JOPLIN, Mo. — If you’re giving gift cards this holiday season, the Better Business Bureau office in Springfield has some tips to keep your gifts, and money, safe.
BBB regional director Pamela Hernandez says there’s a scam called “gift card draining.”
Imagine going to a retail store and purchasing a gift card, only to find out the money has already been taken off the gift card.
The best way to protect yourself, she says, is to look for signs of tampering with the gift card packaging before you buy it.
“Has anything been scratched off? Does a sticker look like it’s been placed over a barcode? Is the plastic packaging — Have there been any signs of opening the gift card? Pay attention to those little things,” said Pamela Hernandez, BBB Springfield regional director.
She also says another option is to purchase an electronic gift card online.
And, if you’re giving cash online or using a peer-to-peer giving app, make sure it’s the right person.
In 2023, consumers lost about 217 million dollars to card draining and other gift card-related fraud, according to the latest data released by the Federal Trade Commission.