December 12, 2023 - Fresno County Sheriff’s Office officials report that a recent scam happening all over involves crooks tampering with gift cards 
hanging on racks / towers at grocery stores, drug stores and other retailers.
Suspects steal the valueless cards and once out of the store, they copy down the bar code information and either scratch off the PIN information or cut it off all together. Afterwards, they return to the store and hang them back on the rack as part of their setup. The crook can now try entering that bar code information and the PIN information they have acquired before you ever have a chance to try and redeem it.
After you purchase the card and load money onto it, it is now active. To avoid being scammed, the Sheriff's Office recommends that before you put any money on the card, you and the clerk inspect it for any damage / tampering.
Please check out this video from our partners at the Pinole Police Department where they show step by step how this scam is crafted.
Source: Fresno County Sheriff’s Office
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