What is gift card draining? How to prevent getting scammed

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Police around the county are warning shoppers about gift card draining where scammers tamper with the cards before you buy them - and even our own senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett fell victim. NBC’s Vicky Nguyen reports for TODAY.
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#giftcard #scam #shopping

Опубликовано:

19 дек 2023

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Комментарии : 186

@mymeagan23 7 месяцев назад

Please put all of those cards behind a register or a gift card machine 😮 it’s too much 😳

@tammyhendrickson2443 7 месяцев назад

A CVS near where I live has placed all VISA & AMX gift cards behind the counters now.

@kellychuang8373 7 месяцев назад

Really good advice there and people really should be aware of that.

@gabrielacortez4893 7 месяцев назад

That's a great idea. Put the gift cards in a vending machine.

@kellychuang8373 7 месяцев назад

@@gabrielacortez4893 Now if only people really got that into their heads or had been aware sadly we don't live in that world and as parts of unintended consequences or the cobra effect points out there's questions about the gift card vending machine idea along with the means to power it. Along with the costs of maintaining such systems and following it.

@jujubees711 7 месяцев назад

Retailers have to constantly keep a step ahead of these criminals. Retailers know about this scam. STEP ONE: HOW ABOUT TAKING THE CARDS OFF THE RACK AND PUTTING THEM BEHIND THE COUNTER. They lock up baby formula and eye drops now. Why? They only care when the criminals take from them, not from you? TIP: STOP BUYING GIFT CARDS UNTIL THE RETAILERS HAVE MORE PROTECTION.

@kellychuang8373 7 месяцев назад

Really something you put good advice to and sadly you're going to hear a lot of lame and lazy excuses like IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE or I DON'T HAVE THE TIME are a few along with who knows so expect that really sad and troubling times we live under.

@seanlee2 7 месяцев назад

Right, this seems like the simplest solution

@kellychuang8373 7 месяцев назад

@@seanlee2 Which in the case of those excuses I mentioned those Retailers or the higher ups in general are usually just making those excuses instead of putting those solutions that are mentioned above.

@tomhenry897 7 месяцев назад

But do nothing Buyer beware

@kellychuang8373 7 месяцев назад

@@tomhenry897 Also good advice on there considering these dangerous and uncertain times with not only scammers running around but also retail theft and high costs going up. Really can't always deal with shopping especially online then again with these bad things going around it really needs a halt.

@Native722 7 месяцев назад

All gift cards should be behind the counter.

@TheSimmpleTruth 7 месяцев назад

Some the employees are the scammers.

@cooliipie 6 месяцев назад

Just make them digital 🎉

@wintergreentheme 5 месяцев назад

Most places have cameras....and should.

@jamalwilburn228 3 месяца назад

Thry don't because they want you to buy them. Some items are there easily accessible so you'll feel tempted to buy them. Most gift cards are non-refundable, some companies still get paid

@jamalwilburn228 3 месяца назад

@@wintergreenthemeCameras do nothing as many cities say it's a non-ceiminal offense till you hit a high dollar amount

@ano070602 7 месяцев назад

Cash is becoming king again when it comes to giving gifts.

@ghost307 7 месяцев назад

To paraphrase Dilbert's mom..."gift cards are just like cash, but not as good because you can spend it anywhere and it doesn't expire."

@salyol7 7 месяцев назад

If you cannot see any signs that it has been tampered maybe best not to buy anymore.Obviously companies need to come up with a solution to stop this

@stanbalo 6 месяцев назад

It seems inside job.

@adcolt54 2 месяца назад

They should wrap the card packet with watermarked cellophane like they do with OTC medication and cigarettes.

@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059 7 месяцев назад

The seller encourages people to report fraud, but doesn't refund anything...

@sandyprestage9225 7 месяцев назад

I saw this story after I had purchased a couple of gift cards, but, of course, I thought the chances were small that mine had been tampered with. I'm in small town Mississippi, after all. Unfortunately, when my nephew opened his Visa gift card, the security code had been scratched off. Sure enough, he's tried to use it in store and online, and it won't work. I feel that this is happening BEFORE the cards get to the stores. Now, to try to get my money back!

@A_Life_Worth_Living1993 7 месяцев назад

@@apara2005Were you trying to call her a liar because you definitely spelled it wrong 😑 and why would she lie? What is she gaining from lying?

@stanbalo 6 месяцев назад

Inside job it seems.

