To the editor:

This letter is written to try to save people from problems I encountered when I purchased a number of gift cards before Christmas.

I was buying groceries, and I needed to purchase gifts for members of my family. I selected the cards, went to the cashier to pay for my groceries and gift cards, and I was told that they could not take my check to pay for the gift cards.

Therefore, I had to go to a bank, write a check and get cash to return and pay for the gift cards. The cashier then checked me out, and I paid her cash for the gift cards, they were activated and I went home.

I had reservations, but this was my first experience in purchasing gift cards, so I thought that I might be trying to be too cautious.

I placed cards in envelopes for my family members, and I mailed the four cards.

I later received a phone call from my son explaining that one of the cards was not working. I asked him to send me a copy of the card, and I returned it to the store, along with my receipt and my son’s letter.

The young fellow who handled my complaint was very nice, and he informed me that the company whose card I returned would call me and tell me what my next step would be in getting my money refunded or a new card.

I am already out of a considerable amount of money, and I cannot afford to throw money away.

Since I was told there was some kind of “glitch” in the cards and that three or four other people had had the same problem, I thought the public should be made aware of this situation.

I will write checks for my families in the future. That way, I will save the cost of purchasing the gift cards, as well as the frustration of having to try to right a wrong that was not my fault at all.

This has been very embarrassing to me.

Mary Grace Garner-Atkins

Suffolk