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Warehouse membership Costco is issuing a recall for sure present playing cards offered at its areas nationwide.
The retailer stated in a letter to members that prospects who bought Synergy restaurant present playing cards between Oct. 27, 2025, and Jan. 26, 2026, are eligible for a refund for the remaining card steadiness.
The recall comes after Synergy World, a present and loyalty card firm, abruptly shut down final month after submitting for Chapter 7 chapter safety. In consequence, its present playing cards can not be redeemed, leaving some customers holding unusable balances with little rapid recourse.
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Synergy World filed for Chapter 7 chapter safety in late January. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)
Synergy’s present playing cards had been third-party merchandise. Whereas they had been offered at Costco and redeemable at a whole lot of collaborating eating places nationwide, the playing cards had been issued and managed by Synergy – not Costco or the eating places themselves.
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As soon as Synergy shut down, the playing cards successfully turned nugatory.
“One of many greatest classes that individuals ought to be taught from that is that present playing cards must be used sooner quite than later,” Matt Schulz, LendingTree’s chief client finance analyst, instructed FOX Enterprise. “That is very true if the corporate concerned is on shaky footing. Nonetheless, with any present card, you are higher off not letting it collect mud. In any other case, you threat shedding it, forgetting about it or simply having it lose worth. That is the very last thing anybody wants at this time.”
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Synergy initially stated present playing cards can be honored via early February, however later halted redemptions altogether, citing a surge in demand. The entire sum of money tied up in unredeemed playing cards is not going to be identified till chapter filings are made public.
The present playing cards had been offered by Costco however issued by Synergy World. (Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Common Pictures Group)
Professional ideas in relation to present playing cards
Schulz steered that customers maintain the present card’s receipt till it has been used. That manner, the refund course of is extra prone to be extra hassle-free.
He additionally suggested registering the present card, when doable, which may also help if the cardboard will get misplaced. And, Schulz stated paying for a present card with a bank card might be helpful to the patron within the occasion that there’s fraudulent exercise that must be reported.
