Shoppers who tried to use their Currys PC World gift cards in the Black Friday sales have seen their funds wiped despite orders not being completed – with some customers left £100s out of pocket.
Customers saw their funds gone after their orders had failed following a “temporary outage” on the Currys website.
Bargain hunters who paid by debit or credit cards were unaffected and Currys said all customers affected who made transactions via gift cards will have their funds restored “as soon as possible.”
The blunder was first reported my MoneySavingExpert on Friday and now the founder of the site has offered blasted the tech giant for the “fail.”
Cash-saving guru Martin Lewis said: “Currys has been lax and languid. People first started tweeting me about missing gift card money on Friday. We alerted the firm immediately.
“Yet barring an unspecific statement, it’s not given people any real direction about how they can get their money, often £100s back – and customers report its help services have been mostly unresponsive. That’s a fail.
“Not only must it ensure everyone’s gift cards are refunded, but those affected should be allowed to still purchase items at Black Friday prices so they don’t miss out. People have enough to deal with this Christmas without Currys adding to it. Its needs to confirm arrangements immediately.”
Martin Lewis has previously warned against gift cards explaining that he is “extremely anti gift cards,” when asked by viewers about Cineworld gift cards now that the chain has closed.
He said: "The biggest answer I can give you and anyone else is, and I've said this many times before but never has it been more pertinent - I am extremely anti gift cards."
"The simple fact is that first of all some of them date - so someone buys them for you and if you don't use them in two years they are not worth it.
"But more importantly, if the company goes bust they are worthless.
"You just have to claim as a creditor on the administator."
Speaking ahead of Christmas he continued: "In this time of terrible uncertainty, and retailers won't like me saying this, the last thing I would be giving anyone for Christmas is a gift card, unless it is from a company I was absolutely rock certain."
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