Loading...

Understanding Gift Card Fraud Part 1: Their prevalence in modern society

Published: March 5, 2015 by Guest Contributor

Gift card fraud

41st_GiftCard_Fraud_InfographicGift cards have risen in popularity over the last few years— National Retail Federation anticipated more than $31B in gift card sales during the 2014 holiday season alone. Gift cards are the most requested gift item, and they have been for eight years in a row. Total gift card sales for 2014 were anticipated to top $100 Billion.

Gift cards are a practical gift–the purchaser can let the recipient pick exactly what they want, eliminating the worry of picking something that doesn’t fit right, that is a duplicate, or something that the recipient just might not want. They are also incredibly convenient, quick, and easy to purchase. The stigma behind gift cards is starting to fade, and it no longer seems as though they are an impersonal gifting option.

Additionally, the type of gift cards available has expanded greatly in the last few years. If you are of the procrastinating nature, there are eGift Cards or eCertificates, which can be emailed in a matter of minutes to the recipient. If you are truly unsure what to purchase altogether, you can give an open-loop card, which are usually branded by Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, and can be used anywhere their logo appears.

It also seems like a quick win for merchants to carry gift cards. The overhead cost to store them is extremely low because a small box of gift cards takes up very little space. When customers come in to redeem their GC, they usually spend more than the original value of the card itself, thus allowing for additional revenue capture.

Something else that merchants have started doing in this big data world we live in is tying gift cards to consumer loyalty programs. Reloadable cards are now linked to a specific customer, who can also tie their credit card to the account, which is automatically charged once their account is below a pre-defined threshold. These new consumer loyalty accounts can be used to track spending history, tailor offers to the specific customer, and continue to expand on the immersive brand experience.

Recently, a certain Mexican-themed fast food establishment launched their new mobile app; in the app, you could pre-order food, send and redeem eGCs, and find the nearest location. I don’t even eat at this establishment, but the innovation of their app was so enticing that I installed it the morning it came out, purchased an eGC for my husband, and pre-ordered breakfast. It was extremely easy and convenient, and I got a free taco! Now they have my soul. Okay, maybe not my soul, but they have my credit card data, purchasing preferences, device information, and location, which is almost the same thing at this point. After the experience I found myself asking why other merchants haven’t already done this or why it hasn’t taken off yet. This is a great example of how gift cards and emerging technology are being used as a marketing tool to entice consumers to build up a customer base.

In the rare instance that a gift recipient does not actually find value in their gift card (the horror!) there’s a multitude of options for trading them in or redeeming for cash. Some well-known websites for trade-in are Giftcard Granny, Card Hub, and raise.com; it’s also incredibly common to find discounted GCs for sale on eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook groups. A couple familiar names that have recently entered into the mix are Wal-Mart and CoinStar. You can now exchange your physical gift card for cash at a specific CoinStar machines, and if you don’t feel like leaving your home, you can exchange your card online with Wal-Mart, and they will provide you with a Wal-Mart gift card that can be redeemed online or in stores. It’s such common practice that you can find articles on this topic on local, national, and 24-hour news websites.

This tremendous revenue booster does not come free of risk, however. We know that fraudsters are clever and opportunistic. They will penetrate every weakness possible and take advantage of programs that are being used to enhance the consumer experience. But are they really stealing all these gift cards for personal gain and taking all of their friends out to their favorite local coffee shop for free drinks? Stay tuned for the second part of this blog that talks more about the fraud risks associated with gift cards and what you can do to mitigate them.

Please note: *The use of GC/eGC is used interchangeably.

