The auto-load features sync with a store's app and automatically refill from a bank account or credit card when the balance gets low. Scammers can hack into your system and discover e-gift cards, especially those with auto-load features, like some that are tied to apps for fast food restaurants or coffee shops. Unpacking gift card fraud: A glimpse into the mind of a hacker All from a “harmless” and all-too-common holiday gift. This kind of infiltration also makes gift card givers and recipients vulnerable to phishing scams, which can quickly infect their system with malware. And if they gain access to the username and password tied to a virtual gift card, fraudsters can also use it to access other accounts that use the same credentials. “Hackers will reroute miles and loyalty points to monetize the value in the credits into gift cards,” says Lourenco. Once they hack into the credit card used to purchase the gift card, scammers even make their way into your card’s loyalty program. Once the cards are activated by a legitimate purchase, the fraudsters will transfer balances to another card or sell the card.” “Hackers can also acquire gift card numbers in bulk from merchants, reward programs, etc.

“They can scratch off the PIN number protection and replace it with stickers sold online.”Į-gift card information can be stolen, “in a number of ways including phishing, SQL injection, social engineering, fraudulent employees or accidental disclosure,” adds Lourenco. “Gift cards that are displayed and accessible to shoppers in stores are easy targets for fraudsters,” says Lourenco. But first, they need access to the gift card’s account number (and sometimes its PIN), which they can steal with a magnetic stripe reader or just by taking pictures of gift cards in the store before you even purchase them. “Fraudsters have creative ways of committing gift card fraud,” Lourenco tells Yahoo Life.

Fantasy grounds 2 cards