| If you watch the news or have an
| |
| | customer service person, where they do
|
| email-box, you've undoubtedly seen
| |
| | not have the Gift Cards viewable to the
|
| warnings about gift card scammers who are
| |
| | public.
|
| draining the value from gift cards that
| |
| | --- End Email ---
|
| were displayed publicly in retail stores.
| |
| | As it turns out, these email warnings
|
| Although these gift card scam warnings
| |
| | are, in fact, true. Crooks CAN rob you
|
| are widespread, this type of gift card
| |
| | of the money on a legitimate gift card
|
| scam is currently quite rare.
| |
| | that is purchased from the
|
| Gift card scams abound. Yet,
| |
| | publicly-displayed rack of a retail
|
| ScamBusters.org, a public service website
| |
| | store.
|
| that has been helping people protect
| |
| | In fact, the National Retail Foundation
|
| themselves from Internet scams since
| |
| | recently confirmed this scam, and said:
|
| 1994, warns that it's the little-known
| |
| | "Reports about a new gift card scam
|
| gift card scams that are actually the
| |
| | detailing how consumers could lose money
|
| biggest threats this holiday season. In
| |
| | from gift cards if criminals steal the
|
| fact, there are three little-known gift
| |
| | card numbers from the back of the card
|
| card scams involving online action sites
| |
| | are accurate but somewhat misleading."
|
| that pose a much bigger risk to
| |
| | However, experts agree that there are
|
| consumers.
| |
| | three other gift card scams that pose a
|
| We'll explain what these bigger threats
| |
| | much bigger danger this Christmas season:
|
| are in a moment. But first, let's take a
| |
| | - Online auction websites where scammers
|
| quick look at the email warnings making
| |
| | offer used, fraudulent and counterfeit
|
| the rounds:
| |
| | gift cards for sale.
|
| --- Begin Email ---
| |
| | - Online auction websites where scammers
|
| The crooks have found a way to rob you of
| |
| | use stolen credit cards to buy real gift
|
| your gift card balance. If you buy Gift
| |
| | cards they sell for cash.
|
| Cards from a display rack that has
| |
| | - Websites (both online auction and other
|
| various store cards you may become a
| |
| | ecommerce and classified sites) where
|
| victim of theft.
| |
| | scammers overstate the value of authentic
|
| Crooks are now jotting down the card
| |
| | gift cards so that buyers get cards worth
|
| numbers in the store and then wait a few
| |
| | less than they expect.
|
| days and call to see how much of a
| |
| | In other words, auction gift card scams
|
| balance THEY have on the card. Once they
| |
| | now pose a much bigger threat than what
|
| find the card is "activated," they go
| |
| | you've been hearing on the news about
|
| online and start shopping.
| |
| | gift cards displayed on public racks in
|
| You may want to purchase your card from a
| |
| | stores.
|
