San Pedro residents are slated to get an earful tomorrow on a sleezy scam sweeping the gift card aisles. LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn is stepping up to the mic to warn consumers about the shifty scam that's been lining the pockets of crooks with cash meant for gift givers' loved ones. The press conference is set to tackle the seedy world of "gift card draining," a two-pronged hustle that hits shoppers where it hurts - their wallets.
In one version of the scam, swindlers slap their own barcode onto the gift card on the rack. Unsuspecting buyers go to quickly load up the card, not realizing they're actually funneling funds into the scammer's pocket. The other method is just as slick - thieves copy a card's details, wait for it to be sold and then drain the balance before the recipient can so much as sniff the plastic. Hahn herself was hooked by these hucksters when a Vanilla gift card she snagged for her nephew's birthday at CVS was wiped clean.
Those looking to get the scoop on how to steer clear of these scams can head down to Park Plaza Shopping Center at 9 am sharp on Thursday. Media eager for a piece of the action should RSVP to Hahn's crew pronto.
Details on the event have been plastered all over the web. Interested press can find all they need to know online with an RSVP to the email [email protected] or a text to (213) 379-6301. This scam alert isn't just a flash in the pan; it's a message Hahn is desperate to broadcast before more Angelenos find their holiday cheer has been snatched right under their noses.
