The most common types of gift cards involved in scams are those issued by big companies with physical goods — such as Amazon, Target, eBay, or Walmart. But digital markets such as the Steam Store or Google Play Store are also vulnerable. Vanilla gift card scams, which go after VISA vani...
Think twice before you do.Fraud.org, a website operated by the National Consumers League, reports a spike in fraud involving gift cards. Here’s what’s going on: Thieves are stealing the numbers, including the scratch-off security codes, from the gift cards while they’re still hanging on...
Analysis: Scams involving the Medicare discount drug cards and what to watch out forMADELEINE BRAND
Gift card scams: Scammers often offer gifts cards at a discount but deliver cards with no balance. Alternatively, they may ask for payment via gift cards, which can make the transaction untraceable. Be sure to purchase gift cards directly from an authorized retailer—and be cautious of anyone ...
Take a close look at the packaging on any gift cards you buy in person. Breyault recommends checking if the “scratch-off has been messed with” or if “the sticker you pull off has been removed and reapplied.” In addition to anything else that may look suspect, “those are signs tha...
You can avoid scams by always remaining skeptical in online interactions, especially those involving pressure, threats, demands, or claims that come from a position of authority. You should be mindful of unexpected claims made even by a trusted friend, as you can't be sure they haven't fallen...
Monitor Financial Transactions: Look out for unusual financial requests or transactions, especially those involving cryptocurrency or gift cards. Verify and Validate: Encourage employees to verify the identities of individuals they interact with online and to use reverse image searches to check th...
Such scams primarily target Americans aged 40 to 69, who fall victim to romantic schemes twice than those in their 20s, said the report. Scammers typically ask for the money through gift cards and other reloadable cards, which are quicker, more anonymous than other forms of payments and harde...
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- More than 21,000 Americans fell victim to soaring "romance scams" involving dating or courtship in 2018, losing a total of 143 million U.S. dollars, according to a report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released on Tuesday. ...
They may try to validate their scam by involving a person of authority like a [fake] police officer, doctor or community leader. They may almost always depict a sense of urgency. It's on the lines of, "If you don't send $3,000 to this address URGENTLY, your grandson may not ...