How you can avoid complex gift card scams and package thefts
BOSTON - It seems to be happening more and more each holiday season. People stealing packages off people's porches before they're able to get home and bring it inside.
It happened to a couple in Boston over the weekend. Meredith and Cory said their Dorchester apartment's security camera caught a man allegedly stealing packages from them and their neighbors around six Sunday morning. Despite these packages being placed inside the vestibule, surveillance video shows the man opened the door, grabbed the packages, and placed them in bags before he walked away.
The packages were gifts Meredith had purchased for family members. She is now going through the process of ordering replacements or getting refunds.
"I saw a bag, so I have to think he had some sort of a plan," said Meredith. "It seemed like he was prepared to take multiple things. It's not a good feeling. Just having someone take stuff that you purchased, especially around this time. That wasn't something for me personally it was a gift for other people, my nieces, and nephews."
Meredith is using the experience to warn others this holiday season. "People need to be active and follow the tracking that is provided and get out and pick up your stuff," she said.
Boston police advised residents not to assume that common hallways and back doors are "secure" locations. The department shared safety tips to keep deliveries safe.
It's not just so-called "porch pirates" looking to put a damper on the holiday gift giving, scammers are getting more creative than ever.
Police in Braintree are warning of gift card scams after they arrested two women on Monday for their part in a gift card scamming ring. The women were arrested after stealing gift cards from a CVS.
Police said the women were part of a ring that takes those unpurchased gift cards, records the card information, repackages the cards, before returning them to the store shelves. When they are purchased, the scammers can allegedly spend the money loaded on the card before the recipient.
Braintree police said they found more than 4,600 gift cards in the suspects' car following their arrests.
Cyber security experts like Chris Peltz of GuidePoint Security, said people are uploading more money than ever on gift cards. It is has made it a lucrative business for scammers.
"We are seeing gift card scams become more common and more complex," said Peltz.
He offered this advice for consumers. "You absolutely want to take your time. Make sure no seals have been tampered with and doesn't look like it's been bent or manipulated. I like to buy gift cards from the back of the rack," Peltz said. "They are less likely to be swapped by a scammer."