Two women accused of shoplifting more than 4,600 gift cards from a pharmacy in Braintree, Massachusetts, on Monday are likely part of a larger scam to steal funds from card buyers, police say.
Police said officers responded to the CVS on Grove Street for a call about two women taking cards off the rack. Investigators recovered 4,617 gift cards to Apple, Nike and Sephora, as well as Visa gift cards.
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The women, YanYan Liu and Na Dong, of Flushing, New York, were each charged with shoplifting and receiving stolen property.
Police said the pair are likely part of a larger scam ring that involves stealing the information off of valid gift cards, repackaging them and returning them to their displays then waiting for them to be purchased. The thieves then regularly check card numbers and their PIN numbers through a database to see if they’ve been activated. When a customer purchases a compromised gift card, the thieves aim to spend the money before the rightful owner can.
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As a result, gift card holders may go to use them only to find that the money was already spent.
The practice is a crime that is unfolding across the country, police said.
The FTC suggests checking the back of a gift card before you purchase it to see if there are any signs of tampering. Buyers should hold on to store receipts for the card in case of a fraud, which can be reported to gift card companies.
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Robert Siciliano, a cybersecurity expert, and said he's seen similar cases nationwide.
“The gift cards are in cardboard, they’re in a plastic or cardboard sleeve, and all of that can be opened up with heat or steam and then just glued back together," he said.
Shoppers who spoke to NBC10 Boston on Wednesday said they'll be a little more wary after hearing about the scam.
“I love gift cards. I think they’re one of the best gifts to give, but every year there seems to be a different scam that people come up with in a different way to take the money," Valerie Merisier said.
“I think now I’ll definitely take a look at the back and make sure there’s no numbers that have been scratched off or if it’s been opened and somebody put it back and definitely be a little more careful," added Doug Fallon.
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