Target shopper loses $100 on Christmas gift card sparking warning over where to grab vouchers in stores
After ignoring a cunning tactic that is affecting shoppers nationwide, a TARGET shopper squandered $100 on a worthless gift card.
Alexis Cruz spoke of warning signs to watch out for this year when buying Christmas gifts.
“I couldn’t tell that this thing had been tampered with at all,” the furious customer said to ABC affiliateWMAR.
“Essentially, I just gifted a scammer $100 without even knowing it.”
For a family member’s birthday, Cruz went to Target in Baltimore, Maryland, to purchase a Visa gift card.
She checked out without any problems, but when she opened the voucher, her heart fell.
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The security code was totally erased, and the final four digits of the card number had been scratched out.
When Cruz took the envelope at the store, she had no idea it had been tampered with, leaving her stunned.
In an effort to safeguard families who want to spend hundreds on gift cards this Christmas, she reported the problem to Target and Visa over the phone.
The Federal Trade Commission claims that last year, gift card theft cost a staggering 217 million dollars.
And there’s no improvement in the problem. Detectives last year discovered criminal organizations that traverse the nation in order to steal gift cards and avoid detection.
Homeland Security apprehended a group of traveling Chinese residents in October who had cut the sleeves of gift cards and taken the codes.
Detectives believe the immigrants may have been siphoning money back to their native country, having stolen at least $1 million worth of cards before they were apprehended.
Bruce Passmore, Kentucky’s associate special agent in charge of homeland security investigations, told ABC affiliateWAVE that “it’s only becoming more prevalent.”
“This issue is not with HSI. The FBI isn’t the issue. The issue is not with the Secret Service. It’s not a municipal or state issue.
“It’s an everyone problem.”
What to look out for when buying gift cards
Make sure to look at the back of the packaging when purchasing a gift card.
If it is ripped or damaged in any way, it could have been opened by a fraudster.
If you buy a gift card and the redemption code on the back is damaged and unusable, call the store where you purchased the card and contact the gift card company immediately.
Be sure to also keep the gift card receipt.
Before spending their hard-earned money this Christmas, consumers should carefully consider gift cards.
It’s crucial to check the back of the package for rips or damage, and if you find any tampering, report it to store employees.
If you purchase a useless card, you can still get your money back. Simply contact the gift card company with proof of purchase and explain the issue.
To avoid gift card scams, shoppers can buy vouchers online directly from the company offering the credit.
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The gift card drama comes after aWalmart shopper lost $300 on a voucherfrom a different scam.
Plus, shoppers who get an eerie phone call that’s going aroundshould hang up immediatelyand call their bank.
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