Mason County Sheriff's Office: Gift Card Scam
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The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens of a newly reported scam involving gift cards. “With the Christmas season upon us, this is a prime time for many shoppers to purchase gift cards,” said Sheriff Wayne Youell. “We hope that bringing awareness about the method of this scam will help prevent you from being victimized by this theft.”
This is how the scam works:
The thief targets and enters a store that sells gift cards.
Inside the store, the thief copies the serial numbers of gift
cards that are on open display and for sale in the store.
After copying the gift card serial numbers, the thief leaves.
Now prepared to commit the crime, the thief periodically
telephones the store and provides the store
representative with the stolen gift card serial numbers
that were copied. The thief asks the store representative for the card’s balance. When the representative is able to provide the card’s balance, the thief realizes that the gift card was purchased.
Once knowing that the gift card was purchased and activated, the thief quickly springs into action. The thief logs onto the store’s website and uses the stolen gift card serial number to make online purchases. Generally, the unwary victim does not discover the loss for several weeks.
There are a couple of ways to avoid being victimized by this scam:
Do not purchase gift cards that allow the cards to be used for Internet online
purchasing.
Only purchase gift cards that have the serial number concealed by its packaging or gift
cards that are kept behind the sales counter or away from public view.
Look for areas of package tampering if the gift card’s serial numbers are concealed.
If you feel that you have been a victim or are being targeted as a victim of this or any other crime, contact your local law enforcement agency or the Mason County Sheriff’s Office as soon as possible.
This is how the scam works:
The thief targets and enters a store that sells gift cards.
Inside the store, the thief copies the serial numbers of gift
cards that are on open display and for sale in the store.
After copying the gift card serial numbers, the thief leaves.
Now prepared to commit the crime, the thief periodically
telephones the store and provides the store
representative with the stolen gift card serial numbers
that were copied. The thief asks the store representative for the card’s balance. When the representative is able to provide the card’s balance, the thief realizes that the gift card was purchased.
Once knowing that the gift card was purchased and activated, the thief quickly springs into action. The thief logs onto the store’s website and uses the stolen gift card serial number to make online purchases. Generally, the unwary victim does not discover the loss for several weeks.
There are a couple of ways to avoid being victimized by this scam:
Do not purchase gift cards that allow the cards to be used for Internet online
purchasing.
Only purchase gift cards that have the serial number concealed by its packaging or gift
cards that are kept behind the sales counter or away from public view.
Look for areas of package tampering if the gift card’s serial numbers are concealed.
If you feel that you have been a victim or are being targeted as a victim of this or any other crime, contact your local law enforcement agency or the Mason County Sheriff’s Office as soon as possible.
