WACO, Texas (KXXV) — We are now entering the biggest shopping season of the year, and there’s a scam that might be hitting your wallet before you even make a purchase.
Gift card scams cost Americans nearly $217 Million dollars in 2023. 25 News is taking a look at how this happens and how Central Texans can avoid being a victim.
Jason Meza is with The Better Business Bureau Serving the Heart of Texas. He said you should look at that gift card closely before you buy it and make sure it doesn’t look like it’s been tampered with.
“(Scammers) are going to stores. They’re going to the back of the card and getting the ID, scanning it and they enter that information as if they’re purchasing it but they don’t actually buy the card. They simply get on a notification list with that retailer and as soon that card is bought and loaded they now have a note saying there’s money to be made so they go in there and lift the money out of it," he said.
Here’s why Meza said a best practice is to buy a gift card directly from the store where it intends to be used, such as buying a Best Buy gift card from Best Buy and buying directly from a cashier and not self checkout.
“If it’s a store merchant card that you’re buying from the actual store itself that’s even better because again they can directly check if that card has already been preregistered or has funds loaded on to it but again the most you can do with the cashier - a real actual cashier - will be able to help you flag if that’s been tampered with or if it’s been registered," said Meza.
He added, gift card scam "are happening. It will happen.”
The BBB also recommended getting a gift card from the back of the rack because those are less likely to be tampered with and while at the check out go ahead and register it with the retailer.
Also, the last safeguard to take, is check the balance on the card before giving it because you could be giving away a phantom gift card.
