California residents who lost money from a Vanilla Gift Card after criminals tampered with the packaging can now ask for it back from a $1,525,000 Restitution Fund. Claims must be filed online or postmarked by February 19, 2027, according to a notice the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office issued on October 23, 2026.
The money comes out of a lawsuit the People of the State of California, acting through the San Francisco City Attorney, brought against InComm Financial Services, which sells Vanilla Gift Cards. The suit alleged the cards were susceptible to package tampering, which let thieves get at card information before a shopper bought the card. InComm denies the allegations.
Anyone who thinks this describes their card has one job and one date: complete the Claim Form and Attestation by February 19, 2027. Filing online at CAGiftCardSettlement.com works, and so does mailing a paper form to the Gift Card Claims Administrator, P.O. Box 301132, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1132. Mailed claims must carry a postmark on or before that date.
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Who can claim from the Vanilla gift card fund?
The City Attorney’s notice sets four conditions. The claimant must be a California resident who bought a Vanilla Gift Card in California between November 1, 2019, and September 30, 2024, or who lawfully received one that was bought in California in that period.
The card’s balance must have been partly or fully unusable because of unauthorized transactions, and the claimant must believe those transactions came from package tampering. Finally, InComm must not have already refunded the lost money. A cardholder who got a full refund from the company is not in line for a second payment.
How much does a claim pay?
The size of the payment depends on the paperwork. A claimant who sends a complete Proof of Claim can receive the full value of the reported lost funds for each eligible card. An incomplete Proof of Claim can bring up to 75% of the reported loss, depending on the documentation.
Proof is optional. Without it, the notice says a claimant can receive up to $15 per card, for no more than two cards, which caps the no-proof payment at $30. Acceptable proof includes a purchase receipt, photos of the front and back of the card, the card’s transaction history with the unauthorized charges marked, and records of any earlier refund request to InComm.
The notice also warns that amounts may be adjusted based on the number and value of valid claims and the money left in the fund. With a $1,525,000 pool, a large number of claims could mean smaller payments than the figures above.
How does the payment arrive?
Approved claimants can be paid electronically, which requires filing online and entering accurate payment information, or by a check mailed to the address on the claim.
The claims administrator runs a phone line at 1-888-808-2479 for questions. The notice carries one clear instruction for everyone else: do not contact the Court. Questions go to the claims website, the administrator’s mailing address or that phone number.
Because the claim form includes an attestation, it works best when the details are gathered first: where and when the card was bought, the card number, the date the balance disappeared and any chat or email with InComm about a refund.
What is left to find out?
Neither the City Attorney’s Office nor the claims administrator has said how many claims have been filed or when payments will start. Until the February 19, 2027, filing date passes, the administrator cannot know how far $1,525,000 will stretch, which is why the notice’s adjustment language matters for anyone expecting the full amount.
Filing for the Vanilla card money by February 19?
A drained card balance is a small loss, and small claims are the ones that slip: the no-proof payment tops out at $30, while a complete Proof of Claim can bring the full lost value, and the form closes on February 19, 2027.
The Settlement & Refund Recovery System walks through a step-by-step filing process, teaches the four-date rule for reading a settlement notice, and gives a claim log and payment tracker to record what was filed and when. It also includes a large-print quick-start sheet.
Get the claim log and payment tracker for the Vanilla card fund →
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This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
