Thursday, October 25, 2012

Scam Alert – Don't Fall For Free Gift Card Scams

The Better Business Bureau is the latest established brand to be used by scammers to promote fake gift cards online. (Others have included Wal-Mart, Target, Starbucks, and Best Buy.) As tempting as these offers appear, especially with the holiday shopping season approaching, don't bother trying to redeem them. They're just tricks to collect consumer data; you won't receive the free gift card promised. 

It works like this: The recipient receives an email, claiming to be from the established brand, stating that he/she has been issued a gift card worth a certain dollar amount. To receive this gift card free of charge, the recipient is told to immediately go to a website and provide information such as age, street address, email address, and phone number. Don't fall for it. You would be giving out personal information and receiving nothing but more spam in return.

In addition, experts warn that used, counterfeit, and fraudulent gift cards are frequently being sold on auction websites. For this reason, don't buy gift cards from auction websites; it's not worth the risk of ending up with a worthless piece of plastic. Only buy gift card directly from the store or from a secure retailer's website.

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