Archived Gift card scammers

[DBZ]

I really wish that the people that are screwing people from all of their savings, die a horrible death. Like drive off a cliff and have the car bounce 20 times before hitting the bottom. Get bitten by a poisonous snake and their phone is just out of reach so they can't call out for help.

I also want to slap the guest and tell them not to be so stupid. While I am at it, I want to slap my ETL because he thinks we should just take their money.

 

[The Dude Abides]

I really wish that the people that are screwing people from all of their savings, die a horrible death. Like drive off a cliff and have the car bounce 20 times before hitting the bottom. Get bitten by a poisonous snake and their phone is just out of reach so they can't call out for help.

I also want to slap the guest and tell them not to be so stupid. While I am at it, I want to slap my ETL because he thinks we should just take their money.

I would report your ETL to integrity hotline. There is a reason we have signage posted by the giftcard fixtures about these scams.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

I really wish that the people that are screwing people from all of their savings, die a horrible death. Like drive off a cliff and have the car bounce 20 times before hitting the bottom. Get bitten by a poisonous snake and their phone is just out of reach so they can't call out for help.

I also want to slap the guest and tell them not to be so stupid. While I am at it, I want to slap my ETL because he thinks we should just take their money.

When I see a older guest buying high value gift cards I tell them my AP has to approve the transaction, and let them explain it’s a scam. Also definitely partner with AP about that ETL

 

[MIRSlave]

I would report your ETL to integrity hotline. There is a reason we have signage posted by the giftcard fixtures about these scams.

There is? I would love some numbers so I can order some!

 

[The Dude Abides]

There is? I would love some numbers so I can order some!

Yeah, I will try to remember to see if I can pull it up tomorrow.

 

[unknown]

I really wish that the people that are screwing people from all of their savings, die a horrible death. Like drive off a cliff and have the car bounce 20 times before hitting the bottom. Get bitten by a poisonous snake and their phone is just out of reach so they can't call out for help.

I also want to slap the guest and tell them not to be so stupid. While I am at it, I want to slap my ETL because he thinks we should just take their money.

Sort of stuck between personal liberty to buy what you want versus a company telling you that you can't.

 

[apparelnewbie]

wait what scam happens

 

[starmaster1000]

wait what scam happens

IRS scam.
They prey on the elderly or anyone really who will take them seriously.

They'll call you and say this is the IRS and your last few tax years you've ignored their warnings and owe several thousands of dollars in back taxes and penalties.

But... If you go to Target and buy two $2,000 gift cards, we'll make it go away... Just go get those cards and call us back with the card and access number.

 

[Mikuhl]

wait what scam happens

Spam calls that trick people into thinking they are getting a refund. they have you log on to your bank account and then transfer money from your own account saying that they gave you a refund but they accidentally add extra zeros and you have to pay back the money in the form of a Google Play gift card when in reality they never sent you any money at all and it was your own money the whole time.

 

[seasonaldude]

Don't forget grandchild in jail in a foreign country and needs money for bail in the form of Apple gift cards.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Don't forget grandchild in jail in a foreign country and needs money for bail in the form of Apple gift cards.

I had this but Visa cards and I asked him if he tried contacting his grandson and of course he said no so I told him he should give him a call and things like this are always a scam. He walked away and came back 10 minutes later and thanked me for saving him thousands. Probably the most accomplished I’ve ever felt at Target lol

 

[Times Up]

We had 1 guest that purchased the Google Play cards. This was a nicely dressed man in his mid-40's. (Didn't fit the typical profile of someone who appeared elderly or economically disadvantaged). Our Advocate ask about his intentions and explained that this is usually a scam. He was so dead set on buying the cards..he even purchased a 2nd batch.

After he was done buying the 2nd set, he went to the bagging area behind one of a registers that wasn't being used that day and began to scratch off all of the backs of the cards and take pictures of them. He then left the store.

Ten minutes later he shows up at the service desk and wants to return all of the cards... because they were 'defective'. When we pointed out that they were all scratched off along with the fact that we don't accept returns on g/c, he then admitted that he was scammed. Yeah we know, we told you that BEFORE you spent thousands on gift cards.

Sometimes you just can't save people from themselves.

 

[Tessa120]

I had only one good outcome from that sort of thing. Woman called, wanting to know if we had either Xbox or Playstation cards in $100 amounts. Had to be those amounts, she needed three. She said she had a computer virus and she needed those to take it off. I started explaining about scams, but it turned out her "IT specialist" was her teen grandson and two of his friends. I'm sure she was scammed ($300 for a virus cleaning?) but at least it was a reasonable amount by a typical kid, and she could get parental intervention.

 

[JAShands]

I had only one good outcome from that sort of thing. Woman called, wanting to know if we had either Xbox or Playstation cards in $100 amounts. Had to be those amounts, she needed three. She said she had a computer virus and she needed those to take it off. I started explaining about scams, but it turned out her "IT specialist" was her teen grandson and two of his friends. I'm sure she was scammed ($300 for a virus cleaning?) but at least it was a reasonable amount by a typical kid, and she could get parental intervention.

I think Geek Squad wanted to charge me just a little over that last time I had a Trojan on my computer. For about $100 more I just bought a new laptop that would do everything I needed it to do.

