Results 1 to 22 of 22
  1. #1

    Would you pay $22 for a $20 Amazon Gift Certificate?

    I am a bit baffled.

    My daughter got an Amazon gift certificate for $20 that she didn't want. I offered to list it on eBay.

    So I did, at $17. It's now climbed to $22 and there's still 4 hours to go.

    My auction is just to send the claim code. Anyone could order a $20 Amazon gift certificate from Amazon for...$20. Since I'm only taking Paypal, they'll have to pay with a credit card or their bank account anyway...

    ?

    I don't get it. And what I find strange is that it appears there are quite a few gift cards/certificates on eBay that have sold for more than face value. Perhaps there's some massive money laundering going on, but these are mostly $20-50 transactions.
    raindog308
    LowEndTalk administrator, LowEndBox editor

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    NW Ohio
    Posts
    9,658
    Quote Originally Posted by raindog308 View Post
    I am a bit baffled.

    My daughter got an Amazon gift certificate for $20 that she didn't want. I offered to list it on eBay.

    So I did, at $17. It's now climbed to $22 and there's still 4 hours to go.

    My auction is just to send the claim code. Anyone could order a $20 Amazon gift certificate from Amazon for...$20. Since I'm only taking Paypal, they'll have to pay with a credit card or their bank account anyway...

    ?

    I don't get it. And what I find strange is that it appears there are quite a few gift cards/certificates on eBay that have sold for more than face value. Perhaps there's some massive money laundering going on, but these are mostly $20-50 transactions.

    That is very strange. Personally I wouldn't spend more then $17/18 or I would just get it myself from Amazon. God knows they get enough money from me since I got my Kindle!
    Currently hosting with Big Brain Global Networks

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    8,535
    I noticed this same thing - I actually thought I might be able to pick up gift cards moderately cheap there. Definitely was not true, and I couldn't come up with any rational explanation other than fraud as to why they were going more than what they're worth

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Northern, Michigan
    Posts
    3,600
    Make sure to call the number on the Paypal account to verify the payment is authorized. I got screwed a couple years back selling an Xbox live code on eBay.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    906
    A possible reason could be that the person wants to purchase something from amazon anonymously without giving amazon their billing info.
    Aniqa - Support Representative
    █ WooServers - Affordable, Fast & Reliable Servers
    █ 24/7/365 Premium Monitoring & Highly Qualified Staff!
    █ WooServers.com | cPanel Dedicated Server | European Dedicated Servers

  6. #6
    That's just crazy

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Chennai , India
    Posts
    4,632
    Quote Originally Posted by Aniqa View Post
    A possible reason could be that the person wants to purchase something from amazon anonymously without giving amazon their billing info.
    Hmmm i never knew you can do this...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    3,155
    I wouldn't pay anymore than $20.00 for a $20.00 gift card.

  9. #9
    Foreigners. People in Europe want to buy products off US Amazon but don't want to deal with credit card or banking currency conversion fees or the address verification.
    Secondly, maybe you are offering a payment method which isn't accepted by Amazon. And last but not least in someway they might use it for TAX evasion.
    SolidSRV Internet Solutions | OVH France HQ
    Unmetered Bandwidth with every server
    sales@solidsrv.com | +31 233-020-200

  10. #10
    I would be afraid that they would charge it back or they didn't like it because the card smelled like smoke or had the wrong color. People are that silly.

    I would refund the money once you get it and not send it. I wouldn't sell gift cards on ebay. Too much risk in my opinion.

  11. #11
    Yeah, here is what they will do.. Use the card, then say it was empty to paypal, then they will get their money back. Simple as that. Check their feedback, i can bet you its a new member.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    145
    Probably the bidder isn't from the US, and they don't accept paypal payments (I'm not sure if they do now).