@willboring5600 7 месяцев назад

OMG PUT THEM BEHIND THE REGISTER AND HAVE THE CUSTOMER PICK THEM OUT LIKE THEY WOULD A PACK OF CIGARETTES

@LuvnLemons 7 месяцев назад

I hate gift cards! I’d rather have cash. Done. I never give gift cards to major stores. I’d rather give gift certificates to small local businesses and restaurants.

@Justin_Beaver564 7 месяцев назад

Most people don't buy gift cards as gifts. They buy them as budgeting tools.

@wintergreentheme 5 месяцев назад

100% cash rules !

@Eag757 7 месяцев назад

Do not buy gift cards, or gifts. Stay home and say you are sick for holiday save money. Those companies where cards come from got an internal scam. Someone has the number, passcode of each card. Not secured.

@Justin_Beaver564 7 месяцев назад

I buy gift cards for myself as a way to budget

@arthurau9231 7 месяцев назад

No one is getting arrested for this either.

@jessicaregina1956 7 месяцев назад

Im surprised why there's a ton of comments on locking up the cards but not tracking who redeemed the card

@jessicaregina1956 6 месяцев назад

Fo sho, all u need to do is insert a clause "The account which this card is credited to may be cancelled if fraud was used" Instant collapse of the fraud industry

@adcolt54 2 месяца назад

You can track when and where the card was used. Only thing is nothing can be done.

@TC-cd5sm 7 месяцев назад

Why buy physical gift cards? You have to pay an additional fee just to activate it. These days you can buy gift card directly online with email delivery as well. No trip to the store needed. Cash is still king.

@PinkDiamond7777777 7 месяцев назад

Wow, they charge you for everything over there! 😮 In the UK & France, there is no additional fee to activate it. If you pay £10 or €, that is your balance.

@H8RSAPPRECIATE 7 месяцев назад

@@PinkDiamond7777777 it might depend where you live or what you are buying as a gift card

@jltr2567 7 месяцев назад

@@PinkDiamond7777777yeahh, idk what he is yapping about. If i buy a 25$ dollar gift card, i get 25 usd dollars ( unless its some weird cash card or visa thing)

@Justin_Beaver564 7 месяцев назад

@@PinkDiamond7777777 That's only VISA and Mastercard gift cards, not store gift cards like Walmart

@breezeh1127 6 месяцев назад

No they don't. Not for store cards or restaurant r service cards. Only extra for visa cards. It's a service charge Visa charges..not the store.

@ReloadedGlock 7 месяцев назад

you have to remove the card from the package and make sure the covered security code isn't cut off or revealed. Immediately. Return it, if so! The makers of the card have known about this, but decided to do nothing.

@TheForgottenWolf 6 месяцев назад

This doesn't work. They can recover the security code with another scratch off sticker. Its reached a point where you couldn't tell the difference between one that came straight from the factory and one thats been resealed.

@PumpkinKingXXIII 6 месяцев назад

Easiest way to avoid it is to give someone cash. They aren’t locked down to eating at Cheesecake Factory or shopping at Walmart. They can buy anything where ever they want to. Gift cards are trash and make corporations so much money on unused or forgotten cards

@stanbalo 6 месяцев назад

From where i am from, there is a gift card company that sells gift cards of different stores and restaurants and they also sell a card wherein you can claim it in all the stores linked to their company. Amazon cards are the most useful ones and best to just send it digitally. Just inform receiver

@wintergreentheme 5 месяцев назад

Yes, avoid cards of any kind...cash rules !

@PinkDiamond7777777 7 месяцев назад

"Get off my lawn!" 😂 This segment went somewhere.

@Shh007 7 месяцев назад

The package needs to be changed into a more super secure version. One that you can’t glue back on.

@H8RSAPPRECIATE 7 месяцев назад

I feel like the only way around this is if the gift cards are locked behind the registers and to check the cards after purchasing. But someone else could have used the card too like a employee the the person delivering the cards less likely but still happens

@itazuranakisu 6 месяцев назад

At least if it’s an employee being a scummy scammer it’s easier to track then some random scummy scammer roaming the stores for an easy target like these unprotected gift cards.

@royaldiadem_ 7 месяцев назад

Don’t buy gift cards… problem solved

@NY_7 6 месяцев назад

Still better to give cash. Plus, you don't have to pay the gift card service fee when purchasing.

@wintergreentheme 5 месяцев назад

100%

@MobileDecay 4 месяца назад

Unfortunately some people get offended buy it. 🙄

@KH-nt7ej 7 месяцев назад

I always take the gift cards right from the very back of the rack. Not 100% foolproof but I figure maybe better odds the crooks are too lazy to take them rigjt from the back.

