Friday, December 26, 2008

Can't Read the Numbers on iTunes Gift Card? Here's Help.

I received an iTunes gift card for Christmas,  just like millions of other iPod and iPhone owners out there, but when I tried to scratch off cover over the code, I applied too much force, and my number looked like this.

 I'm sure 7-11 or another convenience store has already coined this phrase for a scratch-off lotto ticket promo, but I was guilty of "Card Scratch Fever". CSF is a condition that causes iTunes users to scratch their card number with such force that they destroy some of the code. (At first, I thought my misfortune could be part of an evil scheme by Steve Jobs and Apple to save millions of dollars with defective cards, but my conspiracy theory was debunked within minutes.)

If you get the fever,we have the prescription.. (No, it isn't more cowbell) After several unsuccesful attempts to redeem my card on the Redeem Code page, Apple provided a link to "Get help",just below the form space where I entered the code. Once I clicked "Get Help", it added another line to the form where I could enter  THE NUMBER ON THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER on the back of the card. 

 I entered as much of the I scratch-off code I could read, along with the serial number.To my pleasant surprise, my $25 was redeemed, without even one call to Apple customer service. Well done, iTunes!

Posted By Matt O'Hern at 11:43 AM
Permanent Link: Can't Read the Numbers on iTunes Gift Card? Here's Help. | Comments (44)

(44) Comments on Can't Read the Numbers on iTunes Gift Card? Here's Help.

this didnt help.. it doesnt even tell you WHERE to go. idiots...

Comments by Rawr : Friday, December 26, 2008 at 02:36 PM

I can't find the link to get help.

Comments by Sean Harris : Friday, December 26, 2008 at 06:41 PM

You have to try to put in your code several times and then the get help link will appear just keep hitting redeem and it will appear eventually. i just tried and it worked for me

Comments by lw : Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 02:34 PM

when i entered my serial number and code (which i only have 3 letters of) it said that itunes would contact me within 48 hours. did i do something wrong?

Comments by yo : Thursday, January 01, 2009 at 11:15 PM

I had a similar situation, but iTunes support couldn't help. My solution is on my website techsmear.com

Comments by Joe : Wednesday, January 07, 2009 at 01:29 PM

Wow! It works. My 11 year old was so excited to start his iTunes shopping and scratched half of the code off. He was very upset. I googled and found this info site. THANKS SO MUCH! You've made a little kid really happy.

Comments by Susan : Thursday, January 22, 2009 at 10:30 PM

Thanks for the comment. It's truly a refreshing way to start my day to know that i made a kid happy. I hope you continue to read marketingshift.com for more reviews,tips and insights about the tech world.

Comments by Matt O'Hern : Friday, January 23, 2009 at 02:42 PM

It won't work, it still says that it is not a valid iTunes Gift Card serial number....HELP?

Comments by Monica : Friday, January 23, 2009 at 08:41 PM

I have the same issues and can only read the first five characters on the activation code. However I do not have a serial number on the lower left side of the back of the card. I have a sting of number on the lower right side of the back of the card with more characters than that above. End result in put this number in the Itune help screen; did not work.

Comments by Greg Clemente : Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 07:00 PM

this worked out great thanks for the help and Rawr is just an idiot

Comments by Will : Monday, March 09, 2009 at 03:20 AM

No! It doesn't work. I'm missing like 2 numbers and this does not work!

Comments by Rob : Friday, March 20, 2009 at 08:50 PM

thank you thank you thank you! i scratched too much off and was freaking out i spent about 20 minutes trying to read my code until i googled it, found this site, and you saved the day!

Comments by kara : Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 02:26 PM

It doesn't work! Dont try it people! you get banned from itunes

Comments by Will : Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 10:50 AM

Will- I wouldn't post a story about a tactic that didn't work for me, and I certainly wouldn't write about a tactic that could get you banned from iTunes. There's no logic to your claim, because the process involves iTunes PROMPTING YOU to enter the code.

Comments by matt : Saturday, April 04, 2009 at 04:42 PM

Thank you so much! I have been sitting around for the last 20 min. trying to guess numbers and letters. I am so happy. Thanks a lot!

Comments by Arrow : Friday, April 10, 2009 at 01:17 PM

please help me cos that didnt. i bought a FIFTY DOLLAR, $50, card and i accidentally scratched it off. my card looks nothing like the ones on your picture! this is no help!! PLEASE HELP ME!

Comments by daniel midler : Friday, April 17, 2009 at 04:35 AM

it worked, you have to put the last couple numbers/ letters for the code that you see, not the first.

say i scratch off the code 123456789
but i cant see 456 in the redeem spot you put 789 then the searial number. not 123!

Comments by dan : Saturday, May 02, 2009 at 10:05 PM

It worked for me! Thank you so much!

