Gift Card Fraud Alert

[Kathryn41 3,205]

from a friend of mine who used to work for FEMA (while it was still an effective organization:-) ):

FRAUD ALERT

Well, the crooks have found a way to rob you of your gift card balance.

If you buy gift cards from a display rack that has various store cards you may become a victim of theft. Crooks are now jotting down the card numbers in the store and then wait a few days and call to see how much of a balance THEY have on the card. Once they find the card is "activated", they then go online and start shopping.

You may want to purchase your card from a customer service person, where they do not have the gift cards viewable to the public.

As the holiday season approaches, remember to keep purchases, purses, backpacks and other bags out of view by locking them in your trunk. Criminals know to walk through shopping center parking lots to look for your newly purchased gifts. Also, be sure to keep the receipts separate from the purchased items. Criminals often return the items for cash or a gift card before you ever know they're gone!

Holiday Fraud Alert brought to you by

DHS-FEMA

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND SERVICES DIVISION

PHYSICAL SECURITY SECTION

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS “TIP” PLEASE CONTACT YOUR NEAREST FEMA SECURITY SPECIALIST.

November27, 2006

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Thanks for the heads up, Kathryn. I got a gift card last year to Target and I know I didn't use it but when I finally tried to, it said the balance was zero. I wasn't sure if it was a computer glitch or what but I'm very weary of those things now. I prefered the old coupon method that you had to turn in, so as long as you had it, you knew it was still valid.

Edited November 29, 2006 by Steven_and_Jinky

[rebeccajo 14]

Hmm. I don't buy those very often. Don't they have any type of PIN number security with them?

[jordanianprincess 0]

Some of them actually have a scratch off code in the back, if the code has been scratched then don't buy it.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hmm. I don't buy those very often. Don't they have any type of PIN number security with them?

The one I had for Target didn't. The cashier just slides it through like a credit card, except no ID is required. There seems to be too much room for fraud.

[rebeccajo 14]

Hmm. I don't buy those very often. Don't they have any type of PIN number security with them?

The one I had for Target didn't. The cashier just slides it through like a credit card, except no ID is required. There seems to be too much room for fraud.

OK, I think I know what kind of gift card you mean.

My son received a gift card to our local mall from his Dad last Christmas. He had to make a phone call and activate it, similar to what you have to do when you get a new credit or debit card. I'm thinking with that variety of card, there would be more security.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Hmm. I don't buy those very often. Don't they have any type of PIN number security with them?

The one I had for Target didn't. The cashier just slides it through like a credit card, except no ID is required. There seems to be too much room for fraud.

S&J, Last I saw a Target gift-card, it had to be SCANNED at the register--rather difficult to use this online.

We actually got TWO such cards, one a "proper" wedding gift, the other due to Pras being shortchanged $20 when shopping in Livonia (prior to wedding). The store could not figure out its accounting speedily, so we left my phone number as contact--and got a call a few days after (when we'd already reached home) saying we could pickup the $20; but the store would not mail cash nor a cheque so we wound up with a second gift-card.

[DeadPoolX 9]

Hmm. I don't buy those very often. Don't they have any type of PIN number security with them?

The one I had for Target didn't. The cashier just slides it through like a credit card, except no ID is required. There seems to be too much room for fraud.

It's also possible that the gift card you had for Target came with an expiration date and/or it's value got reduced with time. A lot of gift cards do have expiration dates on them, and others automatically reduce their own worth from a certain point on -- usually after a year.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Some of them actually have a scratch off code in the back, if the code has been scratched then don't buy it.

yup

[raphael7546 0]

Hmm. I don't buy those very often. Don't they have any type of PIN number security with them?

The one I had for Target didn't. The cashier just slides it through like a credit card, except no ID is required. There seems to be too much room for fraud.

I work for a company that owns and manages Shopping malls.

The cards that our malls sell don't expire. But after the 13th. month a fee of 2.00 per month gets taken off the card. Our cards are good at over 200 malls across the US. When you purchase these ones, you get a order number/ tracking number with it on your reciept. This way if the card is lost or stolen, the card can be replaced as long as you have this receipt with the tracking number. Its one of the fewest gift cards that have this perk. With most Store cards, Sears, Mervyns, Dillards, etc... if you lose the card or it gets stolen your Sh*t outta luck.