@ReloadedGlock 7 месяцев назад

I want to join a class section suit against Incom . These guys are idiots for not protecting the consumers that buy these cards.

@Rite1010. 7 месяцев назад

Costco keeps them in a back room. You can't get them until you purchase them

@selfesteem3447 7 месяцев назад

Quit buying gift cards. Figure out another way to give a gift. Just quit buying gift cards, that's it. If the gift card companies figured out a way to prevent this, the scammers would just figure out another way to steal your gift card money.

@Justin_Beaver564 7 месяцев назад

I buy gift cards for myself. It's a very useful budgeting tool. It's not always about the gift.

@melisaross2468 7 месяцев назад

The vanilla cards are not safe my daughter put her birthday money on one and she went to check her balance it was all gone the vanilla gift card did nothing about it those cards are scams DO NOT BUY GIFT CARDS

@JamesWilliams-st4bp 6 месяцев назад

Easy, just dump all the cards on the shelves. Place gift cards in a case or behind the counter. No one has access unless they are purchasing.

@Kiki-jx6by 7 месяцев назад

Guess gift cards need to be locked up

@lanaava 7 месяцев назад

I guess good old cash as gift it is… 🤦🏻‍♀️

@BeccaHetrick 6 месяцев назад

But there are retailers here in the US that only sell gift cards if you pay with cash. The Dollar General in East Hampton Connecticut got hit hard a couple years ago by credit card scammers buying gift cards with credit cards so now they don't allow you to buy a gift card with a credit card or even a debit card. You literally have to pay cash. And there are signs all over the entrance of the store and all over the gift card racks saying that you must pay with cash or you cannot get a gift card....

@inter_1097 5 месяцев назад

That and some people buy gift cards for themselves to shop online because they don't own a credit/debit card.. Especially teens, it''s their only choice.

@kiwifruitkl 7 месяцев назад

These days, you can buy e-gift cards directly from the vendor and send the gift cards to the person directly by e-mail. That is definitely much more secure. Then make a phone call or e-mail to the recipient directly, making sure the recipient has gotten it and has redeemed it. Another way is to set up a PayPal account for both you and the recipient, and then you just transfer the money directly. Though, because it is an e-gift card, I am not sure if you can actually walk into the physical store and buy stuff there. Maybe at check-out, you just have to report your store card info to the cashier and then the cashier will look up your account info and see that you have a gift card balance? I suppose this will work with larger chains, not the mom-and-pop shops.

@dv5873 6 месяцев назад

I only have experience with virtual gift cards at chipotle, but they have a barcode scanner so you can pull the virtual card up on your phone and scan it without swiping a physical card. If other places dont do that, I imagine it might be fairly simple to implement

@stanbalo 6 месяцев назад

Im in Asia and there are companies that sell gift codes of many stores and restaurants. You claim it by showing the store cashier the code and done. We also have cellphone prepaid cards wherein you scratch the back to see the code and even if im in a 3rd world country, there is no issue. The cards are just covered in simple plastic packaging.

@miamichix 7 месяцев назад

This is ridiculous

@susanharrer4024 7 месяцев назад

Cash. Nuff said.

@cesarsalgadosalgado2199 7 месяцев назад

Never use Vanilla visa gift cards customer service absolutely sucks they never answer the phone

@UnmarkedPlanet 6 месяцев назад

They're hard to process, sometimes they don't work. I've tried using mine in different retail stores. Do them online or don't buy them. Buy a different card or just do cash

@lilyyoung1002 6 месяцев назад

Agreed

@igorschmidlapp6987 7 месяцев назад

I'm surprised that Craig can reach the gift card rack with his "alligator arms".... ;-P

@denniedollreborn8711 7 месяцев назад

It’s simple just don’t buy anything

@mramirez5239 7 месяцев назад

Please, those cashiers don't get paid enough to play security guard, too. Don't even try implying they could.

@denniswestbrook9025 7 месяцев назад

Or just give cash or buy an actual gift.

@igorschmidlapp6987 7 месяцев назад

Remember "gift certificates", from the pre-card days? You actually had to get those from the "customer service" department...

@BigDaddySwingingMeat 7 месяцев назад

@@igorschmidlapp6987 Things were so much better back in the old days.

@Justin_Beaver564 7 месяцев назад

What makes you think most people buy gift cards as gifts? I always thought of them as a budgeting tool.