Comments by Cindy : Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 10:37 AM

It's not working for me..I'm very..very upset..=( Oh well..thanks anyways..I mean..the whole help thing popped up but then I typed in the last few numbers..like..i typed in the four last letters and it still won't pop up..it just says that it can't recognize it and that it'll email me in a matter of 24 hours..=/ Oh well...thanks.

Comments by Marie. : Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at 05:18 PM

once you log into itunes STORE . on the right of the newest version of itunes stores homepage , click support.. 2 clicks down the page you will see customer support and under that a link that says help with you itunes giftcard click it.
on the next page , gift card and gift certifcate faq, you will see all your answers plus a link halfway down where you can fill out a form and an apple rep will email or call you.
make sure you put the serial number from the card on the form. the serial number usually starts with:
GCA or 60 and is 16 characters long
EPY 14 characters long
PBH 22 characters long

hope this helps

Comments by sick : Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 06:55 PM

Thanks soooooo much, i was extremely madddd when i couldn't read the redeem code. but when i came to this website, i got 15 $ extra in my itunes acount. thanks again!!!

Comments by Cody : Monday, June 01, 2009 at 08:21 PM

i typed in the serial number and it said that it is not valid!! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!!

Comments by tor : Sunday, June 07, 2009 at 03:48 PM

thank you so much!
i thought i was in trouble for a little bit.

you just have to keep pushing reedeem and it will show up

Comments by lexi : Thursday, July 09, 2009 at 02:44 PM

You're more than welcome! Those pesky iTunes gift cards sometimes cause more problems than they're worth.

Comments by Jason : Thursday, July 09, 2009 at 03:18 PM

Hiya.i'm 13. i was given this card for my birthday and was so frustrated when i scratched some of it off. the person who got me it found your site and i tried your method. itunes said they would contact me on email within 24 hours. thanks for your help but wont i just get ignored because i am the one who damaged it?

Comments by claire : Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 05:35 PM

thanks this relly helped me in the end. i just got it and was pissed when i scratched to hared.

Comments by lino fasio : Saturday, August 08, 2009 at 11:54 PM

Good on ya! Worked like a charm. Stupid silvery scratch material.

Comments by Larry : Sunday, August 09, 2009 at 01:35 PM

thank you so much for your help! i had a $25 gift card and i couldn't read the numbers (i guess i shouldn't have tried to scratch it off with my car keys :/ ) but i finally got it with your help!! thanks so much!

Comments by Becky : Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 12:30 AM

I dont know what to do! I'm frazzled. A few days ago, I got a 15$ iTunes card and just now I scratched the code extremely hard. : ( Of course I can only see a little bit of it now.

I can easily find the redeem code box bot not the second box. I have no idea what to do but I don't want to loose my money. Stupid F'n Scratch code.

Comments by Megan : Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 05:02 AM

use the chat feature that andra mentioned above. IT WORKS!!

Comments by erik : Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 12:31 PM

OMG Thank you soooooooooo much!!1 I got my card redeemed just like you said!!!

Comments by mandee : Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at 12:41 AM

Great advice! i had the exact same problem did this and it worked!!

Comments by Sean : Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 03:51 PM

does anyone know how long it takes for itunes to email u back? Thanks!!

Comments by Stephanie : Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 05:31 PM

my card is different from pic and it doesnt have the security card....HELP

Comments by Andrew : Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 03:24 AM

ive typed in at least 10 guesses and this screen hasnt popped up

Comments by Brodz : Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 03:59 PM

k so i go to the Code Redeem Support. so know its asking me for my activation code, and serial number, but i only know the serial number because i scratched the actiavation code off!!! HELP!

Comments by yc : Monday, September 28, 2009 at 02:23 PM

there isnt a get help link..?

Comments by ?? : Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 10:04 PM

Thank you!!!! It worked!!!

Comments by yft : Friday, October 02, 2009 at 12:48 AM

This didnt work at all. my card doesnt even have a code on the bottom left. it has one on the right but its just the last half of the barcode

Comments by umm... : Sunday, October 04, 2009 at 11:46 AM

Hi there.
Tried this: the system didn't take the serial number alone and give an immediate response, but within a couple hours we got a confirmatory email from I-T, with the complete and correct verification number.
So, score one for I-Tunes.
Just be patient, people. Mistakes happen, give them a chance to help you!

Comments by lisa ann : Friday, October 09, 2009 at 08:05 PM

i dont have an itunes account yet and i scratched off the code wat do i do

Comments by Aaron : Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 03:41 AM

IT WORKS!!!! my dad was seriously about to kill me because I scratched off the first five numbers of my code, and when I got to the help thing I totally skipped it BECAUSE they asked for the activation number!
THNX SO MUCH!

Comments by Cam : Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 05:50 PM

Thanks!! This really helped...

Comments by Sue : Monday, October 19, 2009 at 10:02 PM

Thank you! I was so mad, because this was a 25 dollar card, and my mom bought it for me. I didn't want her to find out, and this really helped! Thanks for putting this up!

Comments by Phoenix : Monday, November 09, 2009 at 06:14 PM

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