BBB warns of gift card scams amid holiday shopping
JACKSON, Tenn. — Gift cards remain a top holiday gift choice for many Americans.
They are easy, flexible, and widely accepted amongst gift receivers.
However, that does not mean they come without risk.
Scammers try and steal the value of the card before the recipient ever gets to use it.
Once they steal the funds on the card, it is almost impossible to recover them.
Scammers will sometimes scratch the pin number off the card while it is on the shelf, then use it once it is activated.
Toddnetta Trice, with the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South, tells us how we can avoid this.
“Use it sooner rather than later,” Trice said. “The longer the card sits, the most opportunity for the balance to be taken. So check that balance when you receive it. Monitor it if you are waiting to use it and contact the issuer if something seems wrong.”
Contact the issuer right away if something seems wrong. There is often times a number on the back of the card to call.
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