Related Posts

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus at nisl nunc. Sed et nunc a erat vestibulum faucibus. Sed fermentum placerat mi aliquet vulputate. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Maecenas ante dolor, venenatis vitae neque pulvinar, gravida gravida quam. Phasellus tempor rhoncus ante, ac viverra justo scelerisque at. Sed sollicitudin elit vitae est lobortis luctus. Mauris vel ex at metus cursus vestibulum lobortis cursus quam. Donec egestas cursus ex quis molestie. Mauris vel porttitor sapien. Curabitur tempor velit nulla, in tempor enim lacinia vitae. Sed cursus nunc nec auctor aliquam. Morbi fermentum, nisl nec pulvinar dapibus, lectus justo commodo lectus, eu interdum dolor metus et risus. Vivamus bibendum dolor tellus, ut efficitur nibh porttitor nec. Pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Maecenas facilisis pellentesque urna, et porta risus ornare id. Morbi augue sem, finibus quis turpis vitae, lobortis malesuada erat. Nullam vehicula rutrum urna et rutrum. Mauris convallis ac quam eget ornare. Nunc pellentesque risus dapibus nibh auctor tempor. Nulla neque tortor, feugiat in aliquet eget, tempus eget justo. Praesent vehicula aliquet tellus, ac bibendum tortor ullamcorper sit amet. Pellentesque tempus lacus eget aliquet euismod. Nam quis sapien metus. Nam eu interdum orci. Sed consequat, lectus quis interdum placerat, purus leo venenatis mi, ut ullamcorper dui lorem sit amet nunc. Donec semper suscipit quam eu blandit. Sed quis maximus metus. Nullam efficitur efficitur viverra. Curabitur egestas eu arcu in cursus. H1 asdf asdf H2 H3 H4 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum dapibus ullamcorper ex, sed congue massa. Duis at fringilla nisi. Aenean eu nibh vitae quam auctor ultrices. Donec consequat mattis viverra. Morbi sed egestas ante. Vivamus ornare nulla sapien. Integer mollis semper egestas. Cras vehicula erat eu ligula commodo vestibulum. Fusce at pulvinar urna, ut iaculis eros. Pellentesque volutpat leo non dui aliquet, sagittis auctor tellus accumsan. Curabitur nibh mauris, placerat sed pulvinar in, ullamcorper non nunc. Praesent id imperdiet lorem. H5 Curabitur id purus est. Fusce porttitor tortor ut ante volutpat egestas. Quisque imperdiet lobortis justo, ac vulputate eros imperdiet ut. Phasellus erat urna, pulvinar id turpis sit amet, aliquet dictum metus. Fusce et dapibus ipsum, at lacinia purus. Vestibulum euismod lectus quis ex porta, eget elementum elit fermentum. Sed semper convallis urna, at ultrices nibh euismod eu. Cras ultrices sem quis arcu fermentum viverra. Nullam hendrerit venenatis orci, id dictum leo elementum et. Sed mattis facilisis lectus ac laoreet. Nam a turpis mattis, egestas augue eu, faucibus ex. Integer pulvinar ut risus id auctor. Sed in mauris convallis, interdum mi non, sodales lorem. Praesent dignissim libero ligula, eu mattis nibh convallis a. Nunc pulvinar venenatis leo, ac rhoncus eros euismod sed. Quisque vulputate faucibus elit, vitae varius arcu congue et. Ut maximus felis quis diam accumsan suscipit. Etiam tellus erat, ultrices vitae molestie ut, bibendum id ipsum. Aenean eu dolor posuere, tincidunt libero vel, mattis mauris. Aliquam erat volutpat. Sed sit amet placerat nulla. Mauris diam leo, iaculis eget turpis a, condimentum laoreet ligula. Nunc in odio imperdiet, tincidunt velit in, lacinia urna. Aenean ultricies urna tempor, condimentum sem eget, aliquet sapien. Ut convallis cursus dictum. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Ut eleifend eget erat vitae tempor. Nam tempus pulvinar dui, ac auctor augue pharetra nec. Sed magna augue, interdum a gravida ac, lacinia quis erat. Pellentesque fermentum in enim at tempor. Proin suscipit, odio ut lobortis semper, est dolor maximus elit, ac fringilla lorem ex eu mauris. Phasellus vitae elit et dui fermentum ornare. Vestibulum non odio nec nulla accumsan feugiat nec eu nibh. Cras tincidunt sem sed lacinia mollis. Vivamus augue justo, placerat vel euismod vitae, feugiat at sapien. Maecenas sed blandit dolor. Maecenas vel mauris arcu. Morbi id ligula congue, feugiat nisl nec, vulputate purus. Nunc nec aliquet tortor. Maecenas interdum lectus a hendrerit tristique. Ut sit amet feugiat velit. Test Yes asedtsdfd asdf asdf adsf Related Posts

Published: March 1, 2025 by Jon Mostajo, test user

Romance scams target individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Financial institutions need to protect their customers from these schemes.

