Gift Card Fraud
30 Nov 2006One of my sisters forwarded an email to me regarding a “new” scam:
Well, the crooks have found a way to rob you of your gift card balance. If you buy Gift Cards from a display rack that has various store cards you may become a victim of theft. Crooks are now jotting down the card numbers in the store and then wait a few days and call to see how much of a balance THEY have on the card. Once they find the card is “activated,” and then they go online and start shopping. You may want to purchase your card from a customer service person, where they do not have the Gift Cards viewable to the public. Please share this with all your family and friends…
Normally, that last line would be a sure giveaway for chain-mail. However, I’ve been looking into this one, and I think it’s legit.
The email originated with a Sheriff’s Deputy. I’m witholding his name for now, because I have not gotten his permission to publish it, yet. I have phoned him, but only left a message on his voicemail, so far. I’ll update this as I get more info.
It is indeed legit. A recent issue of 2600 even published more specific instructions on how to forge gift cards using the same techniques, and then some. It noted that this is only really possible with the gift cards that use barcodes. Magnetic gift cards don’t necessarily have the numbers printed on them, and so are not nearly as easily forged… unless one happens to have a portable magnetic card scanner on them or something.