Holiday Season Scam Alert: AI-powered gift card frauds on the rise

Gift card scams have become increasingly prevalent during the holiday season, with scammers using various tactics to defraud unsuspecting consumers. One method involves stealing gift cards, removing the card numbers, repackaging them, and returning them to the store for unsuspecting shoppers to purchase. Another tactic is the use of AI deep-fake voice software to trick people into loading funds onto gift cards and sending the money to scammers. The number of reported gift card scams has increased by 50% since the beginning of the year. Consumers are advised to be cautious and verify requests for gift card purchases, especially if they involve unusual or unexpected circumstances. The Better Business Bureau recommends contacting the gift card seller, the business or organization supposedly requesting the gift card payment, and the BBB if encountering a potential scam.