Published: February 5, 2025 by Alex Lvoff

As data breaches become an ever-growing threat to businesses, the role of employees in maintaining cybersecurity has never been more critical. Did you know that 82% of data breaches involve the human element1 , such as phishing, stolen credentials, or social engineering tactics? These statistics reveal a direct connection between employee identity theft and business vulnerabilities. In this blog, we’ll explore why protecting your employees’ identities is essential to reducing data breach risk, how employee-focused identity protection programs, and specifically employee identity protection, improve both cybersecurity and employee engagement, and how businesses can implement comprehensive solutions to safeguard sensitive data and enhance overall workforce well-being. The Rising Challenge: Data Breaches and Employee Identity Theft The past few years have seen an exponential rise in data breaches. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there were 1,571 data compromises in the first half of 2024, impacting more than 1.1 billion individuals – a 490% increase year over year2. A staggering proportion of these breaches originated from compromised employee credentials or phishing attacks. Explore Experian's Employee Benefits Solutions The Link Between Employee Identity Theft and Cybersecurity Risks Phishing and Social EngineeringPhishing attacks remain one of the top strategies used by cybercriminals. These attacks often target employees by exploiting personal information stolen through identity theft. For example, a cybercriminal who gains access to an employee's compromised email or social accounts can use this information to craft realistic phishing messages, tricking them into divulging sensitive company credentials. Compromised Credentials as Entry PointsCompromised employee credentials were responsible for 16% of breaches and were the costliest attack vector, averaging $4.5 million per breach3. When an employee’s identity is stolen, it can give hackers a direct line to your company’s network, jeopardizing sensitive data and infrastructure. The Cost of DowntimeBeyond the financial impact, data breaches disrupt operations, erode customer trust, and harm your brand. For businesses, the average downtime from a breach can last several weeks – time that could otherwise be spent growing revenue and serving clients. Why Businesses Need to Prioritize Employee Identity Protection Protecting employee identities isn’t just a personal benefit – it’s a strategic business decision. Here are three reasons why identity protection for employees is essential to your cybersecurity strategy: 1. Mitigate Human Risk in Cybersecurity Employee mistakes, often resulting from phishing scams or misuse of credentials, are a leading cause of breaches. By equipping employees with identity protection services, businesses can significantly reduce the likelihood of stolen information being exploited by fraudsters and cybercriminals. 2. Boost Employee Engagement and Financial Wellness Providing identity protection as part of an employee benefits package signals that you value your workforce’s security and well-being. Beyond cybersecurity, offering such protections can enhance employee loyalty, reduce stress, and improve productivity. Employers who pair identity protection with financial wellness tools can empower employees to monitor their credit, secure their finances, and protect against fraud, all of which contribute to a more engaged workforce. 3. Enhance Your Brand Reputation A company’s cybersecurity practices are increasingly scrutinized by customers, stakeholders, and regulators. When you demonstrate that you prioritize not just protecting your business, but also safeguarding your employees’ identities, you position your brand as a leader in security and trustworthiness. Practical Strategies to Protect Employee Identities and Reduce Data Breach Risk How can businesses take actionable steps to mitigate risks and protect their employees? Here are some best practices: Offer Comprehensive Identity Protection Solutions A robust identity protection program should include: Real-time monitoring for identity theft Alerts for suspicious activity on personal accounts Data and device protection to protect personal information and devices from identity theft, hacking and other online threats Fraud resolution services for affected employees Credit monitoring and financial wellness tools Leading providers like Experian offer customizable employee benefits packages that provide proactive identity protection, empowering employees to detect and resolve potential risks before they escalate. Invest in Employee Education and Training Cybersecurity is only as strong as your least-informed employee. Provide regular training sessions and provide resources to help employees recognize phishing scams, understand the importance of password hygiene, and learn how to avoid oversharing personal data online. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) MFA adds an extra layer of security, requiring employees to verify their identity using multiple credentials before accessing sensitive systems. This can drastically reduce the risk of compromised credentials being misused. Partner with a Trusted Identity Protection Provider Experian’s suite of employee benefits solutions combines identity protection with financial wellness tools, helping your employees stay secure while also boosting their financial confidence. Only Experian can offer these integrated solutions with unparalleled expertise in both identity protection and credit monitoring. Conclusion: Identity Protection is the Cornerstone of Cybersecurity The rising tide of data breaches means that businesses can no longer afford to overlook the role of employee identity in cybersecurity. By prioritizing identity protection for employees, organizations can reduce the risk of costly breaches and also create a safer, more engaged, and financially secure workforce. Ready to protect your employees and your business? Take the next step toward safeguarding your company’s future. Learn more about Experian’s employee benefits solutions to see how identity protection and financial wellness tools can transform your workplace security and employee engagement. Learn more 1 2024 Experian Data Breach Response Guide 2 Identity Theft Resource Center. H1 2024 Data Breach Analysis 3 2023 IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report

Published: January 28, 2025 by Stefani Wendel

Subscribe to our blog

Enter your name and email for the latest updates.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Subscribe to our Experian Insights blog

Don't miss out on the latest industry trends and insights!
Subscribe