Happy Friday to all the wonderful citizens in the City of Claycord.
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Just wondering how many other people have bought and given the Visa Vanilla gift cards….and after giving them, find out they have been fraudulently used, (drained) before our recipient could even use it!?
We have reached out to Visa, the place of purchase and Vanilla g.c., no one could help us! We are out $600.00.
This happened a year ago!
Don’t buy these cards!
And, if anyone has any ideas of who to contact, it would be greatly appreciated!
While I have no idea what a Vanilla Visa means, I do see you got burned for $600 and that sucks. Hope you get it back or at least make it uncomfortable for someone.
Thank you…I think it’s a lost cause, at this point. That brand is usually sold at the g.c. stations at stores. (With the security tag on them)
🙄
It is a gift card with a Visa logo on it, and it says Vanilla, in front. We get them at Macy’s and have not had any problems with them. Sometimes those gift cards are a bit of challenge to process. You have to process like a Visa credit card, sometimes the computer will ask for a pin, which most people don’t have, depending on the card (I’m not referring to Vanilla Visa only, but all gift card with a Visa or Master Card logo) sometimes it can be bypassed. Some of those cards, you have to put in the amount on the card, and sometime the owner does not know the amount. They all have an 800 phone number for customer service. Some customers get mad at us if there is a problem, but it was not issued by Macy’s so we have no control.
It’s not the issue of using it… or macys being able to process it….it’s the thieves using them.…before the real customer gets to.
This happened to me on a gift card from target. No funds after I scratched off the numbers on back and tried to used it. I contacted target and all they could tell me is that the funds had been transfer but she could not tell me to where. She mentioned that if I had receipts she could probably then investigate. It was a gift, with no receipt. Lost my money too.
The funds on ours were drained at Walmarts! In a city we don’t go to. 😡 (of course!)
My thing is…we are out the money…the thieves seem to always win…and I’m over it!
The only way to avoid gift card draining is to not buy physical gift cards and if you do, don’t buy them off the rack. One in four gift cards sold that way get drained. I’ve received Vanilla gift cards for Christmas, and they were fine. If you buy gift cards for someone else, keep the receipt. It’s hard to get your money back (for anything) without it.
Even with receipts you might not get your money back. Especially if the card is from a rack. The store with the rack is a middleman and may tell you to either contact the company the card is for (not working) or the police (who can’t do anything). All the selling store can do is put up the rack (for a fee I’m sure) and transfer the funds paid to the issuing company. Customer is out of luck and money. Selling store gets paid, card company gets paid, crooks get paid too.
I saw something about this on the news. A thief steals the gift cards from the store, copies the number and PIN, repackages the card and returns it to the store. When a customer buys the card and puts money on it, the thief uses the card and drains it of its funds.
Visa credit and debit cards have a zero liability policy. That means if your card is lost, stolen, or fraudulently used you are protected. I’m not sure if it covers gift cards, have you checked Visa’s zero liability policy on their website?
Visa is being sued for this. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gift-card-vanilla-scam-lawsuit-draining-incomm/
Thanks for that information, DAWG!
Thank you I will try and look into this. When I contacted Visa, they told us they were not affiliated with the Vanilla Visa g.c., although their name, Visa, is on them!
Thank you I wish I could join the lawsuit! Lol
When was the last time you laughed so hard, you had tears running out of your eyes? I think the last time for me was when we watched National Lampoon’s Vacation (the 2015 version, with Ed Helms and Christina Applegate). The family’s budget vacation vehicle rental, the Tartan Prancer, suddenly starts screaming commands in Japanese. Happy Weekend, Claycordians, and go Niners.
I had no idea there was a remake. Must check this out. But what’s the chance of it not sucking if I haven’t heard of it in 9 years? Rhetorical, I gotta watch, Applegate is an underrated actor. And got hit hard by MS too. And doesn’t whine. Uber mensch.
Cowellian’s first.
Y’all have a great weekend.
Cowellian: first, second, whatever, appreciate you showing up. “Whatever” can be just fun – keep it coming. And have a great weekend, too.
“First” is of Great Importance…..
