GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers of a gift card scam that is affecting the country.
The BBB said consumers should be aware of baby and motherhood gift cards sent to them by a "Jenny B." These cards are not from a friend but part of a questionable marketing scheme by Mother's Lounge, LLC.
Mother's Lounge sends gift cards to their different online businesses. BBB has found 15 affiliate businesses including Thoughtful Gift Cards and Canopy Couture. The gift cards are sent all over the U.S. and Canada in an envelope which appears to have lost its return label, but it never had one in the first place.
Inside is a card congratulating the recipient on their recent pregnancy and an array of gift cards and coupons for motherhood and baby items. BBB believes "Jenny B" is Jeanette Pierce, the owner of Mother's Lounge and other online entities.
BBB is unsure what mailing lists the business is using, but not all of the women who receive these mailings are pregnant.
According to Troy Baker of BBB Serving Western Michigan, a woman from Hudsonville got one of the offers.
In BBB’s review of over 55 complaints and Scam Tracker reports for Mother's Lounge, consumers who have purchased from these websites reported receiving lower quality products than expected.
When purchasing or using gift cards, your BBB recommends that you:
- Read the fine print. Search the card’s packaging and the card itself for any fees, expiration dates, and terms and conditions. Some organizations charge service fees, or will limit the gift card to “in store only” purchases, making it useless for online shopping.
- Start with Trust. It’s important to buy from sources you know and trust. Visit BBB.org to see a business’ BBB Business Profile and find trustworthy BBB Accredited Businesses. Make sure to look up the business at BBB.org to view its rating, complaint history and reviews from past customers.
- Examine the card and packaging for tampering. Make sure the packaging hasn’t been tampered with, and check the back of the card to make sure that the PIN number hasn’t been exposed and no protective stickers have been removed.
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