Warning - Do not Buy Sephora Gift Cards - stolen info!

[Lissa3bu]

Warning - Do not Buy Sephora Gift Cards - stolen info! Warn your friends and family, do not buy gift cards for Sephora!

I received a $90 Sephora giftcard from an elder family member, who purchased at a Kroger in a Columbus, Ohio on 12/19/23. it is one of those $15-200 that let you pick the value. She saved the approval confirmation receipt.  When I went to scratch off the pin today, the pin number was not able to be read, like I had scratched it too hard. But the code number could be easily read. This does not make sense. I called Sephora to see if they could issue a new pin, but the rep told me that the balance was $0. Apparently someone else used it on 12/25/23 in three online transactions - $3, $42, and $44. I was transferred around, but finally told it was a Sephora beauty insider who used it and they could not disclose where it was used. They offered me nothing  despite I told them that I have never purchased from Sephora, and now I can't (and never will...). The customer service rep said that they treat them like cash so if lost or stolen then gone - I was like, "It wasn't lost or stolen - I have it . The gift card appeared in mint condition as did the gray 'scratch here' over the code/pin. The giftcard information was stolen from Sephora, not from me. Sephora is the one not protecting the information." She didn't have an answer.

I found so many articles on this site and others of similar stories with $0 balances despite the code/pin were never scratched off or when scratched the pin number was not there. Given the shear amount of reports of gift card scams on this site dating back 3+ years, I am guessing that Sephora was hacked multiple times. Or, their giftcard numbers are not unique? Either way, I hope bet a class action is filed. This is total BS.

[Olg01]

Same here, received gift card from Kroger in Chicago area, the pin looked scratched off. Sephora said it was used for online purchase 3 days after activation.  While Kroger said they'd open a case only if original purchaser calls them and jumps through several hoops, the lady even laughed couple times when I said I wouldn't want to bother my friend. Just appalling, never purchasing Sephora gift cards again.

[MamaC2]

The exact same thing happened to my daughter. She received a card from my aunt on Sunday, we went to use it on Thursday and there was no pin, it looked scratched off. Sephora could only tell me it was used yesterday. We’re also in Columbus and it was purchased at a Kroger. Sephora said we could take it back to Kroger since it was breached on their end 

[DaneeBT]

Hi @Lissa3bu I'm so sorry to hear about this. I'll send you a PM.