Gift Card Scam

Gift Card Scam

Be Vigilant While Holiday Shopping: Beware of Gift Card Scams

Holiday shopping can be stressful, and scammers are ready to exploit this. Recently, I encountered a scam involving gift cards that I want to share to help others avoid falling victim.

When purchasing a $ 100 PlayStation gift card, I noticed something suspicious. The back of the card felt different; it had a fake barcode. Scammers take empty cards, place their own barcode on top, and return them to the store. This creates a raised surface on the card, which is a telltale sign of tampering.

To illustrate, a legitimate card has a smooth surface. However, the tampered card I picked up had a noticeable raised barcode. At the cash register, when scanned, the card displayed as an LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) product instead of a PlayStation card.

This means that the scammer has a card at home corresponding to the fake barcode, and any money loaded onto the tampered card would actually go to their card. Hence, if I had paid, the $ 100 would have been credited to the scammer's card, not mine.

Please be careful: always ensure the barcode on the gift card is legitimate before purchasing, especially during busy shopping seasons. Stay safe and happy shopping!

Keywords

• Holiday shopping
• Gift card scam
• Fake barcode
• PlayStation gift card
• Scammers
• Tampered card
• LCBO barcode
• Vigilance

FAQ

What is the main problem discussed in the article? The article discusses a scam involving tampered gift cards with fake barcodes.

How can you tell if a gift card is tampered with? A tampered card often has a raised barcode on the back, unlike a genuine card which has a smooth barcode.

What might happen if you purchase a tampered gift card? If you purchase a tampered gift card, the money you load onto it might go to a scammer’s card instead of the intended card.

What should you do before purchasing a gift card? Before purchasing a gift card, check to ensure the barcode is legitimate and not raised or altered.

What example was given in the article to illustrate the scam? The article provided an example where a PlayStation gift card had an LCBO barcode attached to it. Upon purchasing, the scammer’s LCBO card would receive the loaded funds instead of the PlayStation card.

When is it particularly important to be vigilant about gift card scams? It is particularly important to be vigilant about gift card scams during busy shopping seasons, such as holidays.