The Gift Card scam works like this: thieves copy numbers from gift cards hanging on store racks. After the cards are purchased and activated they phone an 800 number to check on balances for card numbers they've copied. When they come across an activated card, they use the card numbers to buy merchandise on-line.
The good news for potential targets is that 1) this scam is rare, and 2) the amount of money stolen is usually fairly small. This scam requires quite a bit of time and effort for very little gain, so most con men don’t bother with it. It is also very easy to avoid getting burned by this scam; just buy a card from behind the counter where the thieves can’t see it. In any case, the chances of getting caught up in a gift card scam are very small, and of all the online scams to watch out for, this is one of the least worrisome.
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