JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As many families are making returns and spending holiday cash, Florida’s attorney general is warning of scammers targeting holiday gift cards.
Michelle Perenett said she loves getting gift cards.
“Target, American Express, Starbucks,” she said. “I think it’s the easiest thing to give everybody.”
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According to the National Retail Federation, gift cards topped shoppers’ holiday wish lists this year.
Families were expected to buy more than $27 billion worth – a big dollar amount that can attract scammers.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said one of the most common scams involves trying to sell or exchange a gift card online.
Someone posing as an interested buyer asks the seller to confirm the balance via a three-way call with the store or restaurant. That’s when the scammer records your card number and PIN – and drains the card.
If you’re selling or exchanging them online, never give out card information. Find a reputable gift card exchange site that offers balance verification.
The attorney general’s office is also encouraging families to use cards as soon as possible to give scammers less time to try to hack the account.
“You just have to be careful spending them. I wouldn’t use them online. I would definitely go to the store because it’s not secure,” Perenett said.
Even at the store, scammers can still get your cash. Moody’s office said scammers record information on unsold cards at the register and once the card is activated, they’ll drain the funds.
If the PIN number on the back of the card has been exposed, that’s a big red flag.
Anyone who encounters a scam is asked to report fraud to the retailer and the attorney general’s office at 1-866-9NO-SCAM or MyFloridaLegal.com.
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