@meskonyolsen6657 6 месяцев назад

imagine using barcode scan instead of the usual codes

@NicoleNatale-York 4 месяца назад

All gift cards should be kept behind the cash registers

@ksajak 6 месяцев назад

So if you buy a gift card and find out someone tampered with it you just lose out?? BS

@NEXTDIRECTIONSTUDIOS 7 месяцев назад

Thats why I only do digital gift cards now but the cards need to be locked up in case

@marisolroja6566 7 месяцев назад

We need to go back to cash!

@BeccaHetrick 6 месяцев назад

Al with the "get off my lawn!"

@shannond5371 7 месяцев назад

The cards are coming in this way, they are being tampered with elsewhere and thieves are stealing them and then putting them back on the rack. Two ways this is happening so even if you have it behind the counter you still need to check them These people are devious.

@H8RSAPPRECIATE 7 месяцев назад

That’s what I pointed out a employee at your local store or the delivery place could be stealing the cards themselves it’s less likely but I could be wrong I wouldn’t be surprised it’s hard not to get caught with cameras everywhere and employees

@davidmanley9437 7 месяцев назад

Many retailers WON'T SELL YOU GIFT CARDS WITH CREDIT CARDS

@tyheildes6210 6 месяцев назад

Bingo!

@inter_1097 5 месяцев назад

As far as buying with a credit card goes, some people buy gift cards for themselves to shop online because they don't own a Credit card. I did it for years with Amazon.

@plumber185 7 месяцев назад

after the card was opened the card looked completely fine but still its been drained. how does that work?? no marks, no fake barcode how do they drain it? unless its done during manufacture.

@chrismonahan9988 5 месяцев назад

Go back to the good ol' days and write a check

@jesselambert27 День назад

They should stop being sold until they figure it out

@chadduff05 7 месяцев назад

Buy e-gift cards

@PinkDiamond7777777 7 месяцев назад

Buy food. 😊😋

@fitfighter24 6 месяцев назад

Why can't these gift card companies factory seal these cards so if the deal is broken don't buy and the store then needs to discard it

@MysticalDarkz 5 месяцев назад

thanks for letting me know how to do this 🙏

@mercedesvelasquez8781 6 месяцев назад

This just happened to me at Ralph's location in Long Beach on 4th street in California so thank you for bringing this to light

@yvonnec5885 6 месяцев назад

Happened to me, the Vanilla customer service does not help, gives me the runaround. This is probably a huge scam network. Someone should create a class action lawsuit!!!

@gimcrack555 6 месяцев назад

You never buy another gift card ever...that's how.

@glentanner4770 3 месяца назад

Buy a gift card using a credit card? They won't let you, you must pay cash. I loaded $500 onto a vanilla visa card only to find out most of the numbers were scratched off. I filed a claim with visa, like they said, and never heard back from them again.

@debmccafferty1007 Месяц назад

Online scammers are now referring to gift cards as "money scratch off cards."

@lesliediaz9769 7 месяцев назад

The gift cards should be behind the counter at this point....problem solved it’s that easy.

@piepie1466 3 месяца назад

No more gift cards as present. Just a greeting card.

@n.r.1537 7 месяцев назад

Time to Lock everything up like the baby formula 🤷🏽‍♂️

@christinelund-molfese 12 дней назад

What about "e-gift" cards that are sent by email? How do the scammers drain these? This recently happened to me twice where the cards were drained after a family member sent them to me by email as a gift. It appeared the senders sent them from the business' website. I don't remember checking the balance but like she said in the video, if I did that might've been what happened 🤦‍♀

@chriscrane5327 6 месяцев назад

Then someone needs to investigate and verify this claim that if you say buy a gift card like a few days ago and card wasn't touched code not scratched at all then can it be possible for a gift card to expire and not work at all if you don't use it right after you buy it

@ConstantlyRepeatingMyself 7 месяцев назад

Buy the gift cards online.

@JoseOrtiz-pp1vm 7 месяцев назад

I did just that from amazon 2 days later my card was drained fromm 200 to 4.33 some thief purchased 4 items from ebay.Its under investigation i am hopeful i will get back the money once investgation is over with.

@jessikapiche6097 5 месяцев назад

How do we know it is not the actual company's employe doing that scam. After all, that would explain why the seal seams fine...

@anikhatchikian8957 4 месяца назад

2 of our vanilla visa gift cards were tampered with and the others we had wouldn’t work at 3 stores, Office Depot, cvs or McDonald’s even after we activated and set a pin! Sucks!!

