BBB Tip of the Week: Buying Gift Cards

Do you have a hard-to-buy-for person on your Christmas list? Is shipping going to cost you an arm and a leg? The answer just might be the gift card hanging on the rack near the register or in the greeting card aisle. Before you put your hard-earned money down grabbing a gift card for a favorite store or restaurant, know that scammers are waiting in the wings to use them before they’re gifted.

This year, let’s do our best to make sure your gifts for your friends and loved ones are going to whom they are intended and not into scammers’ pockets. Last year, people spent $160 billion buying gift cards in the United States, according to Statista. Don’t forget that some retailers have terms and conditions as to how the gift card can be redeemed. Better Business Bureau Northwest and Pacific wants you to be informed this holiday season with tips when buying gift cards.

Take a closer look. No matter where gift cards are displayed in the store, thieves are known to remove gift cards from the display rack and record the numbers associated with that card, including the activation PIN. Before purchasing a gift card, look carefully at the packaging for any tears, wrinkles or other indications of tampering, and see if the PIN is exposed. If anything looks suspicious, it’s probably best to take a different card and turn in the compromised card to the store’s customer service desk.

Determine how to use the card. Not all retailers have the same policies when issuing a gift card. Double-check the terms and conditions on the type of gift card purchased. The FTC has information about retail gift cards and bank gift cards.

Register your gift card. If the retailer provides the option to register the gift card, take full advantage. This makes it easier to protect the balance so you can report a hack sooner and potentially end up saving any money stored on the card.

Treat it like cash. If the card is lost or stolen, report it to the issuer immediately. Most issuers have toll-free telephone numbers to report a lost or stolen card – find it on the card or online.

For general information on how to shop wisely this holiday season use https://www.bbb.org/holiday-tips/ If you’ve spotted an online scam, report it to BBB ScamTracker.