  Google are happy to take money from my credit card but not a gift card with proof of purchase
  It doesn’t make sense to me.

  I spoke to consumer affairs who gave me a letter template and advised to send Cole’s and Google letters stating they are breaking the law.

  They also advised to speak with asic who apparently deal with gift cards.

  I’m now in this process to get a refund or a credit applied to my account