Is this true? re: gift cards

[goofygirl]

I got this in an email today. I don't know whether to believe it, or to chalk it up to another "urban legend."

Any feedback?



Hi all,
I don't how how true this is, but is worth thinking about

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", and then 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.

 

[disneymom3]

Hmmm, I wonder if that is why many retailers have a little silver box you have to scratch off to reveal a hidden number you need to redeem them online. Barnes and Noble and Bath and Body have them for sure.

 

[Melissa M]

According to Snopes, this is really happening. http://www.snopes.com/fraud/sales/giftcard.asp

 

[akhenaten]

it is true.....OMG something else to have to worry about....

 

[Christine]

Yes, it is true. Our NBC news affliate featured this item last week. They said to make sure that you grabbed a card from the back of the rack.

 

[akhenaten]

Yes, it is true. Our NBC news affliate featured this item last week. They said to make sure that you grabbed a card from the back of the rack.

of course all of the criminals are now taking down the info and placing the cards back on the "back of the racK".........

 

[Christine]

of course all of the criminals are now taking down the info and placing the cards back on the "back of the racK".........

Yep, I thought the same thing!!!

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I got this in an email today. I don't know whether to believe it, or to chalk it up to another "urban legend."

Any feedback?



Hi all,
I don't how how true this is, but is worth thinking about

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", and then 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.

I just read about his in the newspaper yesterday. It is really happening.

 

[jekajekalynn]

Hmmm, I wonder if that is why many retailers have a little silver box you have to scratch off to reveal a hidden number you need to redeem them online. Barnes and Noble and Bath and Body have them for sure.

I think Walmart gc's have the silver scratch of thing too.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

I guess they could go to a system of customers picking up a paper tag of the card they want and taking it to the register where they buy the actual gift card.
Many do have the scratch off thingies though.

 

[lulugirl]

This is interesting.
Yesterday I redeemed a Toys R Us giftcard Ds got for his birthday. This was the first time I used it and the balance was $22.87. I found it very odd..
I wonder if someone got the # and used it before me...?

 

[hlbtimes2]

This is interesting.
Yesterday I redeemed a Toys R Us giftcard Ds got for his birthday. This was the first time I used it and the balance was $22.87. I found it very odd..
I wonder if someone got the # and used it before me...?

I'm guessin in your case, the giver, returned an item at some point, with out a receipt, and got a gift card from TRU for the return, then "regifted" it to your son. If a thief was going to use it, they would have spent more then a couple bucks.

 

[Magickndm]

This is interesting.
Yesterday I redeemed a Toys R Us giftcard Ds got for his birthday. This was the first time I used it and the balance was $22.87. I found it very odd..
I wonder if someone got the # and used it before me...?

How old was it? I know a lot of gift cards say you have to use them within a certain time frame, after that, they start deducting a service fee each month. Makes no sense to me at all, the card has already been paid for.

As far as the scam, wow. That really sucks.

 

[lulugirl]

I'm guessin in your case, the giver, returned an item at some point, with out a receipt, and got a gift card from TRU for the return, then "regifted" it to your son. If a thief was going to use it, they would have spent more then a couple bucks.

That's what Dh suggested. I sort of dismissed that idea though because
I don't think the giver typically shops at TRU. Also, she always gives my kids gifts that cost $100 plus...In September she bought Dd front row seats to an ice show for her 7th b-day.
Good question though, why leave any balance at all on the card, if the # was stolen?
Strange.

 

[texasthree]

I think most gift cards have the silver scratch off bar covering the number. I wouldnt buy one now unless the numbers covered.

 

[lulugirl]

How old was it? I know a lot of gift cards say you have to use them within a certain time frame, after that, they start deducting a service fee each month. Makes no sense to me at all, the card has already been paid for.

As far as the scam, wow. That really sucks.

Ds got the card in October, I used it yesterday.
I think after a year they start charging a service fee?

 

[Magickndm]

Ds got the card in October, I used it yesterday.
I think after a year they start charging a service fee?

Yeah, me too. Strange.
Maybe she did what I did to my brother once. I had my own gift card to a record store, bought a CD. Meanwhile, his birthday came up, I bought him a gift card from the same store, somehow my husband got the cards mixed up, he went to buy something and it had $5.87 left on it. Luckily he called me to tell me what a cheap sister I am so then I gave him the correct one.

 

[hlbtimes2]

That's what Dh suggested. I sort of dismissed that idea though because
I don't think the giver typically shops at TRU

She may not shop there, but may have returned something that was given to one of her kids as a gift- leaving her without a receipt for the return. And since she doesnt typically shop there, she would have no reason to keep the card.

 

[kelleigh1]

How old was it? I know a lot of gift cards say you have to use them within a certain time frame, after that, they start deducting a service fee each month. Makes no sense to me at all, the card has already been paid for.

Here in Massachusetts, that's illegal. Gift cards/certificates are non-expiring and companies can not charge a service fee. (There really are good things about living here.)

 

[cardaway]

This is the first thing I thought of when I saw that not all the cards have a hidden number. I was really surprised some are simply a barcode, some with human readable text under the barcode.