SAN ANTONIO – A few days are left until Christmas, and procrastinators are likely scrambling to find gift cards for their loved ones to avoid crowds. However, people who aren’t careful could fall for a scam during the holiday rush to get those final names crossed off their Christmas lists.
Scammers are able to access a gift card PIN before it’s purchased by tampering with it after grabbing it from the in-store displays. This gives them access to the funds if the card is activated, even if they don’t have the physical card.
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The Federal Trade Commission recommends the following if you’re buying gift cards this season:
- Check the gift card for signs of tampering. If the card looks like someone removed the seal hiding the gift card PIN, alert a cashier or manager and don’t purchase it. Scammers may tamper in batches, so consider another store if you see something suspicious.
- Use your credit card to buy gift cards since they offer the most protection. If you happen to buy a gift card that is compromised, your credit card company can investigate and may be able to get your money back.
- Ensure you keep a copy of your receipt and the gift card number in case your gift card doesn’t work or if the funds are stolen. The sooner you report the fraud to the gift card company, the better.
You can report these types of scams to the FTC here.
Find more gift card scam tips here.
