Project Overview The objective of this project is to design a concise Python or PHP script (using standard HTTP request libraries) that programmatically retrieves gift card balance information from the public-facing workflow of mygift.giftcardmall.com, in a manner equivalent to the site’s balance-check form. Scope & Technical Goals Analyze the client–server interaction used by the gift card balance check feature Identify and replicate the relevant API endpoints and request structure Accurately submit required parameters (e.g., card number and associated metadata) Parse and return the balance response in a clean, script-friendly format Keep the solution lightweight, maintainable, and well-documented Intended Outcome The final deliverable is a simple, reusable script that allows the cardholder to: Input a gift card number programmatically Perform the same validation and balance lookup as the official website Receive the balance result directly in the script output Technical Considerations Reverse-engineering is limited to observing legitimate network requests made by the browser during normal usage The script should closely mirror real browser behavior (headers, payload structure, session handling) Any protective mechanisms encountered (e.g., bot detection, CAPTCHA, traffic verification) are to be evaluated and handled responsibly, with an emphasis on: Maintainability Cost-effectiveness Minimal operational complexity