Carrier So what good are the Verizon $500 gift cards?

[PinkyMacGodess]

Feeling played. You get $500 for bringing your own phone to the big V! Now? It's a gift card, not the Mastercard they said, and it seems to come with a lot of restrictions and seem rather useless.

What have others used their cards on? Can I use it on a new iPhone? If I can, would such iPhone be unlocked?

If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is... *sigh*

At the time I figured I wanted out of AT&T, and the $500 wasn't the deal breaker, but the restrictions still sting a little. But I have to laugh at it I guess...

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Usually a gift card can be used like cash to buy about anything one wants. However, I read your post and it sounds like maybe the "anything" in this case is only stuff from Verizon.

So I hop on Verizon's website FAQ and open "What is a Verizon Gift Card?"

Their Answer: A Verizon Gift Card is a payment card that can be used to buy Verizon mobile or home devices or accessories, replenish your prepaid mobile plan, or pay your mobile or home account's bill.

Presumably you already purchased a new phone to get a $500 gift card. If that is on a payment plan, use the gift card to make up to $500 worth of the payments. If Verizon won't let you do that, it looks like it certainly is able to pay the Verizon service bill. So, at worst, you have no Verizon cell phone bill to pay with cash until you use up $500 worth of service. The same FAQ lays out how.

If you want to convert it to cash so you can spend it on anything, find a friend with Verizon or wanting to buy a new phone from Verizon, go to the store with them, put the card towards their purchase and have them pay you the $500 instead of paying Verizon. They still get $500 "off" their purchase and you get $500 cash to use towards anything.

 

[ian87w]

Maybe you can just use it as a credit to your account/bill?