CARY, NC — Be careful when thinking about purchasing a gift card as a Christmas or holiday gift this year.
Shopping experts are warning about a scam known as “gift card exploitation” this holiday season. This is a trick that steals money from gift cards before you have a chance to use them.
Nicole Cordero of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Carolinas says this tactic tricks shoppers into thinking they’re adding value to the card they’re buying. However, the money is transferred to the fraudster instead.
“One thing scammers do is they capture different barcodes [and] Put them on top of the barcodes on the back of the gift card,” Cordero said.
WRAL News asked Cordero what buyers should do to protect themselves.
“[They are] I have to stop and see if the packaging is intact,” Cordero said. “Check that the barcode is not torn or crumpled where it is located and that an impostor wasn’t there first.
Cordero also said shoppers should run their finger along the back of the gift card to see if there is a sticker at the top.
Experts like Cordero urge buyers to make sure barcodes or security codes don’t show any signs of wear. It could potentially save buyers from losing hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Another helpful tip from security experts: Buy gift cards near the register or behind the counter. Also, constantly check your account balance.
Best Buy sales consultant Pawaii Bullock explained what happens when a shopper falls victim to gift card losses.
“As soon as our manager gets his hands on something, we report it and report it to the police, work it out with them and figure out what we can do to meet the needs of our customers,” Bullock said.
On Wednesday, shopper Peter Richon stopped by Best Buy in Cary for some holiday shopping. He said he tries to give specific gifts or cash.
“It’s scary,” Richon said of the latest scam. “You get a gift and someone spent money on it, and you go buy something with it and the money is gone.
“Where did it go? Someone already spent money. [It’s] another example of financial fraud.”
A 2022 AARP survey found that nearly one in four people have given or received gift cards that had no balance left on them.