Gift card association with account

An apparatus for associating a gift card with an account, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one processor;
• and
• a module stored in the memory, executable by the at least one processor, and configured to cause the at least one processor to:
• receive images of a gift card;
• extract information associated with the gift card, wherein the gift card is associated with funds, wherein the information is extracted from the images of the gift card, wherein the information comprises an identification code associated with the gift card and an amount associated with the gift card;
• associate the gift card with an account, wherein associating the gift card with an account further comprises:
• initiating a presentation of a user interface for display on a user device, the user interface comprises one or more options to enable the user to establish a communicable link for transfer of information between the gift card and an account;
• receiving a user selection of at least one of the one or more options, wherein the user selection comprises an indication that the user has initiated the communicable link for the transfer of information between the gift card and the account;
• and
• establishing the communicable link based on at least receiving the user selection;
• determine the user is within a predetermined distance of a merchant associated with the gift card, based on determining global positioning system (GPS) coordinates associated with the user device;
• based on determining the user is within the predetermined distance of the merchant, transmit a message to the user device informing the user of the gift card previously associated with the account, the message also comprising a new offer for a second merchant and specifying an expiry date for the new offer, wherein a discount or rebate of the new offer for the second merchant is based on an age of the gift card, a period of inactivity of the gift card, and/or a balance of the gift card;
• determine execution of a transaction at the merchant;
• receive information associated with the transaction;
• determine the transaction qualifies for the gift card;
• and
• apply funds associated with the gift card to the transaction, wherein the transaction is executed using a payment method associated with the account, and wherein the transaction is not executed using the gift card.