WORTHINGTON, Ohio — Gift cards have topped the gift list for the last several years. While they are popular, thieves have found ways to steal the money before you get a chance to enjoy it.
On Oct. 8, CVS employees called the Worthington Division of Police saying that two men were stealing the cards.
One man got away, but the other was taken into custody.
While investigating, police found thousands of gift cards inside their car.
"I got into the car with a search warrant and found 4-5 boxes, approximately 30 pounds each, loaded up with gift cards. There were also heat guns and blow dryers and gorilla glue and all sorts of other tools,” Worthington Police Detective Elizabeth Babb said.
The man who was arrested told police he was paid in bitcoins to take the gift cards.
How the gift card scam works
Babb explained the thieves were taking the gift cards from the store, then carefully getting the pin numbers from them before sealing them back up and putting the gift cards back on the shelves.
“They are scanning them, putting them into their computer. They have apps that alert them that that card was activated and immediately they are taking the money and removing it off the gift cards,” she said.
When a consumer goes to use the gift card, there isn't any money on it.
Detectives are still investigating to find out how much money the thieves may have stolen. Worthington police have reached out to federal agencies to see just how big this ring is.
How to protect yourself from theft
Babb said she knows how popular gift cards are. If you are going to buy one for a gift, be careful.
If you can, get a gift card from behind or close to the check-out counter.
“I've noticed on some of them the stickers aren't on smooth. They are kind of wrinkled. They might be a little crooked. Take the time to look at it."
- Keep the receipt when buying a gift card. Keep the physical card as well. These may help prove that the card was paid for and activated if problems arise later.
- Inspect the card carefully before buying it to be sure it has not been tampered with. Some scammers open the card to get the numbers on the back so they can take the money when the card is later activated.
Who to contact if you are the victim of a gift card scam:
- Victims should immediately notify the organization that issued the card as soon as they realize they have bought gift cards and provided the numbers to scammers or have purchased gift cards with no balance. There is typically a customer service number on the back of the card.
- Better Business Bureau - file a complaint with your local BBB if you lost money or report a scam online at BBB.org/scamtracker.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - file a complaint online at FTC.gov or call 877-FTC-Help.
- Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) - file a complaint online at IC3.gov/complaint.
- Consumer Financial Protection Agency – file a complaint online at ConsumerFinance.gov/complaint or call (855) 411-2372.