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December 6th, 2021
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It’s the busiest shopping time of the year. Gift cards are by far one of the most popular gift-giving options on Christmas lists these days. It seems like the perfect solution; you can get them at any store, they’re almost always accepted, and there’s no chance that your loved one will dislike the gift.
These cards have become so popular over recent years that scammers have started to see how to make an easy buck. Gift card scams are pretty clever, and you might miss some of the sneaky tricks if you’re not careful. If you’re looking to buy gift cards, it’s important for you to follow this advice to ensure that your gift card is safe this Christmas.
Gift Card Scams To Avoid
Gift cards can be purchased online, in-store, or over the phone. When you buy a card for someone, make sure that you do not provide any sensitive information when requested. Make sure that you have the correct address of the recipient and double-check with them before giving away their physical address to anyone who contacts you for this purpose.
These are the common gift card scams to watch out for:
1. Card number theft: An individual who is not the recipient of the card but a rogue employee at a retail store you bought it from may sell your number to someone else. Or, they may keep it for themselves and use it on another occasion to purchase goods with the balance on your card. With online purchases, email addresses are often asked for as well, and a similar theft may occur here.
2. Balance verification three-way call: You purchase a card and give the number to someone. They call in and pretend to be you, requesting a balance verification on your card. The representative checks the card for them, providing them with information about what is left on it without knowing who they’re speaking to on the other end.
3. Gift card balance is stolen: The scammers will ask the victim to provide their gift card balance or purchase information. The victims are then asked to give out the card number and security codes over the phone. This way, after making a call, they can use the card themselves, sell it for cash on websites and purchase items online.
4. Mobile scams: These are the newest incarnations of this particular type of scam. The scammers send texts to phone numbers, claiming to be an employee of a store where you have purchased a gift card. They then ask for your PIN to verify that it’s you making the purchase online. Once they get this information, they sell the codes on the black market.
5. Technical assistance scams: The scammers may contact you and tell you that your card needs to be updated or ask for information about the balance on your gift card. They will then pretend to update it and charge large amounts of money, or they’ll just steal the information.
6. Email scams: You may receive an email claiming to be from a legitimate retailer. They claim that they’ve sent you a card, but you haven’t received it, or they’ll notify you of your own free prize, which only arrives if you purchase additional products. Once these are purchased, the scammers remove the money from your account before you realize anything is wrong.
7. Discount double-dip: In this scam, the scammers pose as a business offering a discount on gift cards. You buy from them, and then they claim that you must purchase more to get the complete deal. When you do, they revert the discount to its original rate.
8. Switched at checkout: This scam requires a third party to take place. In the first part, you buy the gift card from a major retailer. A cashier will then scan your items, and when they see that you have purchased something at their competitor’s store, they’ll swap your goods with cheaper ones.
Conclusion
With the holidays approaching, many of you are starting to plan your gift-giving. One popular option is a gift card as they offer convenience and flexibility for both the giver and recipient.
You might be tempted to take the quick and easy route this season by purchasing a gift card. But, you must understand how to avoid getting scammed into buying an expired or fake voucher before you buy one for your loved ones. Don’t let scammers steal your holiday cheer.
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