When £450 Disappears Overnight:
The Dark Side of Digital Gift Card Marketplaces
A System Structurally Built to Fail Consumers
Published by the Consumer Protection Bureau (CPB) | 25 November 2025
Digital gift cards have quietly become one of the fastest-growing online purchases in the UK. But beneath the glossy convenience lies an unregulated ecosystem. One where hundreds of pounds can disappear in seconds, with neither the seller nor the platform accepting responsibility. A recent case brought to the Consumer Protection Bureau (CPB) is a textbook example of what is going wrong.
The Purchase: Smooth, Simple, and Reassuring
A customer bought £450 worth of Amazon.co.uk gift cards from digital marketplace Eneba.com, a popular platform that connects buyers to independent sellers. Everything looked legitimate: codes redeemed, balance appeared instantly, and orders began to ship.
“Some items even shipped then the remaining order was cancelled and the entire £450 balance removed. The customer was left with nothing and no clear path to redress.”
The Shock: Amazon Reverses the Entire Balance
Trouble began when the customer attempted to place an order. Then suddenly Amazon cancelled the remaining order and removed the entire £450 balance from the account. When challenged, Amazon said the gift cards were “fraudulent” possibly previously redeemed codes, codes generated illicitly, or codes bought with stolen payment details and refused to reinstate funds.
Eneba’s Response: “Not Our Problem”
Eneba maintained that once a digital code is delivered and redeemed the platform’s responsibility ends. They position themselves as an intermediary, not a seller or guarantor. The result: no product, no refund, and £450 lost.
A System Designed for Evasion, Not Resolution
This case exposes a structural failure that regulators have been far too slow to address.
Marketplaces Pick and Choose Responsibilities
Platforms collect payment, run the marketplace, advertise offers, and profit yet they often disclaim liability when fraud is alleged. This selective accountability leaves consumers trapped.
Amazon’s Gift Card Rules Are Ruthless
Amazon reserves the right to remove gift card balances it considers unverified or illegal, then directs consumers back to sellers who may be anonymous or offshore. The consumer ends up between two organisations, each pointing at the other.
The Broader Problem: An Unregulated Digital Currency
Gift cards function as digital money. Yet the secondary resale market operates with few safeguards:
- ➤ No mandatory verification of sellers
- ➤ No obligation for platforms to refund fraudulent codes
- ➤ No clear dispute route for consumers
- ➤ No regulatory oversight specific to digital code resale
While the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Consumer Contracts Regulations offer protections for digital goods, platforms frequently argue that once a code is used the contract is at an end. That loophole allows substantial consumer losses to go unresolved.
What Consumers Can Do For Now
Practical steps while legislation catches up
CPB’s Position
CPB will raise this issue with regulators, MPs and consumer bodies, calling for clarity, accountability and legislative safeguards. Until reform arrives CPB will support affected consumers and publicise these failures.
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