Michigan and other states are slapping tougher penalties on gift card scammers. Why you don't want to answer innocuous texts during the holiday rush.

He faces up to 20 years in prison, officials said.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Gift cards have long been a popular holiday gift and a go-to for shoppers in a pinch to find a last-minute gift — but they're also ...

Gift card tampering can leave shoppers with an empty balance. Here's how to spot the warning signs and protect your money.

Sinjuan Song, 31, worked with an retail crime ring that swindled Michigan customers at Meijer locations out of money using a gift card scam.

The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation is warning of gift cards scams that convince victims to use gift cards that are activated and loaded with cash as a form of payment. Some of the scams ...

LANSING, Mich. — Gift cards are a convenient holiday present. But if you're not careful, scammers can pounce and use up your Christmas gift right under your nose. “Gift cards are a popular holiday ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Steve Weisman writes about white-collar crime. This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. This voice experience is ...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation this week. State Rep. Mike Harris said gift card fraud is a growing problem that has cost consumers and retailers millions of dollars.

According to the FTC, Americans filed more than 41,000 fraud reports tied to gift card and prepaid card scams in 2024 -- totaling $212 million in losses. And early 2025 data suggests this year is ...

A Mandarin Chinese-speaking immigrant was sentenced for his part in a gift card scam that targeted Florida shoppers. Zhenjun Wei pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of access devices and was sentenced to ...

We’re heading into gift card season, and that comes with its own set of risks, which go beyond your uncle getting you a $5 Starbucks card when you got him a cashmere sweater. “Gift card draining is a ...