Amazon gift cards have become a popular gift for birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations. Whether you have one through a gift or bought one yourself, you probably wonder whether or not you can actually look at your Amazon gift card balance without redeeming it to your account. Many of the users will want to check their balances before using the card just to know how much money they have in case of planning or confirmation on the actual value of a received gift. Here’s how to view Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming a cent.
View Amazon Gift Card Balance Without Redeeming
Under Amazon’s current system, the option to view the gift card balance is available only after redeeming it. Its cancellation has been stated as a precaution against misuse and fraud.
In this article, we’ll cover why Amazon made it impossible for you to check your balance without redeeming, how you can still figure out the balance through customer service. Also, we will discuss how to view Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming points.
Why Can’t You View Amazon Gift Card Balance Without Redeeming?
There was a day when one could check the gift card balance on Amazon without any requirement to redeem a card. However, Amazon has changed this policy partly because of security reasons lately.
Fraudulent Activity
The primary driver for the change in the policy was a surge in fraudulent activity. Scammers were using bots to compile arbitrary gift card numbers and then submit those numbers to Amazon’s system to determine if they had any balances.
Each time a bot found a legitimate card number, it would immediately redeem the balance in dispute for itself. It is this automated, high-volume attempt at swiping gift card balances that led to Amazon taking away the ability to view Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming.
Reviewing the Functions of the Amazon Gift Card – view Amazon Gift Card Balance without Redeeming
To mitigate this risk, Amazon now requires that a gift card balance be applied to an account before its value can be released. This is to prevent malicious users from accessing gift card funds via any automated means. Amazon’s website explains further that upon redemption of a gift card, the funds are applied to your account balance and become available for use on future purchases.
Further, gift card balances are not transferrable to other accounts and cannot be used to obtain other gift cards, nor may it be exchanged or redeemed for cash except as otherwise required by applicable law.
Using the Amazon Gift Card Points for Amazon Gift Card Balance without Redeeming
Once you apply it to your Amazon account, all the money in your gift card is added to your gift card balance. Your balance with Amazon Reload does not expire and cannot be transferred to other accounts, used to buy other gift cards, or, as except as required by law, redeemed for cash. This shift in use is not only safeguarding the consumer but also the safety and soundness of the entire gift card system.
How to View Amazon Gift Card Balance Without Redeeming It
Amazon will not allow you to check your balance without redeeming it first, so while there is no way to check the balance on an Amazon gift card before you apply it to your account, there are a few methods you can use before you commit to adding it to your account:
1. Call Amazon Customer Service – view Amazon Gift Card Balance without Redeeming
The most guaranteed method to view Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming it is by contacting Amazon’s customer service. These can help you ascertain the balance on your card without needing to apply it to your account. Here is how to do that:
How to Contact Amazon Customer Service:
- Sign into your Amazon account.
- Go to the Amazon Help site: [Amazon Contact Us] (https://www.amazon.com/hz/contact-us/)
- In “What can we help you with?” select “Something else.”
- In “What can we help you with?”, choose “I need more help.”
- Begin chatting with the Amazon chatbot
- After beginning the chat, request to see a representative.
- Pass the claim code for the gift card to the representative and they will be able to check the balance for you.
You can dial directly to the Amazon customer service number at 1-888-280-4331 and request them to look for your gift card balance. Simply call Amazon customer service. In this process, you will be required to give them your gift card claim code. Then, you can view your Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming it.
2. Redeem the Gift Card to Check the Balance
If you have no hesitation in redeeming the card, you can continue below with steps on how you are adding the gift card balance to your Amazon account. After the redemption of the card, it is visible and can be used on subsequent purchases.
Redeeming a Gift Card
1. At the Website
Proceed to “Your Account.”
Then select the “Gift Cards.”
Tap Redeem a Gift Card and enter your claim code (located on the back of the card, if it is an actual card; sent via email if it is an e-gift card).
2. In the Amazon App:
Open the app and tap on the main menu.
3. Select Your Account.
Tap on “Redeem a Gift Card” and enter the claim code. It is Amazon.com/redeem or Amazon.com/yourorders.
The balance will automatically get credited to your account after redemption. It can be accessed by going into “Your Account” > “Gift Cards” on the website or tapping “Manage gift card balance” on the app.
Critical Questions for Redemption of Your Amazon Gift Card
1. Persistence in Balance
Once you have redeemed a gift card, you continue an available balance which you can keep on using for your future purchases. In case you are not able to use the entire balance in one transaction you will be able to use the remaining funds the next time you make purchase.
2. Physical Gift Cards
Physical gift cards require scratching off the protective coating off the back of the card to reveal the claim code. The customer would need this code for redemption and also to check the balance, yes, at the customer service desk.
3. Third-Party Retailers
The balance will actually take some time to be processed, and thus, you might notice that it will take quite a long period to get your card ready for usage. In this case, you would have to wait until the balance is available or seek support from Amazon customer services. It is also a way to check Amazon’s gift card balance.
4. Checking Order History
If you purchased an Amazon gift card directly through the Amazon website, you can see what you loaded on there by checking your order history. This does not help you check the remaining balance after you have used it partially, but you can prove how much you paid for the gift card.
5. Find Your Order History
- Log into “Your Orders” under the Amazon website or app.
- Find the order for the gift card.
- Examine the order history, in which the amount for the gift card should be displayed.
This can be of no help to verify the balance for a card that has not been redeemed yet but is excellent when you want to verify in order to confirm the original value of a card.
Conclusion
Amazon does have a policy that prohibits users from accessing information in their gift cards, especially balance information unless the card is first used because of security issues and fraud threats. This change might not be convenient, but it does help protect your gift card’s funds from malicious people who might steal it.
If you don’t want to redeem or use the card, you can still check its balance through Amazon’s customer care service. So, while you cannot directly view Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming, you can still opt for other similar alternatives that Amazon is proposing to ensure that your funds are not affected. Happy shopping!
FAQs
Can you view Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming?
Answer: Yes, it is possible to check Amazon Gift Card Balance without redeeming by calling the Amazon phone number for customer service.
How to get an Amazon gift card?
Answer: You can buy it on the Amazon app or website.
Can the Amazon gift card be exchanged for cash?
Answer: No, it is not possible to get cash in exchange for gift cards.
Can Amazon gift cards expire?
Answer: The gift cards expire one year from the date of purchase.
Can Amazon Gift Cards be transferred?
Answer: Yes, the gift cards can be sent to anyone.
