Counterfeit gift certificates

Many receive fake coupons and messages. Recently NS&I issued an alert to users to take precautions and watch out for fraudulent emails that ask them to enter details to claim a guarantee, lottery or gift. Many such emails ask the users to enter online banking details. 

Some messages claim they won a hundred pounds worth of vouchers from Asda or other reputed brands. In one such case, the user was offered the chance to claim a gift voucher by filling a marketing survey, but the page redirected to a malicious site when they clicked on the survey. 

There are some text messages and emails which attempts to get the personal details of the users. These messages offer vouchers/certificates, giveaways, lottery draws, money off promotions and reminders to collect a package. 

How Does It Happen?

• One can get counterfeit or used cards at auction sites.

• Sellers overstate the value of the cards on their websites.

• In some cases, the scammer use stolen credit cards and then sells them for cash. 

• There are other ways the crooks may work. For example, they may swap the cards they stole in the previous trip, and the clerks do not realise it is a used card and gives them its full value. Sometimes, the criminals replace the new cards with old ones, which get activated when sold. 

How To Protect Yourself?

• If you get gift certificates, ensure it is valid and accepted by shops.

• Do not buy online- One can buy it from a retailer or a reputable firm instead of an unauthorised seller online. Always carefully examine the card before buying it. 

•  If you see the PIN, ask for a different card and do not buy tampered ones. You can ask the cashier to scan it to ensure it is valid and reflects the balance.  Also, keep the receipt as proof of purchase. 

• You can register the card with the website to check all the related data and report in case of any issues.

• If you are offered any certificate, look for reviews related to it to identify the offers or benefits with a bad reputation. Do not provide your social security numbers and relevant details to get the ticket. 

How To Identify a Scam?

• Unknown firms are offering certificates that you have never heard of before.

• The certificates are offered at a lower price as compared to their value in the marketplace.

• The texts on the certificates are not printed properly, have errors/ mistakes, and do not have the needed security features.

How Does It Happen?

• If a fraudster sells a forged gift card or certificate – the business or the consumer will suffer a loss, so one should try to find out if the cashier accepts the gift receipt or not.

• If the coupons are fake, the stockist will lose out when they try to redeem the voucher from the brand.

• If you suspect fraud, raise concerns and information it to the local authorities.