Consumers with a Visa gift card can use it for purchases at any stores or online merchants that accept Visa. Various banks and financial institutions issue the Visa gift cards with their own brands featured on the card. Each issuing bank also sets the terms and conditions for that particular card, as well as the method for activating it.
Contact Issuing Bank
Most cards automatically activate at the time of purchase. If your card does not, check the back of the card for a customer service phone number or website where you can register it. Some cards come with a sticker on the front that includes the number or website to use to register. Typically, when registering, you’ll need the card’s account number and 3-digit CVV number on the back. Some issuing banks also ask for an email address or phone number.
Benefits of Registering
Each issuing bank requires you to activate your card so your name is attached to that card’s number, preventing anyone else from using it. Registering your card allows you to check your balance online and view the terms and conditions for the card. It also allows you to report a lost or stolen card.
References
- Visa Gift Card: FAQs
- TD Bank: Visa Gift Card
- U.S. Bank: Visa Gift Card
- TD Bank: Visa Gift Card FAQs
- Discover. "What Is a Credit Card Number?" Accessed March 13, 2020.
- Federal Trade Commission. "What to Know About the New Credit and Debit Chip Cards." Accessed March 13, 2020.
- Discover. "Surprising Reasons Your Credit Card Won't Swipe." Accessed March 13, 2020.
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. "Design, Fabrication and Characterization of Computer Generated Holograms for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications Using OAM Beams As Light Decoders." Accessed March 13, 2020.
- Experian. "What Is a CVV Number on a Credit Card?" Accessed March 13, 2020.
Writer Bio
Lindsey Thompson began her writing career in 2001. Her work has been published in the Cincinnati Art Museum's "Member Magazine" and "The Ohio Journalist." You'll also find her work on websites like Airbnb, Chron.com, and USAToday.com. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism from the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.