    Paypal is an Ebay system, therefore a direct opponent of Amazon.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    New Zealand
    Posts
    6,933
    Laundering, most likely after a paypal refund.
    █ | Hoopla Hosting -
    █ | WordPress Web Hosting New Zealand - Reseller Hosting - cPanel - Zurmo Hosting - Softaculous - CloudFlare

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,816
    Quote Originally Posted by Aniqa View Post
    A possible reason could be that the person wants to purchase something from amazon anonymously without giving amazon their billing info.
    I know a ton of kids that can't legitimately get a credit card but still want to buy stuff online so they end up just getting a moneypak or something and adding balance to their student paypal account, then doing stuff in hilarious roudabout ways

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Chennai
    Posts
    682
    Just that weirder things keep on happening with alarming regularity these days! Watch out, it may be a cancelled payment too!!

  16. #16
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    California, USA
    Posts
    13
    Lol! Its absolutely a no to me. I'd rather buy the one that came from Amazon and would feel that I bought a legitimate GC.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by raindog308 View Post
    I am a bit baffled.

    My daughter got an Amazon gift certificate for $20 that she didn't want. I offered to list it on eBay.

    So I did, at $17. It's now climbed to $22 and there's still 4 hours to go.

    My auction is just to send the claim code. Anyone could order a $20 Amazon gift certificate from Amazon for...$20. Since I'm only taking Paypal, they'll have to pay with a credit card or their bank account anyway...

    ?

    I don't get it. And what I find strange is that it appears there are quite a few gift cards/certificates on eBay that have sold for more than face value. Perhaps there's some massive money laundering going on, but these are mostly $20-50 transactions.
    maybe they only have paypal funds and can't pay with a credit card?
    if you are taking paypal then they can pay with paypal funds

    i used to sell gift cards for under their value because i needed paypal funds
    like i would buy a $20 gift card from amazon using a credit card then sell it for paypal funds for a few dollars less because i needed the paypal $

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,816
    Quote Originally Posted by vanessafan99 View Post
    maybe they only have paypal funds and can't pay with a credit card?
    if you are taking paypal then they can pay with paypal funds

    i used to sell gift cards for under their value because i needed paypal funds
    like i would buy a $20 gift card from amazon using a credit card then sell it for paypal funds for a few dollars less because i needed the paypal $
    why wouldn't you just buy a moneypak card?

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by quantumphysics View Post
    why wouldn't you just buy a moneypak card?
    idk what that is and no one knows what they are

    everyone knows what amazon gift cards are and they are trusted

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,816
    Quote Originally Posted by vanessafan99 View Post
    idk what that is and no one knows what they are

    everyone knows what amazon gift cards are and they are trusted
    you don't need to resell a moneypak card - you get a code that you enter on paypal.com and that adds the money to your paypal balance immediately

  21. #21
    I don't know if it's money laundering, but I doubt they use if for anything legal

  22. #22
    Yes, there is a business in Gift Cards. There was actually a contestant on Shark Tank season 1 called Gift Card Rescue http://www.giftcardrescue.com/.

    A lot of times the amount goes over a couple dollars than face value on eBay. Never had an issue selling gift cards on eBay however BEWARE there is a lot of scams going on in the Gift Card industry! Also, your time is worth more than what you will make after eBay fees, etc... what im saying is this is no business opportunity.

Similar Threads

  1. $20 Amazon Gift Certificate
    By rockergrrl in forum Other Offers & Requests
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 08-25-2005, 01:10 PM
  2. FS: $50 Amazon Gift Certificate
    By Hostlead in forum Other Offers & Requests
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 03-22-2005, 08:17 PM
  3. Amazon Gift Certificate!
    By InetServ in forum Other Offers & Requests
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 08-20-2003, 10:16 AM
  4. New Customers get $10 Amazon.com Gift Certificate!! ($4.95/mo)
    By croakingtoad in forum Shared Hosting Offers
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 05-19-2003, 10:22 AM
  5. Sign up and get an Amazon.com Gift Certificate!
    By Noldar in forum Shared Hosting Offers
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-01-2002, 09:09 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •