- Essential Tips For Preventing Exposure to Gift Card Scams
- Don’t buy gift cards from online auctions. This is a large source of gift card fraud. While some of these cards are real, many are stolen, counterfeit or used. It’s not worth the risk.
- Don’t buy gift cards off of racks in retail stores. These publicly displayed cards can be compromised in a variety of ways by a gift card scammer.
- Carefully examine both the front and back of a gift card before you buy it. If you can see a PIN number, put the card back and get a different one. If a gift card looks like it could have been tampered with, don’t take the risk.
- Keep your receipt as a proof of purchase as long as there is money stored on the gift card. Retailers can track where the gift card was purchased, activated and used. If the card is lost or stolen, some retailers will replace the card for you if you have your receipt (the old card will be canceled.)
- Register your gift card at the store’s website. Some stores offer this option, This helps you uncover any misuse of your gift card sooner and also report it more quickly.