Don't Buy 'em! Victims are losing hundreds on Gift Card SCAMs
▶ Criminals take gift cards from stores, copy numbers and return them to shelves
▶ Victims got in touch with DailyMail.com to detail how criminals stole from them
Suzanne Gdovic wanted to send her friend's daughter a gift card that she could spend freely in Target.
It was a gift for a baby shower, and she wanted her friend's daughter to be able to splurge $200 on whatever she needed ahead of the newborn's arrival. Instead, she ended up sending her a card with zero balance.
Suzanne, 64, from Arvada, Colorado, is one of many who have been victims of a 'card draining' scam - which leads to people being given totally worthless gift cards.
Sneaky crooks are temporarily stealing batches of gift cards from stores - sometimes hundreds at a time - so they can make a note of the card number, as well as the PIN or activation code.
At this point the cards are worthless as customers are yet to load any money onto them. But criminals then return them to store shelves - knowing shoppers will eventually load them up with funds up to $500 - and steal the money before the recipient is able to spend it.
Police are warning about an uptick in this scam during the holiday season as last-minute shoppers look for gifts for family and friends.
Fraudsters know that the recipients of gift cards are unlikely to try to spend them until Christmas Day. By that time, the gangs will have spent the money loaded to them, leading to confused recipients getting gift cards with a $0 balance. …
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/yourmoney/consumer/article-12868583/Target-money-crook-gift-victims-losing-hundreds-cruel-card-draining-scam-leaves-gift-cards-major-retailers-utterly-WORTHLESS.html