BBB warns of gift card scams this holiday shopping season

Some consumer experts are calling gift cards the gift that keeps on giving, as they are expected to be one of the most given gifts this holiday season.

"Gift cards are great to give especially when you’re on a budget because it really helps you stick to a set dollar amount," consumer blogger Andrea Woroch said.

Woroch talked about a number of discount deals on gift cards that shoppers can take advantage of, even scoring a free gift card with an item purchased.

"If you’re savvy about it, you can use that free gift card that you got with purchase and use it as a second gift," she explained.

However, deals on gift cards aren’t the only thing consumers should be looking out for this shopping season according to Simone Williams with the Better Business Bureau.

"We understand that gift cards are easy to give and easy to receive, but you just have to be very careful," said Williams.

Williams said crooks are using the cards as a way to steal consumers' money. She said a popular method for scammers is going into the grocery store, copying the serial number and activation pin off cards on the display rack and then waiting for someone else to actually purchase those cards.

"They can monitor and then quickly use the card once they see that the card is activated," she explained.

The Better Business Bureau recommends carefully checking for any tears in the packaging, scratches on the card that might indicate the activation code has been compromised, or other signs that a sticker was placed over the original bar code.

If something seems suspicious, Williams says to talk to a store employee. Buyers will also want to think twice about purchasing gift cards on resale sites like Ebay, Facebook Marketplace or another unverified source.

You can report gift cards used in a scam to the store where you purchased it, with your local police department or on the Federal Trade Commission’s website.