Trading card stores in New Jersey are being warned about a payment scam that has allowed thieves to buy expensive Pokemon cards with stolen credit card information. The FBI is investigating a series of incidents involving at least seven shops between September 2025 and March 2026, with some businesses reporting losses worth tens of thousands of dollars.
The scheme takes advantage of a payment method that many stores use for everyday purchases. According to Dexerto, a customer first tries to pay by tapping a phone against a card reader. When the transaction fails, the person asks the cashier to enter a card number manually. That number is linked to a stolen or compromised credit card, allowing the purchase to go through.
The fraud can be difficult for store owners to catch immediately because the payment may initially appear to be successful. Shops can wait weeks before learning that a cardholder has disputed the charge, by which time the Pokemon cards may already have been resold. The FBI said the purchases often involve valuable cards that can be moved quickly through the collectibles market.
Thieves Used Stolen Credit Cards
The FBI said the scheme involved more than one method of stealing merchandise. In some cases, customers used a phone application that could store several stolen credit card numbers and try them at a payment terminal until one transaction was approved. Investigators are examining the app and whether the cases across New Jersey are connected…