If you think you may have fallen victim to a scam, make sure to report it to your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission. The companies have also increased employee training to help employees better detect signs of a scam. These changes include reducing purchase limits on store branded cards and prohibiting the redemption of store branded cards for other gift cards. Walmart, Target, and Best Buy have all made changes to their gift cards this year in an attempt to prevent scams and fraud this year. A reputable retailer will never request this information.Ĭhanges are constantly being made to combat gift card scam attempts. Never surrender your social security number, bank account info, or any other important information when purchasing a gift certificate.Scammers can use the PIN and the card numbers to drain the card balance after you pay to activate it! Those numbers are what gives the card value! Also, check the back of cards before you purchase them to make sure the PIN numbers aren’t scratched off. Similar to a credit or debit card, NEVER provide the numbers on the back of the card to anyone.Some retailers can track when the card was purchased and used, so there is a chance you could be reimbursed. Keep your receipt as proof of purchase.Scammers will often request payments by gift cards because they can be redeemed quickly. Gift cards are not an acceptable form of payment for utilities, taxes, or bail.Remember these tips to evade gift card scams. Losses through September from gift certificate fraud totaled $53 million, up from about $40 million for all of 2017, with a median loss of about $500 per incident. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that 26% of victims reporting scams between January and September 2018 said they were asked to pay with gift cards. Gift certificates play a common role in scams during the holiday season. The same rules that govern gift certificates apply to gift cards. Remember: Massachusetts law defines electronic cards with a banked dollar value as gift certificates, even if they are technically gift cards. Gift cards are not prepaid cards, debit cards, or credit cards, though they may look similar.If the gift card or certificate is of the kind which value can be added to it and the balance is $5.00 or less, the holder can add value or request to receive the balance of $5.00 or less in cash.Once you have used 90% of the value and you can’t add value, you may choose to take the remaining value in cash or spend the remaining value of the gift certificate.If the dates are not provided, the gift certificate is good forever. Certificates not clearly marked with an expiration date and issuance date must have those dates clearly printed on the sales receipt, or available on line.These fees must be properly disclosed so it’s important consumers look for them. Bank issued cards may also have certain fees, including fees for activation, replacement, inactivity, and others. Generally, bank issued cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc.) that are redeemable at different merchant locations fall under federal law, which means they’re valid for five years.Gift certificates bought in Massachusetts are valid for seven years and are not subject to any fees.If your go-to gift this year is a gift certificate, remember these rules: The National Retail Federation said gift cards are the most popular item on consumers’ wish lists for the 12 th straight year, requested by 60% of a 7,313 sample of people. From nail salons, to restaurants, to grocery stores, gift certificates can be used just about anywhere. To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy Notice.Gift certificates are a popular option for many gift-givers during the holiday season. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie Preferences, as described in the Cookie Notice.
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