There is a new scam going around that can affect gift cards, the kind you buy in stores and the kind that are sold on ebay.    This is just something you should be aware of, so if you discover a problem, you can report it immediately to the company that issued the gift card.

Here is how it works:
-thief goes into a retail store and uses a skimming device to read the magnetic stripes (containing the card numbers) of cards NOT yet purchased, but hanging on the racks where customers can take them to bring them up to register to activate them.  I am sure that you have seen these in stores.
-thief then waits a few weeks, then calls the customer service number on the cards to see which cards have been activated.
-their then uses the codes to purchase things online, often at the store's own web site.
-or thief can buy real cards for $5 each, then use simple devices that are on the black market to re-program the cards with the stolen card numbers, which have a much higher value.

Here is how to protect yourself when buying them in a store:

-buy only cards that are BEHIND the counter, were customers cannot access them and make sure their packaging has not been tampered with (look before the card is activated by the clerk).
-call the customer service number when you get it and make sure it has the full value advertised.
-periodically check your balance, by calling the customer service number on the card, against what you know it should be, to make sure someone is not "sharing your card."



Here is how to protect yourself when buying them online:

-even if the seller is honest, it is possible that their card was compromised before they obtained it.
-call the customer service number when you get it and make sure it has the full value advertised.
-periodically check your balance, by calling the customer service number on the card, against what you know it should be, to make sure someone is not "sharing your card."



You can get some really great deals on gift cards online, especially on ebay where someone might have gotten a gift card as a gift for a store that they don't shop at.    So don't let this stop you.   JUST BE CAREFUL and aware.     If you are aware of this possibility of this scam, then you can protect yourself.

Hope you found this guide helpful and I would really appreciate your YES vote below.

Thanks!

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