Beware of Gift Card Scams: Tips to Protect Yourself

A Target customer on TikTok shared a gift card scam where scammers purchase gift cards, keep the packaging intact, and record the access information. They then place these "new" gift cards on store shelves, and unsuspecting customers buy them and add money to the cards. The scammers check the balances and spend the money before the intended recipients can use it. To avoid falling victim to this scam, the customer advises flipping the cards over and checking for stickers covering the back. If a sticker says "check balance," it means the card has already been used. The customer suggests getting gift cards from behind the cashier's station instead of display walls.