I just got sent this from a friend and I wanted to pass the info along. I guess this happened at the Hooksett Walmart.

Thanks Gram gram.

This might be a way to be safe - pay for the card(s) in a separate transaction and if they're fraudulent dispute the chargers?

Sadly, it may be a while before people realize they're empty. :(

So basically an employee is doing this? Cause how else would someone go unnoticed opening and taking pictures of all these cards?

Is this a real thing or like the “watch out for drugs in Halloween candy” thing?

From where they are manufactured…

No one can use the funds on the card without the pin#. If the pin is scratched off do not buy the card.

You can buy scratch off stickers on Amazon. OP stated it was covered up

Customer goes in and grabs a stack and takes them to their car or home as they aren't tagged for security and can go passed scanner. Takes photos and replaced scratch off. Takes them back in and puts them back on rack in store.

Only buy the cards where the entire cardboard back panel of the card holder has to be removed to be scanned for purchase, as even the PIN area is covered on them. I generally find that kind of card at the displays of gift cards in Home Depot. That, or you can buy the gift cards online directly from banks.

Do walmart cards work in NH?

I tried to use $100 worth from a couple of holidays and couldn't get them to work online or in the store. No one in the store was able to help or give clear answers, nor when I called to ask about them. Phone number on the cards themselves is a robo-phone-tree, with no way to speak to a human being.

Sounds like someone bought a card, got scammed by a catfish, and now is trying to claim it's someone else's doing.

Let me guess, those porn popups also "just happened" to you, and you don't know why they are there.

They did. Also, by law in New Hampshire, gift cards do not expire.

That's what I read.

I kind of gave up on the cards. I believe I still have them, but can't activate them online, can't use them in stores, phone number on the back of the card is a dead-end, and nobody in stores can seem to help.

All in all, I would just encourage people to avoid Walmart gift-cards. That's $100 either stolen or just lost in a broken system, which is essence stolen by the company.

I suppose you could do a chargeback if you bought them with a credit card. I'd just get something in writing from Walmart showing they're being unhelpful.

Nah, that's the awkward part. They're christmas gifts from a non-immediate relative I don't talk to often. I don't think it's worth saying anything.

Thanks for the tip, OP. Last year a few of those showed up around NH. I ended up giving cold, hard cash for Xmas last year. Saved me $6 a card, so win-win, and I used the $6 to actually buy a Hallmark card.

Good guesses.

May one also assume this person did great homework to determine it was an Asian website that wipes it clean. There’s only roughly 50 countries in Asia. And who knew there were websites that went around to commit fraud specifically at a Walmart in Hookset.

/s

If it's covered up by a sticker vs the scratch off material that'd be an indication it's been uncovered. They mention "cvs sticker" and every gift card I've ever used had the same material on it as a lottery scratcher. If those could be easily put back on it would destroy the entire gambling scratcher industry.

I'm guessing the latter.

I will say on some gift cards I've bought before the scratch off material is on a piece of plastic? or some material unlike actual scratch tickets. I have definitely pulled off the scratch portion on gift cards before. Sometimes I've tried to see if I can get it off without having to find a penny. However, if I recall I don't think you can even access the scratch off portion without tampering with the paper holder the card is in? but I forget.

Regardless I think one should see some signs of tampering if the scratch off was removed in some fashion.

Nah, this really happens. Got a visa gift card as a present a week or two ago, opened it up fresh out of the package and it didn't work. Went to check the balance and it had already been wiped at a Target in Irvine, CA, just the day after it was bought for me and before I even received it

Lottery tickets are heavily monitored for fraud and locked up in stores. Gift cards are not.

The scratch off on a ticket isn't a sticker like it is with cards either

A few things:

here's a story of it happening out of Boston.

It's a very common scam on these cards for thieves to steal a bunch and save all the information. Bots can be used to check balances. As soon as it's activated, they swipe whatever balance is on it.

2: some of the GC sites allow you to see most recent access to the numbers via IP, in which case, yes, you can guarantee where the person is from.

3: y'all are both assholes.

Huh that must be a change then to save costs. It's been a fair minute since I sold them so they must have changed in the last decade or two.

Oh damn. I've honestly never heard of this, that's pretty shitty.

Serious question: why do people pay money to buy these things?

Indeed. Sounds like MasterCard is going to hook me up but can take up to 90 days apparently

LOL. Next time don’t shit post unfounded racially slanted web clips.

