Beware of Holiday Gift Card Scams: Protect Your Money and Avoid Becoming a Victim

Shoppers in California are falling victim to an innovative gift card scam this holiday season, where scammers tamper with gift cards by cutting off the part needed to spend the money while leaving the barcode intact. When unsuspecting shoppers purchase and load money onto these tampered gift cards, they later discover that the cards are useless and the money is in the hands of scammers. To avoid becoming a victim, the Pinole Police Department advises shoppers to inspect gift card envelopes at checkout to ensure they haven't been tampered with.