The Sneakiest Gift Card Scam Being Carried Out in Texas Right Now

(Tyler, Texas) - Thieves are the worst. They are also extremely deceptive in how they carry out their scam. This makes it really hard to spot their scam while out in public.

Their latest scam involves using gift cards that we love to buy for an easy present for birthdays or other holidays. It's how they're able to steal that money that really brings out the deceptive and evil practices scammers use. Below is how they do it and how you can avoid becoming a victim.

Gift Card Scam in East Texas Right Now

I'm gonna be honest with you, if I get a gift card as a gift, I'm over the moon. I like getting them because I can turn around and get the specific thing that I want. I would say within a couple of weeks, I'll have it spent.

Thieves, however, have found a way to take advantage of the popularity of giving a gift card as a present (Federal Trade Commission). What they'll do is take a stack of the cards you see at any gift card kiosk in a store. The thieves will then open them up, copy down all the important numbers, then reseal the card in the original packaging. The thieves are able to monitor that card until it is purchased and drain the funds added to the card.

How to Keep Yourself From Becoming a Victim

When you are shopping for a gift card, inspect the packaging for any imperfections in the cardboard around the card. A lot of the time, the thieves will use a heat source to loosen the glue which could cause some ripples in the packaging.

Also look for any smudges on the packaging as this could be residue from the resealing process. Be sure to keep the physical receipt in case there is an issue. Another way to avoid possible card draining is to buy a digital gift card. These can purchased on the retailer's website then sent electronically instead of a physical card.

Reporting a Scam to the Federal Trade Commission

The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has a whole website page dedicated to gift card scams. There are the tips explained above, other types of gift card scams and lots of other information in regards to how thieves steal using gift cards.

This is not to scare you into never buying gift cards again. This is only to educate you into what these thieves are doing and how to protect yourself from losing your hard earned money to these thieves.

READ MORE: Fake Parking Tickets is Now the New Money Stealing Scam in Texas

READ MORE: The 'Free Meal for 2 With Drinks' Scam is Spreading on Facebook Again