Gift Card Scams

Gift card scams have become so numerous you are liable to see a free gift card offer just about every time you open your email. Michelle Reinen is the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection for the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. She points out one scam urges you to click on a link to take a survey promising you will get a gift card to a well known big box store. Reinen says if you hand over your information scammers will use it sooner or later to target you. As for the gift cards you purchase in stores she recommends checking the packaging to make sure someone hasn’t tampered with it to get the numbers for the card so they can use it when you activate it. There also could be service fees if you go too long without using it.