Organized Retail Crime Gangs Are Targeting Gift Cards

While gift card purchases and overall use remain extremely safe and secure nationwide, fraud, scams, and theft are growing threats, with fraudsters exploiting unused gift cards to launder money and fund illicit activities.

This type of fraud is frequently carried out by multinational criminal rings and is connected to broader illegal activities.

Gift card fraud takes a bite out of the 308 billion US gift card market

Gift card fraud takes a bite out of the U.S. gift card market and negatively impacts:

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Consumers
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U.S. Economy
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Retailers
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National Security
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Gift Card networks
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Public Safety
HOW IT WORKS

Gift card tampering is
a serious, sophisticated crime

steal
Step One

Steal inactive gift cards from retail stores

tamper
Step Two

Tamper with gift card packaging to obtain card and pin number

return
Step Three

Return tampered gift cards to retail store racks

detect
Step Four

Detect through sophisticated methods when the consumer has purchased the gift card

drain
Step Five

Drain funds from the stolen gift card by purchasing merchandise that is later sold on the secondary market

Gift card tampering is
happening across the nation