Gift Card Scam Question

[porschedude996]

Would someone explain the mechanics of what the scammers are doing here?

I bought a Homedepot Gift Card at the grocery store. The clerk gave me my transaction receipt and another small receipt. The small receipt usually goes with the gift card to the recipient. This time the small receipt stated that the card was previously activated and to choose another card. One clerk spoke with another clerk and they said it was fine. It happened before and it was ok.

I didn’t want to create a scene, but I wasn’t going for that. A bad gift card does not go over well as a gift.

Ok, so some con artist goes in the store, steals the card(s), reveals the PIN, and then puts them back in the grocery store.

Ok, I’m guessing that the con artist now has the card number and PIN. The card is not activated, it’s sitting on a hook in the grocery store. Am I correct in thinking that the con artist is idly posed elsewhere on the planet waiting for someone to buy the card, have it activated, and then send it off to Grandpa 2,000 miles away? And then while the card is ripe, abscond with my gift credit?

Ok, I can understand that scenario, but here is where this “Does Not Compute”. Robot Quote from “Lost in Space Series”. When I purchased the card, the small receipt said “Card already activated, choose another card”. If the system knew the card was activated, why would it allow me to purchase? What good is the card to anyone? Where is the money trail?

[stealthn]

Yes to your question; they scan the code in the store.

[Noah930]

I no longer will buy gift cards from a store. Maybe I'd do an Amazon gift card, mailed to me from Amazon. But gift card scamming has gotten so bad here in LA, the risk is not worth the inevitable hassle.

I typically buy gift cards every Christmas for employees. I'll spend about $1200 every year on them. A couple years ago, 4 cards were bad. This past year, 9. It was a hassle to get a refund. No one wants to take responsibility for bad gift cards--not the supermarket where I bought the cards, not the credit card company I used to make the purchase, and not the retailer whose cards I purchased. Lesson learned. No more gift cards.