Tag: gift card

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Apple Gift Cards (2022)

This set of Apple Gift Cards each features a different design. According to Apple, gift cards can be used for:

“Products, accessories, apps, games, music, movies, TV shows, iCloud+, and more. This gift card does it all. And then some.”

Beginning in 2021, this style of Apple Gift Card was sold with an included “collectible sticker.” According to an Apple Support article:

“The front of your Apple Gift Card shows a colorful Apple logo on a white background. The gift card is inside a sleeve, and the Apple logo is a collectible sticker. The pattern might look different from the image that you see here, because Apple Gift Cards are available with a range of designs. Use your Apple Gift Card at an Apple Store to buy products and accessories. Or redeem it in the App Store and use it for apps, subscriptions like Apple Music or iCloud+, purchases from apple.com, and more.”

In the early 2020s, Apple Gift Card scams were somewhat common. In 2022, 9to5Mac described a common pattern for such a scam:

“A victim receives a phone call from someone claiming to work for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They are told that there is a problem with their tax filing, and that unless the matter is resolved immediately, they face arrest. When asked how to arrange payment, victims are asked to buy Apple gift cards…and then pass the details to the caller.”

As of March 2023, Apple’s Gift Card website includes multiple references to potential scams. Apple also had a page describing gift card scams: “Be aware of scams involving Apple Gift Cards, App Store & iTunes Gift Cards, and Apple Store Gift Cards.” Further, each printed gift card includes the warning: “Beware of gift card scams. Do not share your code.”

Source: Apple (gift cards, support, scams), 9to5Mac

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Billie Eilish Limited Edition Gift Card (2021)

On February 26, 2021, Apple TV+ released the documentary “Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry.” According to Apple’s press release:

“‘Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry’ tells the true coming-of-age story of the singer-songwriter and her rise to global superstardom. From award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler, the documentary offers a deeply intimate look at this extraordinary teenager’s journey, at just 17 years old, navigating life on the road, on stage, and at home with her family, while writing, recording and releasing her debut album ‘WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?’”

Along with this documentary, Apple released a limited edition gift card design in a color scheme matching Billie Eilish’s branding.

“Celebrate the launch of the new film Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry with the limited-edition gift card — perfect for buying anything at Apple.”

This gift card follows Apple’s “Everything Apple” gift card merge that occurred in Summer 2020. As reported by MacRumors: “Previously, there were two separate Apple gift cards available: iTunes cards, which can be used for App Store, iTunes Store, and iCloud storage purchases; and Apple Store gift cards, used for buying goods at Apple’s online and brick-and-mortar retail stores.”

Source: Apple (Gift Cards, Press Release), MacRumors

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Apple Gift Cards (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)

This collection of Apple gift cards spans the years 2005–2014, and includes gift cards for use in Apple Stores, the iTunes Store, and Starbucks. Apple Store gift cards can be redeemed in brick-and-mortar or online Apple Stores for purchases. iTunes Store gift cards can only be used at the iTunes Store for digital music, video, app, or downloaded purchases.

The special Starbucks card in this collection was sold as a standard Starbucks gift card, but it also allowed two free song downloads in the iTunes Store. When I learned about this offer in 2007, I purchased 25 of these cards at $5 each (the minimum amount allowed for this promotion) and received 50 free song downloads on iTunes (and $125 in Starbucks purchases).

All of these cards have been redeemed.