COSHOCTON, Ohio — A man linked to a major gift card counterfeiting operation that targeted Coshocton-area consumers was sentenced to four to six years in prison for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Yost's office said Ming Xue, 32, of Hunan, in the Fujian Province, faced 308 felony counts of counterfeiting, but those charges were combined with the single charge for which Xue was sentenced recently in Coshocton County Common Pleas Court.
The sentencing follows a grand jury indictment of Xue in January. The 309 charges in the indictment stemmed from his arrest on Dec. 5, 2023, at a Walmart in Coshocton after deputies apprehended him for hiding unloaded gift cards on his body.
The deputies happened to be in the store for the annual Shop with a Cop program for children in need.
Further investigation uncovered hundreds of other gift cards in Xue’s vehicle, which eventually revealed a broader scheme that remains under investigation. Xue was found to have stolen unloaded gift cards, altered them and then returned them to display racks at various stores in the area.
When consumers bought the altered gift cards and money was loaded on them, Xue and his associates stole the money.
In addition to his prison sentence, Xue was ordered to pay $161.39 to cover the cost of the unloaded gift cards.
To avoid falling victim to similar scams, Yost’s Consumer team urges Ohioans to take the following precautions when purchasing gift cards:
- Check the PIN: Ensure that the PIN on the back of the card hasn’t been scratched off or tampered with. Check whether the security film is crooked or has air bubbles, as this may indicate tampering.
- Track delivery: Monitor the delivery of gift cards via the U.S. Postal Service to prevent theft or accidental disposal. When mailing gift cards, consider taking them directly to the post office.
- Consider electronic options: Sending electronic gift cards to a verified email address or phone number can reduce the risk of physical theft.