I am appreciative of the link you just sent. In the future share an article like that, as it is more constructive and informative than a random Facebook post that is not fact checked and propagates bad information.

I'm not OP, chuckle nuts. Learn to read.

Man the insults….

🖤

Just give cash.

Happened to me as well. One of those vanilla cards, brand new unopened. Got no help from the retailer or card company.

Don't trust them, I got one brand new, unopened, untampered and it was drained.

It happened to me, vanilla gift card. Unopened, original packaging intact, drained of funds. I have no idea how they could do it but someone figured it out.

More convenient for the customer.

Thanks for the heads up 👍🏼

Store clerk once told me not to buy them. Says the gal at Sams Club- they get the codes and wipe the funds once loaded- I just give cookies…. Who doesn’t want cookies??

Husband got a $1000 (!!) Visa card from work. Went to use it and it was completely empty. Visa said there was nothing they could do 🫠 Happens alllll the time — don’t buy these things!

Pastor says to bring prepaidcards to church. service Sundays fo r the church or we will.go to hell. Gloria from knittin group. Said it happend to. Her neice

🙏

Guess what is in Irvine? A shitload of payment processing companies that have access to these gift cards. 360incentives is one of them. Sheisters.

First problem, going to the cesspool that is Walmart. Stop fucking buying stuff at wal mart. I literally have hundreds in wal mart gift cards from family members and refuse to step foot in one.

Though sounds like they were wiped clean 😂

Thoughts and prayers

>I literally have hundreds in wal mart gift cards from family members and refuse to step foot in one.

Which gives them the full value of the gift card, rather than just the profit on the items you would purchase. Assuming these were prepaid gift cards your referencing.

Last time I ever bought gift cards was to do the 36 month Xbox live gold to game pass ultimate upgrade discount trick.

They could just use online shopping and delivery.

Please show to Jim

Tell me more about this trick and if it still works 🤔

This looks like a bot wrote this after being trained on elderly Facebook comments. You hit the nail on the head.

Yes. I am gifted These cards from family members, who have the memory of a gold fish and as much creativity too so instead of getting a thoughtful gift I get wal mart gift cards I’ve never used and no real gifts lol. If they want to give money to wal mart that’s fine I just don’t go to wal mart because it’s trashy.

I could do that and get, I won’t.

Why don't you simply return the gift cards, then?

can I have them?

You paid a fee to load a pre-paid card?

That's not...illegal, but I can't think of any major big box retailer using visa/mastercard gift cards that does this?

Hahaha! Thanks! r/oldpeopleFacebook helps

Sure. Probably long expired or maintenance fees dwindled the $25 down to nothing lol

I’d have to go wal mart. I gave one to my sister bc she needs help

Uhhhhh, all the cards charge a fee to purchase them. Have you ever bought one?

Gift cards under a $100 do not expire in NH. Maintenance fees are a thing though unfortunately.

https://www.unionleader.com/nh/about_nh/new-hampshires-unique-gift-certificate-law-protects-consumers/article_20565014-8844-5c28-9102-155dda7813ee.html

You misunderstand me. I meant return them to the people who gave them to you as a gift, so they can redeem the cards themselves and get their money back that way.

Apparently not...or I'm crazy. I purchased a few vendor specific ones at walmart the other day, 50 each, and definitely was only charged 100 american pesos.

In many cases money spend on gift cards needs to be held as unrealized funds until the gift card expires. In NH gift cards under $100 don't expire, and Walmart does not charge maintenance fees. In essence sure they have the money, but they cannot use it.

I don’t think either of those first two claims are true.

I’m fairly confident they can use the money and they can definitely eventually use it, and I know for a fact the threshold isn’t $100.

Even if I’m wrong and you’re right, Walmart is still better off now than before the cards were purchased and kept.

Ah. Because it’s my nana and aunt and both would be offended. They’re Italian. if they ask, I make something up and say “yeah thanks I bought half a pair of pants” since $25 bucks can’t buy too much anymore.

Ah. That’s cool to know. If I get a gift card I’ll put it in the wallet intending to use it but typically will forget until at least the third trip. I’m kind of just bad with money.

Username checks out.

Haha sure does. Only about certain subjects. At least I give the disclaimer. Also fuck wal mart.

That guy is a moron. Who pays a fee for a gift card?