Have you ever felt as if there is no way to check your gift card balance? The goal of this post is to relieve the stress associated with this problem. What I aim to do is to show you ways to check the gift card balance on your Starbucks card, which, perhaps, has been hidden away in one of your drawers since you opened it on Christmas morning. In this paper, I will examine four ways to do this. This will enable you to choose the way that best works for you. In addition, I will point out some techniques used by fraudulent people so as to protect you from their activities, to save you some time and money.
Indeed, these steps are designed to save you time as well as the embarrassment of going up to the counter and being told by the woman or man at the counter, “I’m sorry, but your card has been declined.” How embarrassing can it be, if you’re out on a date, for example? Your date will be more than thrilled, indeed, if you took one of the following steps and proceeded to “do your homework” before the time of your date. Otherwise, you would risk ruining your date unnecessarily. Thus the reason for the advice offered here in the post for checking your account on your newly acquired free $100 gift card you received for your birthday.
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Way to Check Starbucks Gift Card Balance
Use your feet. Look up online the closest neighborhood Starbucks to you, then walk there. Wait in the line, then when the waitress or waiter calls you, order one of their coffees using your gift card. Then once you’ve ordered, ask for a receipt. This is very important, for most, if not all, Starbucks employees are trained to withhold requests for receipts, except specifically asked to do so. Starbucks is an environmentally conscious organization. Thus they are conscious of how much paper they use. Do you have a free Starbucks gift card code? Ask if you can use it there.
1. Checking Starbucks Gift Card Balance by Website
I highly recommend this method. If you are not savvy using modern technology such as iPhones or Androids, this is ideally the best method, besides, of course, using a standard phone. The drawback is, if you use a public computer, it’s important that you erase your digital footprints, lest someone get your information and begins to mess with your card. The security features on your card are just that and should be taken so.
That being said, we will go through the website method.
- Go to the website www.starbucks.com/card. Enter this domain into your web browser.
- Scroll down to “Check Balance” These instructions are found toward the bottom of the web page.
- Enter your card number. According to
that will be a 16-digit number on the back of your card. Scratch it away. Then type this number into the 16 digit bar, the long grey bar at the bottom. Be careful not to use any dashes or spaces. These card numbers are important, in that they are different for each individual card. They protect you from having someone else use your card in case it is lost or stolen.
2. Checking Starbucks Gift Card Balance by iPhone:
Check your account by selecting “Pay.” You see your balance in the Top Left-hand corner.
3. Checking Starbucks Gift Card Balance by Android
Tap on the four lines to the top left of the screen. Then tap on the “Refresh Balance” option. Then once your balance appears, write it on a secure piece of paper. Save it in a safe place. And do not leave them on the coffee table, or anywhere else so that other members of the household can access it.
Another note regarding phones. If you find that your phone has been lost or stolen, please don’t hesitate to call the customer service number, or sign in to your account by signing in and following the prompts. Then after you’ve bought a new phone, log into your account and give the new phone information. This all needs to be done sooner rather than later. Read the fine print about dates when your particular card expires, and govern yourself accordingly.
4. Checking Starbucks Gift Card Balance by Regular Phone
You can check your balance by using a standard phone. Call 1-800-782-7282. Wait for the dial tone, then follow the prompts given by the operator. Be sure to do what the operator on the recording says. Then write down your balance. If you don’t have an iPhone or Android, this method, next to the online method described earlier in this post, is a very good way to keep up with your account.
And besides that, it’s safer. Unlike iPhones or other kinds of cell phones, a typical house phone does not have the capabilities of storing information as a cell phone does, especially a modern version of one does. The only way to get a user’s information from this kind of phone would be to tap the phone. That is a lot more time than a typical criminal will spend, no matter how badly the person wants your money or his/her ability to order coffee any time he or she wants.
5. Other Ways to Check Starbucks Gift Card Money
Go to a website such as
Raise.co.
Then scroll to the right side of the page, then press
SIGN UP.
After that, enter your personal information as directed, such as your first and last name, chosen password, email address, and mobile phone number. Then answer the question of whether or not you wish to continue or to continue using your Facebook account. Then proceed to follow the corresponding prompts as given. There are other websites, too, but Raise.com was mentioned in that it appears to be a good website for that purpose. The good thing about these types of websites is that they enable you to check your balance within the private walls of your home.
Warning Regarding Starbucks Gift Card
Be careful not to link your gift cards or other Starbucks cards to your bank account. That will give criminally-minded people the idea of attempting to hack into your account. There are reports, according to the Good Housekeeping website, of people hacking into others’ accounts, and cleaning them out. One such hapless woman was told she had placed $100 on her card, and she had not. The person who hacked her card allegedly had placed the $100 on her card and proceeded to clean her out. She had put three charges on her card and it proceeded to empty her card.
The website reports that this isn’t the first time said crime has happened. In order to avoid this, vary up your passwords. Every month change them. That way, if someone happens to guess your passwords, according to the Good Housekeeping website, they can’t just wipe everything clean, leaving you penniless. They may be able to get some of your information under these circumstances, just not all of it.
Now if you feel that your password or passwords have been hacked, call Customer Service at 1-800-782-7282. They will further investigate the situation, question the people involved, and possibly prosecute the allegedly fraudulent people. This way, you are assuring that neither you nor other people will have to endure the same or similar fraud again.
Furthermore, be advised that, according to Credit.com, criminals can only take minutes to steal your information. They often seek ways into your account by the use of phishing techniques or hijacking your email. Once in, they can drain your credit card values, and transfer monies from your account to theirs. It can happen within seconds. And before you can say the words, “Gift Card Balance,” these fraudulent people can be ordering coffee in your name, running up your accounts and causing grief for you.
Conclusion
Thanks to modern technology, you no longer have to guess about what’s on your gift card. You can know beforehand–whether you need to reload your card or delay trying to go to Starbucks altogether until you get some money again. It is very important to know what monies are still in your account. This way you don’t hold up other paying customers, much to their annoyance, and, as was mentioned earlier, you can avoid an embarrassing situation involving yourself. Starbucks has a well put together system aimed at preventing all such drama. All you have to do is use it. Pick up the phone and call. If you’re online, log in to your account, and follow the prompts in the place where it talks about what to do if your card becomes lost or stolen.
In addition, please take seriously the threat of your account being hacked, and your card being emptied. This is a very serious matter. Every day people are checking their accounts and finding things on there that they cannot explain. So please be mindful of this. As in far too many cases that involve gift card accounts from other companies, many people have complained of seeing charges on their account that they never added. So while changing passwords can be an added headache, you will see that doing it will bring fewer difficulties in the long run.
Be a smart consumer, and look for ways to get the best uses out of your card. Stay on top of your balances, and order your Starbucks drinks and other things accordingly. This is a card that can be a lot of fun to have. But you must steward it wisely. Keep it in a safe place. Reload it as you gain the funds to do so. Then you will have enough money when that yen for coffee comes on you, or one of your friends or family members. While Starbucks can be quite expensive, just keep money on this card and the coffee will keep on coming. Just take the card out and enjoy the savings and the coffee, sweets, and sandwiches, and everything else Starbucks has to offer!
