By Blake Jackson
Gift cards are a popular holiday present, but they can also be a target for scammers. Here are some tips from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to help you avoid gift card scams:
- Be wary of bulk gift cards or discounted gift cards sold online. These cards may be expired or already drained of funds. You may also never receive them at all.
- Always buy gift cards directly from the retailer or an authorized seller. Never buy a gift card from someone you do not know.
- Avoid giving out your personal information in exchange for a gift card. Even if you do receive a real card, you have no way of controlling what happens to your data afterwards.
- Check gift cards for tampering before purchasing them. Gift card thieves have been known to scan cards on kiosks or shelves, record the data, then drain the funds remotely after a legitimate consumer purchases and activates them. Do not purchase a gift card that has been opened.
- Purchase a gift card that comes in fully enclosed packaging. This will prevent the card from being swiped by a card reader device or having the pin number scratched off.
- Report gift card scams to the card company immediately. No matter how long ago the scam happened, you should report it to the card company and ask for your money back. If the card was frozen for a suspicious transaction or not yet drained, it may be recoverable.
- Encourage the recipient to spend their gift card quickly after receiving and activating it. This will help to protect them from scammers who may try to steal the card's balance.
For more information and consumer protection resources or to file a complaint, visit DATCP’s Consumer Protection webpage at ConsumerProtection.wi.gov. DATCP’s Consumer Protection Hotline can be contacted at (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.
Photo Credit: istock-shironosov
Categories: Wisconsin, General