If you have received a prepaid Mastercard gift card from GiftCardMall, you need to use the McGift portal to activate it, check your balance, and manage your card. This is a separate website from the MyGift portal used for Visa gift cards. Many people land on the wrong page, which is why understanding the difference matters before you try to use your card for the first time.
This guide covers everything you need to know about McGift GiftCardMall Mastercard gift cards, including how to activate, check balances, register for online shopping, what to do if your card is lost or stolen, inactivity fees, and how the transition from GiftCardMall.com to GiftCards.com affects you.
GiftCardMall operates two separate card management websites depending on which type of prepaid card you have:
The quickest way to tell which portal to use is to look at the logo on the front of your card. If it shows the Mastercard symbol (two overlapping circles, red and orange), go to mcgift.giftcardmall.com. If it shows the Visa symbol, go to mygift.giftcardmall.com.
Also check the back of your card. The website printed there tells you exactly where to go. If it says mcgift.giftcardmall.com, that is your portal. Do not try to check a Mastercard gift card balance on the Visa portal or on GiftCards.com — it will not work.
New cards typically need to be activated before you can use them. Here is the step-by-step process:
Online activation at mcgift.giftcardmall.com:
Some cards also prompt you to register a billing address during activation. This is important for online shopping, as many merchants require a billing address to match the card. Do this step even if it feels optional — skipping it causes declined transactions on e-commerce sites.
By phone:
Call 877-322-4711 and follow the automated prompts to enter your card number, expiration date, CVV, and ZIP code.
You can check your remaining balance at any time through three methods:
Online balance check:
By phone:
Call 877-322-4711, select the balance inquiry option, and follow the prompts. Have your card number ready.
In store:
Some cashiers can run a $0 authorization to check the remaining balance. Ask at the register before completing your purchase.
Checking your balance before shopping is a good habit, especially for older cards, since inactivity fees can reduce the balance over time. More on that below.
This step is critical if you plan to use your card for online purchases. Most e-commerce websites require a billing address to process a payment, and prepaid gift cards do not come pre-registered to any address. If you try to use your unregistered Mastercard gift card on Amazon, a retail website, or any other online store, the transaction will likely be declined even if you have sufficient balance.
To register your card:
Once registered, use that exact name and address whenever a website asks for billing information during checkout. The address does not have to be a real address linked to your bank — it just needs to match what you registered on the card.
If you want to use your Mastercard gift card for PIN-based debit purchases, you need to set up a PIN separately. This is not activated by default.
To get a PIN:
Alternatively, call 877-322-4711 and request PIN setup over the phone.
Important: The PIN can only be used for purchases at PIN-enabled terminals. It cannot be used to withdraw cash at ATMs or get cash back during a purchase. GiftCardMall prepaid Mastercards are not cash-access cards.
What was GiftCardMall.com?
GiftCardMall.com was a popular online platform where consumers could purchase prepaid Visa and Mastercard gift cards, store-branded gift cards, and manage existing prepaid cards. It was widely used for personal gifts, employee incentives, and corporate rewards programs. In addition to purchases, the website provided balance checks, activation, and card management services.
Why did GiftCardMall move to GiftCards.com?
In April 2024, GiftCardMall officially transitioned its services to GiftCards.com, a platform owned by Blackhawk Network, one of the largest prepaid card distributors in the United States. The move was made to:
GiftCardMall.com now automatically redirects visitors to GiftCards.com for new purchases.
Do the old GiftCardMall portals still work?
Yes, and this is important. The card management portals for existing prepaid cards are still active and fully functional. GiftCards.com cannot manage cards originally issued through GiftCardMall. If your card has either website printed on its back, you must use that specific URL:
Trying to check your old GiftCardMall Mastercard on GiftCards.com will not work. Always use the portal printed on the back of your card.
GiftCardMall prepaid Mastercard gift cards may begin charging a monthly inactivity fee of approximately $4.95 after 12 consecutive months of no transactions. This fee is deducted directly from your remaining balance each month until the balance reaches zero.
To avoid inactivity fees:
Read the cardholder agreement that came with your card for the exact fee schedule, as terms can vary by card program.
If your Mastercard gift card is lost or stolen, act immediately.
If funds remain on the lost card and you reported it promptly, a replacement card can be issued. There is a $5 replacement fee if funds remain on the account. You may be required to provide additional identifying information.
This is why registering your card at mcgift.giftcardmall.com immediately after receiving it is strongly recommended. An unregistered, unrecorded card that is lost is very difficult to recover. Take a photo of the front and back of your card and store it securely before you begin using it.
