Missing Vouchers

[lynbrown]

Before Christmas we send 4 x £25 John Lewis vouchers to a relative, who hasn't received them. Would John Lewis be able to tell us if they had been used? We dont have their numbers but we put them on our account so there may be a record of sorts. Anyone any experience of this?

[EDDIE51]

The account will only show that you bought the vouchers there will be no record of the serial numbers. Vouchers should be treated as cash and only posted by signed for postage. I am afraid you have lost them.

[2sp_]

It's clutching at straws, but they may still turn up.

I sent a Christmas card on the 12th of December, finally showed up on the 28th.

[lynbrown]

Thanks both. Its my own fault - £100 gone! I wonder if it is lost i.e. stuck in a mailbag somewhere, or have sticky fingers removed it from the mail?

[sunny-dave]

Did you buy them online? If so the numbers will be recorded.

If you bought them in a store and know the (very) accurate time/date and which checkout point you used, then it is possible that the numbers will be able to be determined.

[boxtops]

Too late now, but I wouldn't have sent them any other way than signed for next day delivery - it's no different to sending cash through the post. If you still have the receipt, you just might be able to track from the point of sale, but I wouldn't be too hopeful - and unless you declared the value of the content, Royal Mail will only compensate you up to about £20 for the loss, and you'd be asked to provide them with proof of posting before you could claim from RM.

[EDDIE51]

i am afraid that the post office contains a few workers who can spot a card with money or vouchers from yards away. I have had cards with cash go missing but never a 'straight' card. If I ever do send cash by post I wrap it in a few sheets of newspaper and then put it in a brown envelope, looks & feels like newspaper cuttings, never had any go missing since I did this.

[2sp_]

Someone recently sent Mr P £200 cash in the post. My own postie was surprised it made it to us.

But I'm sure you feel bad enough loosing £100 without us telling you that you should have sent it in a different way.

[gingejbee]

I have some of these and note that they have serial numbers, bar codes, other machine-readable numbers and scratch-off panels,too. So lots of security features that mean they could well know if they have been used instore or online.

[spudqueen]

Yes it's not much consolation to you lynbrown, but someone else reading this may learn that Royal Mail class vouchers and gift cards as cash and will only reimburse you if they go missing if you post them Special Delivery ONLY. NOT signed for/recorded, but Special Delivery. This costs a minimum of £6.22 but is tracked the whole way, guaranteed to get there by 1pm the next day (extra payable for Saturday delivery) and is signed for.