Avoid Gift Card Scams says Carol

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Avoid Gift Card Scams says Carol Posted Wednesday, November 16, 2011 by Carol Odell As gift cards continue to grow in popularity, especially during the holiday season, gift cards magnify on the con artists’ radar. Many times gift cards are available in stores with their identifying numbers showing. Thieves can write down those numbers or use a scanner to lift information from the magnetic strips. Now all they have to do is go on a website that displays gift card balances. As soon as they see the card activated they will use all the money on that card. Also, they can use blank cards to create a fake duplicate card with the copied original having a nice balance and the fake having no money on it. Of course, the con artist quickly uses the balance. When the recipient of the fake card gets around to using the gift, the balance is zero. Claire Bushey wrote on CreditCards.com how to avoid gift card scams. Here are her tips: Don’t buy gift cards displayed prominently within the store. Ask for cards that are stored out of sight. Examine cards and packaging for signs of tampering. The PIN number should still be completely covered and the activation sticker firmly affixed. Spend the gift card as soon as possible. Limit the time the con artist has to spend the balance. Beware of online exchanges and auction sites. Buy cards directly from retailers. Gift cards still make perfect gifts. I enjoy giving and receiving restaurant gift cards; I bet your family and friends do, too. Don’t stop using them. Just be a little cautious when you do. Have you had any trouble with gift cards? Tagged under \| bbb BBB_Blog_Log Better_Business_Bureau gift_cards gift_card_scams

Posted Wednesday, November 16, 2011

by Carol Odell

As gift cards continue to grow in popularity, especially during the holiday season, gift cards magnify on the con artists’ radar.

Many times gift cards are available in stores with their identifying numbers showing. Thieves can write down those numbers or use a scanner to lift information from the magnetic strips. Now all they have to do is go on a website that displays gift card balances. As soon as they see the card activated they will use all the money on that card.

Also, they can use blank cards to create a fake duplicate card with the copied original having a nice balance and the fake having no money on it. Of course, the con artist quickly uses the balance. When the recipient of the fake card gets around to using the gift, the balance is zero.

Claire Bushey wrote on CreditCards.com how to avoid gift card scams. Here are her tips:

Don’t buy gift cards displayed prominently within the store. Ask for cards that are stored out of sight.
Examine cards and packaging for signs of tampering. The PIN number should still be completely covered and the activation sticker firmly affixed.
Spend the gift card as soon as possible. Limit the time the con artist has to spend the balance.
Beware of online exchanges and auction sites. Buy cards directly from retailers.

Gift cards still make perfect gifts. I enjoy giving and receiving restaurant gift cards; I bet your family and friends do, too. Don’t stop using them. Just be a little cautious when you do.

Have you had any trouble with gift cards?

Comments

I bought two identical gift cards at Safeway in Boulder Colorado on Iris last month. Luckily I did not give them away because I tried to use them today. One went through. The other was not activated. I'm out half of my money. Do not buy gift cards that are displayed prominently in the store. We also had a problem with a BB&B card given to us by a friend. It was for $75 and we got $50 A final one from Barnes and Noble was purchased for $50 and redeemed for $15. A lot of people in the retail business may think that they can steal small sums of money from many people and it won't be reported because people don't always complain about gifts. I hate to say it, but everyone is safer with cash, as boring of a gift that might be,

Comment By Diane Klammer At 1/10/2013 4:44 PM

Avoid Savemore.com Purchased $15.00 Boston Market gift card early October 2011. Have been unable to reach Savemore.com via email or phone number on my credit card statement. Charge on my statement October 2011. Line always has busy signal. No results vai email

Comment By Suzanne C. Wilson At 11/29/2011 6:47 PM

Are retailers being encouraged to remove the gift cards from plain sight? The massess (including the rogues) will gravitate to the closet access to them. With increased holiday store traffic I can see this will definitely pose a greater problem as the economy fails.

Comment By Fernijed At 11/26/2011 8:38 PM

Please beware of the $100 gift card scam for I feel as though I just got scammed. I was getting harassed with phone calls from Ontario, Canada (613)333-4567 claiming to be with plapinumone (were they trying for platinum one?) They would not stop calling even when we asked to be taken off and we did not want the $100 gift card for being a good consumer. They asked me to verify my name, mailing address and phone number. They had the last 4 digits of my credit card. I did not give them my email address so they created a ymail account for me. After I hung up the phone I tried calling them back and couldn't get through. I tried the email account and couldn't get into it. I called my credit card and created a case seeing as they do not affiliate with anyone that would do this type of promo. Please be aware that even giving information that my seem like something anyone could get in a phone book can still be dangerous. I will not be spending my gift card but documenting it, cutting up and throwing it away. Go with you gut and beware!

Comment By Jen Baker At 11/18/2011 8:15 PM

I RECEIVED A CALL from Walmart personal (maybe?) - I was ask to give out my debit card number - I was told I had won a 500 dollar gift card and a 200 dollar gas card - is this real I was given a name and a number to check on at the BBB - unknown can't find

Comment By John At 11/18/2011 6:06 PM

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