 

[idkwhattodo]

i’ve only talked one guest out of it, but i’ve denied purchases before and limited at $400 per guest per household. guests have left mad, but i always hope they come to their senses before they stopped anywhere else.

the one guest i talked out of the scam spent over 45 minutes talking to me. i felt bad for her and then i heard her whole life story and i just felt worse... it’s so easy to prey on the vulnerable. a lot of “why should i trust what you are saying and not the person on the phone” ... i was like “i have nothing to gain from this. in fact, i’m denying target a very large sale, which is the exact opposite of what i normally should be doing.” finally, i got through.

 

[DBZ]

We had a woman who looked to be about 30 freaking out at Xmas time because she thought her Social Security number was frozen and she needed Ebay cards to fix the problem. She thought that would make her lose her house.

What other scenarios have you all heard?

 

[SoCalMama]

We had a woman who looked to be about 30 freaking out at Xmas time because she thought her Social Security number was frozen and she needed Ebay cards to fix the problem. She thought that would make her lose her house.

What other scenarios have you all heard?

Mystery shoppers have been falling for it left and right. Well, not the smart ones. Usually shops pay between $10-$25. Shoppers will then upload the gift cards to the "report".

Here's a sample email:

CTCSS Inc. got contracted for a survey from Market Force Information Inc.


Shopper pay: $30

Requirements – You are required to purchase Ebay Gift Card($200) at your nearest CVS and Walgreens.

At the store you will be required to observe the following;

• Were the employees friendly and courteous?

• Did you receive prompt service?

• Was the merchandise displayed neatly?

• Was it easy to use the service?


Your report will include pictures of in-store card display,pictures of gift card purchased and receipt,fill out online survey.

Total reimbursement-$230

If interested please reply with:

Full name

Location of Interest(You may self elect up to 6 CVS and Walgreens stores around you)
Phone number


Due Date-18th August 2019


Thanks!

Barbara Cody

Contracted by Coast to Coast Scheduling Services, Inc.
Coast to Coast Scheduling Services, Inc.
PO Box 1436
Costa Mesa
CA 92628

 

[NKG]

I always get people who know exactly what they are doing, say it's a gift and still but it after we mention " Have you been told to buy gift cards to avoid jail?" " Those are scams" lines. People use them to pay for drugs 🤷‍♀️can't save anyone is my point

 

[happygoth]

I'm sorry but these people are morons. Why the fuck would the government forgive your tax debt for Target gift cards? Why would Ebay gift cards "unfreeze" your Social Security number, and why is it frozen? If your grandson was being held captive, wouldn't you call his parents? WTF.

 

[MIRSlave]

I'm sorry but these people are morons. Why the fuck would the government forgive your tax debt for Target gift cards? Why would Ebay gift cards "unfreeze" your Social Security number, and why is it frozen? If your grandson was being held captive, wouldn't you call his parents? WTF.

Most people realize this. But there are enough people that are easily cowed into doing this to make it profitable.

To get an idea on how this works sometimes there's scam baiters all over YouTube that exist to simply waste time.



Jim Browning is one of my favorites. He mostly deals with support scams, but the methods used are mostly similar.

 

[Endlessbackstock]

Hey if they get 1/500 people they can get enough money to get through a week or two. These people can get 5 people a month it’s a success.

 

[happygoth]

Hey if they get 1/500 people they can get enough money to get through a week or two. These people can get 5 people a month it’s a success.

Unless you are quite elderly, if you fall for this kind of stuff you are not fit to be left alone. If you are healthy and sound enough to get to a store and make a purchase, you should have the two brain cells it takes to realize these are scams. Again, sorry if that sounds harsh, but come ON.

 

[happygoth]

Most people realize this. But there are enough people that are easily cowed into doing this to make it profitable.

To get an idea on how this works sometimes there's scam baiters all over YouTube that exist to simply waste time.



Jim Browning is one of my favorites. He mostly deals with support scams, but the methods used are mostly similar.

Tech support scams I can almost understand, especially with anyone who is not computer-savvy. Those pop-ups can look legitimate and I can understand how someone would get sucked into that. Never happened to me but I can see why it happens.

 

[unknown]

Unless you are quite elderly, if you fall for this kind of stuff you are not fit to be left alone. If you are healthy and sound enough to get to a store and make a purchase, you should have the two brain cells it takes to realize these are scams. Again, sorry if that sounds harsh, but come ON.

My friend's aunt got scammed out of $2K by an IRS scam. She went to a store and bought iTunes cards.

The whole time my friend is telling me this, I'm thinking ..... who in their right mind thinks the IRS would accept iTunes cards as payment? But, she is elderly and lonely. She was brought up to not question someone in a position, or claiming to be, of authority.

She knew better though because she called my friend after sending 2K and told her she thought she was getting scammed.

 

[Yetive]

Unless you are quite elderly, if you fall for this kind of stuff you are not fit to be left alone. If you are healthy and sound enough to get to a store and make a purchase, you should have the two brain cells it takes to realize these are scams. Again, sorry if that sounds harsh, but come ON.

Some of these people are very good at it. The panic reaction when you first hear the bad news can cause people to go along--even smart people.