I do not recommend using Taobao, Xianyu, or other gift card channels (websites), even though they are cheap. There is a simple logic behind this: apart from occasional discounts, a $10 gift card should cost at least $10 to purchase. So where do these cheap gift cards come from? These cheap gift cards that do not conform to commercial logic are most likely illegitimate cards obtained from unknown sources, unless they can provide you with official iTunes Gift Card emails or scans, or provide official email purchase certificates. Otherwise, I do not recommend buying these types of gift cards. They are most likely gift cards purchased with stolen credit cards, commonly known as "black cards". Using these gift cards for recharge can result in recharge failures or, in serious cases, the banning of your Apple ID account.
You might be curious about how these unknown black cards come about and why you can't buy them.
Firstly, let's rule out one possibility: many people think that these cards are purchased during discount promotions, but in reality, Apple rarely discounts and sells gift cards. Occasionally, platforms like Amazon and Walmart might have promotions, but due to credit card restrictions, domestic card merchants cannot stock up on a large quantity of gift cards. The gift cards hoarded by overseas scalpers have already been consumed within the United States, so how could they circulate to other countries? This is a misconception; many people think that these gift cards, which are much lower than the normal exchange rate, are purchased during promotional activities, but that is not the case.
In fact, these black cards are most likely purchased through credit card fraud, which is the most common method. There are also gift cards obtained through scams, such as the popular scam of brushing orders in China or the impersonation of tax or regulatory departments in the United States using phone calls or emails to deceive people, telling them that there is a problem with their tax bill and requesting them to make up for it by buying gift cards offline or online, and then taking a photo to send to them. These scammers obtain gift cards in order to quickly cash out and launder money, and they sell them to other countries at a low price. This is why certain platforms like Taobao and some third-party websites have cheap gift cards.
If you buy these gift cards to recharge your account and the person who was scammed realizes they have been deceived and reports it, if Apple confirms that there is a problem with the gift card you used, they will "suspend your account".
This is also the reason why some people buy them without any issues, while others have their accounts suspended. Some people who have been scammed are unaware that they have been deceived, while others who have fallen victim to the scam accept their misfortune, and some will take it seriously and report it. Once the official investigation confirms it, they will naturally punish the accounts that used the gift cards.
Therefore, even though many people have successfully purchased gift cards for recharge on Taobao or Xianyu, and I even know some channels that offer lower prices than Taobao, I have never thought of sharing this solution or profiting from the price difference. These illegitimate gift cards are too prone to after-sales issues, and if I were to recommend them and things go wrong, it would actually affect my credibility. Moreover, there are more and more restrictions on registering Apple ID accounts in the US region, and even a phone number is required. It would be quite unpleasant if your account gets banned.
So, apart from purchasing gift cards for recharge on Taobao or Xianyu, are there any other options? I think finding someone to make the purchase on the official website on your behalf is also a very good option, and this is a service that I can provide. The advantages and disadvantages of this purchasing method are obvious. The benefit is that you don't have to go through the hassle of dealing with the network environment, US phone numbers, US shipping addresses, foreign currency credit cards, etc. Just contact me on WeChat and I will take care of it. The downside is that you will have to pay a slightly higher service fee.
Currently, I provide services for purchasing Apple US and Japan region gift cards: the gift cards are guaranteed to be genuine and legal. I only purchase gift cards from official channels such as the official website and Amazon US. It is safe and reliable, and I can provide the official email sent by the website as proof of purchase. To avoid wasting your money, please read the following notes.
Are they genuine?
I can guarantee that they are purchased through official channels, legitimate, safe, and reliable. Every time I make a purchase, I will forward the purchase evidence (order number, payment record, official email) to the email you provide.
Will they be delivered immediately?
In most cases, I have some commonly used denominations in stock, such as $10, $50, 1000 yen, 3000 yen, and 10,000 yen (but not many). As long as you make the payment, I can immediately send you the gift card. If you need a non-integer denomination, you will need to place a temporary order on the official website, and the delivery time will be 0.5-24 hours. This delivery time is determined by the Apple official website, so please do not rush.
What can they be used to purchase?
They can be used to purchase any paid app. You don't need to ask me if you can buy something; as long as it is a paid software, you can buy it. You can also subscribe to Apple Arcade, Music, Books, TV, One, iCloud, and other Apple services.
Can they be used to upgrade app memberships or make in-app purchases?
These fall under in-app purchases, and the situation is quite complicated. Please read this article before making a decision.
Do you have $5/500 yen gift cards?
The lowest denomination available on the Apple official website is $10/1000 yen. If your account is not for one-time use, I do not recommend using these small denomination black cards.
With years of blogging, I guarantee that all gift cards are genuine according to official standards. In order to save time for both parties, if everything is fine, please transfer the payment directly. I will notify you and forward the email sent by the official website to you as soon as I receive it. Please rest assured.