Californians who bought or received a Vanilla gift card that turned out to be empty may be able to get their money back. San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced Oct. 23 a settlement with InComm Financial Services, the company behind Vanilla Gift Cards, creating a $1.525 million restitution fund.
The settlement resolves a 2023 lawsuit alleging the cards were susceptible to packaging tampering that let criminals grab card information before purchase and drain the balance. The suit also alleged some victims were improperly denied refunds. InComm denies the allegations, according to the settlement notice.
Who qualifies
- You are a California resident.
- You bought a non-reloadable Vanilla gift card in California between Nov. 1, 2019 and Sept. 30, 2024 — or received one that someone bought in California in that window.
- You couldn't use some or all of the balance because of unauthorized charges you believe stemmed from packaging tampering.
- You haven't already been refunded by InComm.
How to claim
Submit a claim form and supporting documents at CAGiftCardSettlement.com or by mail to the Gift Card Claims Administrator, PO Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132. Claims are accepted from Oct. 23, 2026 through Feb. 19, 2027; for mailed claims, the postmark date counts.
Eligible claimants may recover up to the full amount lost, according to the City Attorney's office. The claims administrator, Verita Global, is paid from the fund, and any money left over will go toward future consumer protection enforcement by the City Attorney's office.