BBB: Beware gift card scams during holiday season
JACKSON, Tenn. — It is the holiday shopping season and many people elect to buy gift cards, however, there are some things to remember before you buy them, or if you receive them.
The National Retail Federation says that gift cards will be the second most popular gift category this holiday season. A growing trend in scams have been targeting gift cards and taking the money before the recipient can use them.
“You may get a gift card or you may give a loved one a gift card and there’s no money on it. About 30% of people who have been given a gift card or received a gift card or has issued out a gift card to a loved one or a friend will receive a gift card with no value on it,” said Toddnetta Trice, communications specialist for the Better Business Bureau.
You may be asking how are they able to do this. After all, you have to activate the card before it can be used. Well, the scammers are actually waiting for you to activate the card.
“Pretty much, a scammer tampered with an unused card at a retail store to obtain the barcode, pin number, and maybe another security number that is located on the card. In this case they reseal it and wait on the consumer to buy it and load it with money and they spend the balance before the recipient can even get to it,” said Trice.
There is certainly a way to possibly help you out if you fall victim to one of these scams.
“Contact the issuer immediately if it’s been lost or stolen. If your money on the gift card has been lost or stolen, look on the back of that gift card. There will be a toll free number for reporting lost and stolen cards. You definitely want to let them know what’s going on,” said Trice.
If you are purchasing a gift card, you can ask the cashier to load a brand new card for you. This way to do not have to get one that is on display, as these are the cards that may be tampered with.
Do not delay using your gift card if you are given one. The longer you wait, the more likely a scammer will steal the balance.
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