Scammers are at it again — this time, they’re targeting gift cards.
Police say gift cards are being stolen from area stores. The scammer will copy the numbers and security codes, then reseal the gift cards and place them back on the shelves.
When anyone then loads money onto that gift card, the scammer can drain it.
“Unfortunately, buying gift cards is perilous these days,” said Edgar Dworsky, founder and editor of Consumer World. Dworsky believes retailers could do more.
“It seems to me that retailers should be keeping these cards behind the counter,” Dworsky said. “Just the way they keep cigarettes and valuable things.”
Police say to always check the gift card for tampering or resealing. Many gift cards have an activation sticker or label on the back — ensure those have not been peeled off or replaced.
“You want to make sure there’s some kind of resource if things go wrong. Is there easy contact information? Are you able to get a hold of a real person or is just a form on a website?” said Melanie McGovern, the national spokesperson with the Better Business Bureau.
“You want to know what the policy is for all of this. This is technically, in a way, a cash transaction. You want to know what are your rights regarding refunds, what the policies are,” McGovern said.
