Watch Out for Gift Card Fraud

Thanks to my friend Colette for alerting me to a problem with some gift cards. Especially at this time of year a lot of us buy gift cards - they are an easy way to get someone a gift when you want to give the recipient a choice. This information will come in handy if you don't want to get ripped off.

Yesterday Colette sent me an email which described the problem as follows:

"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", 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."

Of course you have to be careful about what you believe in forwarded email messages. This message was verified as credible at the Snopes.com site here. Later in the day Colette called me to let me know there was a story about this issue on King5 News. They did a good job of describing the issue and explaining how to buy gift cards safely. You can read King5's story here.

Be safe shopping out there, everybody!