“Last” use to be pretty good to…
.
Every party needs a Pooper and the Pooper is you….
🙂
my comment was in response to somebody who made a nasty comment to Cowell…..
their comment has been removed.
Looks like the Pooper took his ball and went home…..
🙂
A pooper is, as a pooper does. Good outhouse graffiti. 😝
It looks like I missed something, but thanks y’all!
Playing the game is not mandatory.
Anyone seen the Netflix doc “American Nightmare”?
Fact that seems stranger than fiction. The Vallejo police look pretty bad, but I’m pretty disgusted with Vallejo government in general.
Pick One:
.
A) Gouda
B) Swiss
C) Yuck
‘Fraid I’ll have to go with C), S. I do like sharp cheddar or Jack now and then on just about anything cooked, like eggs, pizza, etc. and ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan in lasagne. Maybe B) for a ham and Swiss sandwich, tho.
I prefer Swiss to Gouda, so, B)
A) Because it’s really “gouda”. B) Too on some of my sandwiches. OTOH, my dad like Limburger cheese. I never could get close enough to try it because of it’s smell. 😵💫
So did my grandfather and I could never figure out why.
Both, I like most cheeses except cottage, American, and cheddar.
Both, but if I had to choose one, I would do gouda for that bit of extra flavor.
J’aime beaucoup ma Mimolette!
D) Both 😂
I’m from Denmark as far as I’m concerned we have the best cheese, of course very few make it to the US. Usually only Fontina, and Harvarti and some special stores might have Port Salut, and of course blue cheese. Port Salut is also a French Cheese, blue cheese is French and British as well.
If I can’t find Fontina (Raley’s have the best one, Safeway’s is a little too salty, Raley’s have more of a nutty taste)then Gouda will do. I like Swiss cheese on sandwiches.
Side note Harvarti is a little bland. The best Havarti is the one with caraway seeds, which Raley’s and Sprout’s use to have no longer. However, they other day I went to Grocery Outlet on Willow pass and they had, just one left, so I asked the owner if he had more, he didn’t. He said he might be able to get some if I was interested, I said if he did I would buy, probably one or 2 every week, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed, as it is my favorite cheese. By the way if you go to Denmark and go into a cheese shop, (yes we actually have stores that only sell cheese, crackers and bread and what goes with cheese) you will find different kind of Harvarti cheese from very mild to very strong.
“A”…
Sad that it is pricey, so usually grab the swiss….
.
and if it’s Gouda’nough for Bebops, it’s Gouda’nough for me…..
Did you hear they couldn’t find the cheese maker?
He was trapped under debrie. 🤭
Either, it depends on the sandwich.
I also like Muenster, Sharp Cheddar, and Pepper Jack.
There is a cam focused on 2 eagles in Big Bear Valley in the San Bernadino Mountains. Found this last year, it is basically watching eagles incubate their eggs. Last year, followed for over a month, eggs ended up not being fertilized, so no eaglets. She just laid the first egg 2 days ago, so back to watching. The nest is huge, the eagles beautiful, the view of Big Bear Lake stunning. Can be found at Friends of Big Bear Valley org. Not a lot of action, honestly, an eagle sitting on a nest, but once a while, ravens will come close, and in the late evening, a San Bernadino flying squirrel will go on the nest (all to get wing-slapped). FWIW.
So, what happened to the unhatched eggs? Did a raven take them?
I believe so.
Oh Yeah ! ! ! I been watching Big Bear for years…..
Have viewed her lay an egg a few times and have seen some babies leave the nest for the first time.
I’ll just leave the stream on for hours while I’m doing this and that… You can actually see quite a bit goin on over a time span.
One time, you could hear a plane/jet pass to close and Jackie was pissed…. Shadow was there so fast. The people on the chat where talking about it; I emailed FOBBV the link to flightradar24 w/ the L&L, they seemed to appreciate it….
I’ve seen Ravens and squirrels eat the dead eggs…
there are other cameras about; even near Redding. Big Bear is my Fav…
Glad, I’m not the only one here who enjoys this stuff…
I have a couple of big bears across the road. Though I don’t think they use that term anymore. They’re cool, keep to themselves pretty much. They don’t complain about occasional gunfire, so I’m not gonna complain about occasional…well I don’t like to think about that. Live and let live.
