City Attorney Chiu secures over $1.5 million for victims of gift card fraud

San Francisco (October 23, 2026) — City Attorney David Chiu announced today that he has reached a settlement with InComm Financial Services, the company behind Vanilla Gift Cards, establishing a $1.525 million fund to compensate California residents who were victims of gift‑card draining between 2019 and 2024. The settlement resolves a 2023 lawsuit that alleged that Vanilla Gift Cards were susceptible to tampering, allowing criminals to access card information prior to a consumer purchasing the gift card and make unauthorized transactions.

To learn more or submit a claim, consumers should visit CAGiftCardSettlement.com, call 1-888-808-2479, or email info@CAgiftcardsettlement.com. A third-party settlement administrator will review claims submitted and disburse restitution funds accordingly.

“We are happy to be able to put some money back in the pockets of Californians who were victims of gift card fraud,” said City Attorney Chiu. “Far too many Californians bought a gift card only to discover that it had already been drained by criminals. We strongly urge anyone who lost money on a Vanilla Gift Card to check their eligibility and file a claim.”

How to access restitution funds
California residents may be eligible to receive payment from the restitution fund if they:

• Bought a Vanilla Prepaid Gift Card in California, or received a Vanilla Gift Card purchased in California, between November 1, 2019 and September 30, 2024.
• Could not use some or all of the money on the card because of unauthorized charges. This may have happened due to criminals tampering with the card’s packaging.
• Did not already receive a refund from InComm for the money you lost.

To be eligible for restitution, consumers must submit a claim form and any accompanying documentation, at CAGiftCardSettlement.com or by mail at Gift Card Claims Administrator, PO Box 301132, Los Angeles CA, 90030-1132.

Claims must be submitted by February 19, 2027. Eligible claimants may receive up to the full amount of money lost on their Vanilla Gift Card. Any funds remaining in the restitution fund after the claim period has closed will be used by the City Attorney’s Office in future consumer protection enforcement matters. For more information about submitting a claim, eligibility for restitution payments, and the claims and payment process, view the restitution notice.

Background
This settlement resolves a 2023 lawsuit filed by the City Attorney on behalf of the People of the State of California. The lawsuit alleged that Vanilla Gift Cards were susceptible to having their balances stolen by fraudsters who breached the card packaging, accessed the card information before purchase, and made unauthorized transactions. The lawsuit also alleged that some cardholders whose funds were stolen were improperly denied refunds by the Company. InComm denies any wrongdoing.

This case was brought by City Attorney Office employees Angela Davis, Kathleen Dunn, Sara Eisenberg, John George, Nancy Harris, Christine Hoang, David Louk, Maureen Robinson, and Bianca Rojo.

The case is People of the State of California v. InComm Financial Services, et al, San Francisco Superior Court, Case No. CGC-23-610333.