If your prepaid card is a Visa rather than a Mastercard, use the MyGift portal instead. The process is essentially the same but the website and phone number are different.
Visa card management:
All the same services are available through MyGift for Visa cards: balance checks, activation, registration, PIN setup, and lost card reporting. The key difference is the card network — Visa cards must use mygift.giftcardmall.com, Mastercard cards must use mcgift.giftcardmall.com. Using the wrong portal will not work.
GiftCards.com and GiftCardMall have both issued warnings about spoof websites that imitate the McGift and MyGift portals. Fake sites use URLs like:
These fraudulent pages exist to steal card numbers and CVV codes. Always type the URL directly or bookmark the correct addresses:
Never enter your card details on a site you reached through a Google ad or an unfamiliar link. Look for the HTTPS padlock in your browser address bar and confirm the URL exactly before entering any card information.
What is mcgift.giftcardmall.com?
The McGift series refers to branded prepaid cards managed through a
specific online platform, making it easier for users to activate, check
balance, and monitor transactions. The official activation and card
management website is mcgift.giftcardmall.com, accessible via the full URL: www.mcgift.giftcardmall.com. This secure portal is designed specifically for activating and managing GiftCardMall prepaid Mastercard gift cards.
What is the difference between mcgift.giftcardmall.com and mygift.giftcardmall.com?
The difference between www.mygift.giftcardmall.com and www.mcgift.giftcardmall.com lies in the specific issuer or program for different prepaid cards. mygift.giftcardmall.com is for Visa prepaid gift cards. mcgift.giftcardmall.com
is for Mastercard prepaid gift cards. Both domains are official
sub-sites of GiftCardMall but serve different card networks. Users
should always follow the exact website printed on the back of their card
to ensure they log in to the correct portal. Mygiftgiftcardmall
Can I check my McGift Mastercard balance on GiftCards.com?
No. If your Mastercard gift card has mcgift.giftcardmall.com
printed on the back, you must use that specific URL to check your
balance. Customers looking to activate their cards or perform a balance
check can access these services at: Visa: https://mygift.giftcardmall.com/ and Mastercard: https://mcgift.giftcardmall.com/ GiftCards.com cannot access GiftCardMall-issued Mastercard accounts.
Can I use my McGift Mastercard at ATMs to withdraw cash?
The PIN can only be used for purchases and cannot be used to obtain cash
at ATMs or cash back with a purchase. These are prepaid gift cards, not
debit cards linked to a bank account, and cash access is not permitted.
What phone number do I call for McGift Mastercard support?
For Mastercard: https://mcgift.giftcardmall.com/ or call 877-322-4711. For Visa: https://mygift.giftcardmall.com/ or call 888-524-1283
Why was my McGift Mastercard declined online even though I have a balance?
The most common cause is that the card has not been registered with a
billing address. Most online merchants require a billing address to
match the card. Visit mcgift.giftcardmall.com, register your card with a name and address, and then use that exact information when checking out online.
What happens if my McGift Mastercard balance is less than the purchase amount?
You cannot split a prepaid card payment across two different payment
methods at most retailers. If your card balance is lower than the
purchase total, the transaction will be declined. Check your balance at mcgift.giftcardmall.com
first, and if the balance is less than your purchase amount, inform the
cashier you want to pay a partial amount with the gift card and the
remainder with another payment method. Not all retailers support split
transactions, but many do when asked.
How long is my McGift GiftCardMall Mastercard valid?
The expiration date is printed on the front of the card. The funds on
the card do not expire at the same time as the card itself, but
accessing them after expiration requires contacting customer service at 877-322-4711 to request a replacement card. Do not let your card expire with a remaining balance.
Can I reload my McGift Mastercard gift card?
No. Most gift cards cannot be reloaded, making them ideal for one-time
use. Once the balance is spent, the card is finished. If you want to
give additional funds, you would need to purchase a new prepaid
Mastercard gift card.
Is GiftCards.com safe and legitimate?
Giftcards.com is legit and is operated by Blackhawk Network, one of the
largest prepaid card distributors in the U.S. It is recognized as a
trusted platform for purchasing and managing prepaid Visa and Mastercard
gift cards. All redirects from GiftCardMall.com to GiftCards.com are
safe and official
What if I receive an error when trying to use mcgift.giftcardmall.com?
If you see an error message saying the request cannot be processed, call cardholder services at 877-322-4711.
Common causes include entering an incorrect CVV three or more times in
succession (which temporarily locks the card), trying to register a card
that is already registered, or using a card that has not yet been fully
activated in Blackhawk Network's system. Customer service can resolve
all of these issues directly.