Missing VGC Purchase from Grocery Store (Blackhawk/AmEx Issue)
Sep 12, 2018, 7:18 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
Missing VGC Purchase from Grocery Store (Blackhawk/AmEx Issue)
Good Morning Everyone,
First time poster. Long time lurker. Apologies if this is not the right place for this question.
I went into my local grocery store to purchase a few $500 VGCs last Wednesday, 9/5. I bought two successfully with one of my Delta Gold's. I went to buy two more and the transaction was declined. My understanding is that either Blackhawk or the grocery store declined the transaction - not AmEx.
I was working with the front end manager, and she told me that the transaction "didn't go through" and she processed a refund onto my second Delta Gold because it looked like one of the VGCs went through and the other one didn't.
I've been watching my AmEx statement for about a week now, and it looks like one of the VGCs actually "went through" and has posted to my account. So instead of seeing a refund for ~1000, I'm only seeing a refund for ~500. I only walked out with the two successful VGCs that I purchased on my first Delta Gold. So, it appears that I am down the ~500 for the time being.
I raised this question on r/churning and saw one response to just wait it out. I've given it a week - I figured AmEx/grocery store/Blackhawk would have figured it out by now and my statement would read +1000 -1000 etc. I think a week is enough to wait it out, but maybe it isn't.
At any rate, I'm just wondering what my next steps should be. Here are a few things I have considered:
1) Go back to the grocery store and discuss what is happening.
2) Continue to wait it out with Blackhawk/AmEx to "figure it out."
3) Dispute the transaction.
Just looking for some advice/feedback/guidance here.
Thanks!
First time poster. Long time lurker. Apologies if this is not the right place for this question.
I went into my local grocery store to purchase a few $500 VGCs last Wednesday, 9/5. I bought two successfully with one of my Delta Gold's. I went to buy two more and the transaction was declined. My understanding is that either Blackhawk or the grocery store declined the transaction - not AmEx.
I was working with the front end manager, and she told me that the transaction "didn't go through" and she processed a refund onto my second Delta Gold because it looked like one of the VGCs went through and the other one didn't.
I've been watching my AmEx statement for about a week now, and it looks like one of the VGCs actually "went through" and has posted to my account. So instead of seeing a refund for ~1000, I'm only seeing a refund for ~500. I only walked out with the two successful VGCs that I purchased on my first Delta Gold. So, it appears that I am down the ~500 for the time being.
I raised this question on r/churning and saw one response to just wait it out. I've given it a week - I figured AmEx/grocery store/Blackhawk would have figured it out by now and my statement would read +1000 -1000 etc. I think a week is enough to wait it out, but maybe it isn't.
At any rate, I'm just wondering what my next steps should be. Here are a few things I have considered:
1) Go back to the grocery store and discuss what is happening.
2) Continue to wait it out with Blackhawk/AmEx to "figure it out."
3) Dispute the transaction.
Just looking for some advice/feedback/guidance here.
Thanks!
Sep 12, 2018, 11:05 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,295
My understanding is that either Blackhawk or the grocery store declined the transaction - not AmEx.
I was working with the front end manager, and she told me that the transaction "didn't go through" and she processed a refund onto my second Delta Gold because it looked like one of the VGCs went through and the other one didn't.
I was working with the front end manager, and she told me that the transaction "didn't go through" and she processed a refund onto my second Delta Gold because it looked like one of the VGCs went through and the other one didn't.
Also need to know:
3) How many working $500 VGCs do you have?
4) Did you call AMEX and ask if they declined the transaction?
Either way, give it a few more days then just dispute it. You can go back to the grocery store if you want, but the process for these things is to initiate a dispute. To "Continue to wait it out with Blackhawk/AmEx to "figure it out."" is asking for a lot of time you'll never get back with very little chance of success.
Sep 12, 2018, 2:07 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
Thank you danpeake.
1/2) I agree - I'm confused myself as to why they would need to process a return for just one VGC if the transaction was initially "declined." It's almost like one was approved and one was declined in one order. I'm with you - I would think that the whole order would be declined.
3) As of right now, I have 2 VGCs that work. Based on the math, I should have 3. So one is likely at the store, and is probably long gone by now. Maybe I can just see if I can find a receipt and report that VGC lost/stolen and get a replacement?
4) I didn't call AmEx. The reason why I'm holding off on the dispute is that it's obvious MS. That being said, I don't think L3 data reports from this grocery store. I'm not sure how much that changes when I go to file the dispute.
Thanks!
1/2) I agree - I'm confused myself as to why they would need to process a return for just one VGC if the transaction was initially "declined." It's almost like one was approved and one was declined in one order. I'm with you - I would think that the whole order would be declined.
3) As of right now, I have 2 VGCs that work. Based on the math, I should have 3. So one is likely at the store, and is probably long gone by now. Maybe I can just see if I can find a receipt and report that VGC lost/stolen and get a replacement?
4) I didn't call AmEx. The reason why I'm holding off on the dispute is that it's obvious MS. That being said, I don't think L3 data reports from this grocery store. I'm not sure how much that changes when I go to file the dispute.
Thanks!
Sep 13, 2018, 11:34 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 4
Folks we can consider this resolved. I was saved by the MS Gods today.
As it turns out, one of the VGCs did in fact activate on the transaction in question. Since I didn't take the VGC home with me, that meant I was potentially down the $500.
The woman that was helping me with the order kept everything, including the VGC that had been activated. So when I went into the store today to talk about what happened, she told me that she still had the VGC. So I took it home. All good!
As it turns out, one of the VGCs did in fact activate on the transaction in question. Since I didn't take the VGC home with me, that meant I was potentially down the $500.
The woman that was helping me with the order kept everything, including the VGC that had been activated. So when I went into the store today to talk about what happened, she told me that she still had the VGC. So I took it home. All good!
Sep 13, 2018, 11:58 am
#8
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 110
Folks we can consider this resolved. I was saved by the MS Gods today.
As it turns out, one of the VGCs did in fact activate on the transaction in question. Since I didn't take the VGC home with me, that meant I was potentially down the $500.
The woman that was helping me with the order kept everything, including the VGC that had been activated. So when I went into the store today to talk about what happened, she told me that she still had the VGC. So I took it home. All good!
As it turns out, one of the VGCs did in fact activate on the transaction in question. Since I didn't take the VGC home with me, that meant I was potentially down the $500.
The woman that was helping me with the order kept everything, including the VGC that had been activated. So when I went into the store today to talk about what happened, she told me that she still had the VGC. So I took it home. All good!
Sep 13, 2018, 12:23 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 559
Folks we can consider this resolved. I was saved by the MS Gods today.
As it turns out, one of the VGCs did in fact activate on the transaction in question. Since I didn't take the VGC home with me, that meant I was potentially down the $500.
The woman that was helping me with the order kept everything, including the VGC that had been activated. So when I went into the store today to talk about what happened, she told me that she still had the VGC. So I took it home. All good!
As it turns out, one of the VGCs did in fact activate on the transaction in question. Since I didn't take the VGC home with me, that meant I was potentially down the $500.
The woman that was helping me with the order kept everything, including the VGC that had been activated. So when I went into the store today to talk about what happened, she told me that she still had the VGC. So I took it home. All good!