Alert: Due to a system processing issue with our gift card service provider, we have discontinued the sale of Visa gift cards. We are exploring options for resuming this service in the future and apologize for any inconvenience.
What to do if your card is declined
If your SECU gift card is not working as expected, you may do one of the following:
- Call the toll-free number, (866) 902-6082, on the back of your card, for registration support; balance, account, or transaction inquiries; requests to lock or unlock your card; and all other SECU gift card related requests.
- Contact SECU 24/7 Member Services toll-free at (888) 732-8562 for assistance.
For closed cards with a remaining balance, access the SECU Refund Request form and follow the instructions to submit your refund request for the remaining balance on your gift card.
Gift Card FAQs
Managing Your Card
I received an SECU Visa Gift Card. What should I do?
Before using your gift card, review the Visa Gift Card Cardholder Agreement on our Account Disclosures page and sign the back of the card.
Activate and register your gift card, check your balance and transaction history, lock or unlock your card, or dispute fraudulent charges by calling (866) 902-6082.
How do I activate and register my gift card?
You can activate and register your card and select a PIN by calling (866) 902-6082.
Can my card expire?
Yes. Your card expires on the last day of the month displayed on the card. However, the underlying funds on your card do not expire.
Using Your Gift Card
Where can I use my card?
You can use your card at any participating US or international merchant that accepts Visa cards and magnetic stripe transactions.
Where can’t I use my card?
You can’t use your card for any of the following types of transactions
- Cash transactions, including ATM withdrawals, cash advances, cash back, or peer-to-peer payments
- Online gambling or illegal activity
- Recurring transactions such as utility service providers or health club fees
- Car rentals
- Cruise line purchases
- Pay-at-the-pump gas purchases
Note: You can use your card to purchase gas inside the store with the attendant.
Can I use my card at hotels?
Yes. At check-in, hotels may ask to put a hold on your card for the amount of your stay or other expenses, making those funds unavailable for use. If the amount of the hold is greater than your card balance, the transaction could be declined. To avoid this, check in with another debit or credit card, and then use your SECU Visa Gift Card as final payment for your stay.
Should I use “debit” or “credit”?
You can use your card as either debit or credit. Debit transactions require you to enter your PIN, while credit transactions require your signature to authorize the purchase.
Yes. If your bill plus the tip amount exceeds your card balance, the transaction may be declined. If needed, ask the merchant to process a specific amount from the gift card and use another payment method to complete your purchase transaction.
Can I return a purchase made from my card?
Yes. Merchants can either return the funds back to your card balance or provide you with a cash refund or store credit.
Why was my card declined?
Your card may be declined for any of the following reasons
- Trying to make a prohibited transaction
See the “Where can’t I use my card?” FAQ for more information. - Purchase amount exceeds the balance on your card
Ask the merchant to process a specific amount from the gift card and use another payment method to complete your purchase transaction. - No funds on your card
When you have used all the funds on your card, and you do not plan to make any returns on prior purchases, destroy the card and throw it away. - Your card may have been closed
Please contact us using one of the contact options listed below.
Balances
How can I check my balance?
You can check your balance by calling (866) 902-6082, and entering the gift card number and CVV code.
How can I use my card for a purchase that exceeds my balance?
Ask the merchant to process a specific amount from the gift card and use another payment method to complete your purchase transaction.
Can I add more money to my card?
No. Once you have used all the funds on your card, and you do not plan to make any returns on prior purchases, destroy the card and throw it away.
Security and Fraud
How do I lock/unlock my card?
Call (866) 902-6082 to lock or unlock your card. While your card is locked, it will be declined for purchases.
How can I dispute a transaction?
Call (866) 902-6082 as soon as possible to dispute a transaction.
What if my card is lost or stolen?
Call (866) 902-6082 immediately to report your card lost or stolen.
View the SECU Visa Gift Card Cardholder Agreement on the Account Disclosures page for more information.
FAQs
The most common reasons are that the card hasn't been activated, the cashier is running the wrong type of transaction, the dollar amount being charged is greater than the card's balance or the credit card processing machine is bumping up the charge amount to either place a hold on the card or to allow for a gratuity.