@kaistockman6443 6 месяцев назад

What if you buy a physical gift card from places like Amazon? then it should be not tampered with?

@kaistockman6443 6 месяцев назад

Also, never mail a physical gift card. Someone mailed one to my mom last year and it didn’t make it to her.

@carsonjamesiv2512 7 месяцев назад

YOU'ED BEEN POWNED!😂

@jessicabuck-de3tc 7 месяцев назад

Receipt, is best bet, secondly if the did that they hit the load button before accepting money, that's the cashier, which gives you a credit but no cash for the drawer, so that's not draining, thats another scam, if there's no receipt they didn't load it, gift cards are in active anyway until you load them, credit , with no money,

@igorschmidlapp6987 7 месяцев назад

Ill always watch Vicky... such a FOX...

@raploh 6 месяцев назад

"put the cards behind plastic" Eventually EVERYTHING in the store will be behind plastic.

@chriskerwin9050 3 месяца назад

Yea last time I ever buy one they don't care at CVS because they haven't locked them behind that counter yet

@breezeh1127 6 месяцев назад

I still dont get it. Every time I use a gift card I have to use the pin too. The pin is under that scrstch off stuff.🤔 Even if they have the card number but the scratch off hasn't been scratched..how can they possibly drain the card? **the csrds I buy show the unscratched off area in an ooen section on the card.

@Gt92279 5 месяцев назад

How can they drain it if they wont know when money was loaded onto it?

@user-du5tg4si2j 6 месяцев назад

What is gift card draining/ The truth about giving away your money into someone elses hands that ends up stealing it. DUH like you should have thought of that!

@nakedluck11 7 месяцев назад

When you buy a visa or MasterCard , you need to register and also change the pin. Type in address listed on card and not site your computer tries to self correct. All other cards, I don't have any advice.

@JoseOrtiz-pp1vm 7 месяцев назад

I bought a 200 mastercard gift card delivered b amazon registered online two days later it went from 200 to 4.33 .I went to check on the balance that 2 days when i saw a segment on tv in news bout gift card draining .I filed case itl be a month soon, they are investigating it.The thieves bought 4 items from ebay,so once they realize that im not the one who purchased it hopefully ill get my balance back.

@TinfoilHatWearer 5 месяцев назад

The only secure gift card available, are the ones that US bank sells inside bank locations. They are stored in the vault. No, I'm not joking. My sister is a US bank employee.

@sahratank7504 5 месяцев назад

Buy the gift but dont buy these cards!

@elitedestroyer0083 6 месяцев назад

Please just gift cash instead.

@handsomeblackman255 2 месяца назад

The security digit silver seal should not be scratched off.

@TheSimmpleTruth 7 месяцев назад

Give cash, a better bet.

@nysmnyd3231 6 месяцев назад

It wasn’t a gift card. I got the card from Jackson Hewitt. An employee there did that.

@Braddeman 6 месяцев назад

How about just give cash instead of a gift card. Don’t have to worry about it then.

@kommetkhan2979 6 месяцев назад

I mean none of these people get paid enough to be a "watchful eye" sooooooooooooooo ma'am what do you plan to do about that?

@RoolSkool 7 месяцев назад

Eventually the solution will be you scan your card before you enter the store (Amazon stores)

@marianunez-jx4jc 6 месяцев назад

They should have them in the cashiers in the back

@ConnieWilsonbricks101 5 месяцев назад

This is sad

@ConnieWilsonbricks101 5 месяцев назад

This happened to me!

@goggleuser12 7 месяцев назад

Hey, it's Craig Melvin from Dateline!!! ❤😮

@chadthomas587 6 месяцев назад

Thats the stores fault. They need to move them behind the counter

@erikac6329 7 месяцев назад

Put the gift cards behind the counter and if we want one we gotta ask cashier to get it and give it to us .

@erikac6329 6 месяцев назад

@donk8105 🥴

@ArrekusaJP 6 месяцев назад

This happened to me this Christmas :/

@Papacitouno 5 месяцев назад

Tu ropa que usas no se ve bien

@jeffreycardoza8983 6 месяцев назад

Trash never buying a gift card again

@user-jo9lm6ti1v 7 месяцев назад

I was a victim of a gift card scam in pelham Al in 2021 in three gift cards I bought near oak mountain ampitheater. I guess people illegally thought I was a foreigner not! I'm bit Hispanic Latino Muslim middle eastern from the country if India etc. . I was born in north Carolina 1975.