Been a while since checked on recalls and warnings.
Hasn’t gotten much better, undeclared ingredients,
sterility issues, contamination, Salmonella and Listeria . . . .
https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts
Yikes! Thanks for the post, Original G.
What group of people walk the bike trail today in a type of pilgrimage ?
Why are there so many people walking on bike trail since early this morning? I believe it’s some religious/ cultural group? Just wondering what they are celebrating
Many fund raisers have walkers get monetary pledges for miles walked. I’ve done a few that took us along the canal trails. Could be the case here.
Useful site for street finding, do need to know county the city is in.
.
https://geographic.org/streetview/usa/index.html
https://geographic.org/streetview/usa/ca/contra_costa/index.html
Come on, Concord PD: you could have done better with the Hindu pilgrimage on the Canal Trail crossing at Cowell! You had several officers there controlling traffic on our outbound trip around 10 AM, but on our return at 12 Noon, the two remaining motorcycle officers sat on their bikes and let the walkers cross in dribs and drabs. The pedestrian crossing lights hardly stopped blinking and it was a miracle if more than 2 cars got thru. Outbound traffic was backed up passed Coventry and cars were running the red left turn arrow to get to Clayton Road.
I’ve been noticing a lot more moss around my garden than usual – it’s growing on stone, brick and concrete. It’s very thick, green and lush – beautiful! But I’ve never seen this much before. I’m near DVC. Has anybody noticed more moss this year?
ANCIENT MARINER ~
I live in Concord and there is far less moss growing in our yard this year.
Send it my way if you don’t want it, … 🙂
I too have new moss growing. It is from all the rain we have been getting. It seems non-stop. I’ll bleach it in the Spring.
@ROZ….I read one time years ago that if you pick some of that moss, put it in a blender with some plain yogurt and give it a quick mix you can spread the paste on things like clay pots or in-between stepping stones it will grow new moss on whatever you put it on, just keep it moist. Never tried it myself but sounds like it should work.
Dang nytemvr, you a wizard or something? You know stuff.
@ATTICUS THRAXX….I’m related to Ciff Clavin, I can’t help it.
NYTEMUVR ~
Yes, I have read about the moss-blender to cover clay pots.
Long ago, when I watched Martha Stewart on T.V., her trick was to spread plain yogurt or buttermilk on the pots. It would take a month for the pots to become mossy.
https://www.marthastewart.com/271159/making-history-aging-pots#:~:text=Start%20by%20pouring%20the%20buttermilk,any%20heavy%20clumps%20of%20moss.
And it’s good on Ritz crackers too.
Wife just got back from antioch babysitting Great Grand kids and she is so scared she’s still shaking.
Intersection of Delta Fair, Gentrytown and Buchanan Road blocked by a large group of people as was parking lot of abandoned shopping center. She was afraid of car being attacked.
Unknown if sideshow, ZERO Police presence.
Best advice stay out of antioch after dark!
Similar situation happened to me coming back from Hercules to Concord on hwy 4 a while back. There was so many people on a side street parallel to the freeway which was the freeway entrance and so many cars that looked like street racing, the whole picture was scary, I knew if the police come now, I will be caught in the middle of them..I panicked all the way home. Luckily it did not happened.
Probably The Van Buren Boys.
Or the much feared Crystal Ranch Mob. 🤡
The under or over argument that has gone on since 1891 is finally settled.
How inventor designed it to be used ! ! ! !
https://patriotpost.us/memes/103942-patent-says-2024-01-27
They went an did it,
Campbell’s Condensed Cream of Bacon Soup.
Wait for Campbells Condensed Cardiac Catheters!
How would you handle this situation ?
full screen and sound
Would work better with URL
http://tinyurl.com/bp7s3bjw
But don’t get your hopes up.
It’s that time of year again….. Pray for the Ground Hogs!
The whole groundhog scandal exposed!
http://tinyurl.com/bdkns6ah