How to activate secu Visa gift card? ›
Call (866) 902-6082 to activate your card, check your balance and transaction history, dispute fraudulent charges, and lock or unlock your card.
Why can't my Visa gift card be verified? ›
If your Visa gift card isn't activated, it could be the reason why it's not working or is being declined. On purchase, gift cards need to be activated to be used. If you're having issues, please call (833)-263-4157.
Why is my Visa gift card not activating? ›
Contact Visa directly to resolve any activation issues.
Look for the customer service phone number on the back of the card or Google “Visa customer support.” Call Visa customer support at 1-800-847-2911. Email Visa through their online contact form.
Why is my Visa card being declined? ›
Some common reasons that your credit card might get declined include having the card's credit limit maxed out, accidentally triggering the card's fraud protections and even entering incorrect payment information on a website.
How to fix a declined gift card? ›
Gift cards & pre-paid cards
The best thing to do is to contact the number on your card, or contact the issuer of the card, and ask them why the charge is being declined and ask them to remove this restriction. Once this has been lifted, you should be able to try again without the card being declined.
Is a Visa gift card automatically activated? ›
Many Visa Gift cards are activated upon purchase and ready to use. However, if yours requires activation, you'll typically see a sticker with instructions and a toll-free phone number.
How much money can you put on a Visa gift card? ›
Visa Gift Cards
Because it's a prepaid card, spending is limited to the initial amount of money you place on the card at the time of purchase. Cards may be loaded with amounts from $10.00 - $1,000.00. Prepaid cards do not have cash access but may be used at any merchants that accept Visa Debit and Credit Cards.
Does cashier need to activate Visa gift card? ›
The cashier takes the card, activates it and loads the dollar amount requested onto the card. Now the card is ready to use. If you buy the gift card online, however, the recipient may be asked to activate the card once it is received.
Why is my visa card not being authorized? ›
Your card may be declined for a number of reasons: the card has expired; you're over your credit limit; the card issuer sees suspicious activity that could be a sign of fraud; or a hotel, rental car company, or other business placed a block (or hold) on your card for its estimated total of your bill.
Just head on to the Visa website itself to activate your card. 2. Enter the Card Details. Once you are on the site, you'll get a prompt on your screen to enter the gift card account number (you can find the 16-digit number on either the front or back of your gift card).
How do I get my visa card verified? ›
Register. Through the bank that issued your Visa card, register for Verified by Visa in just a few minutes. Upon activation, Verified by Visa protects you at every participating online store. When you shop online at a participating merchant, your card will be automatically recognised as protected by Verified by Visa.
What can I do if my gift card is not activated? ›
If it was never activated, you should contact the retailer. When activating a gift card you should have received a receipt showing the activation number. If it was never activated and you did not get a receipt, then the clerk could have easily just taken your money and gave you the card back.
Why do I have to register a Visa gift card? ›
Once you register your prepaid card, your provider will be required to provide protections in case of errors, loss, or theft. Also, if your card offers deposit insurance, you generally will need to register your prepaid card to become eligible for deposit insurance.
What happens if you don t have enough money on a Visa gift card? ›
If the balance falls below the cut-off line, ask the cashier to pay you the balance of the gift card in cash. Some will do it automatically and others will have to call the store manager to find out how to do it.
Why do Visa gift cards lose money? ›
While it may take gift cards years to expire, experts say it's still wise to spend them quickly. Some cards — especially generic cash cards from Visa or MasterCard — will start accruing inactivity fees if they're not used for a year, which eats away at their value. Inflation also makes cards less valuable over time.
Why is my debit card declining when I have money? ›
Why might my debit card be denied even if I have money in the account? It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Your debit card may be denied due to overdrafting, reaching daily purchase limits, or your bank suspecting fraud.
How to use remaining balance on Visa gift card? ›
If the total cost of your purchase is greater than the balance on your Visa gift card, you may need to use a second payment method to cover the remaining amount. In this case, select the option to split the payment and enter the remaining balance on your Visa gift card.
