Chinese nationals arrested in connection with an international crime ring targeting New Hampshire shoppers.

[steve from amherst]

Concord police said the two were involved in an elaborate gift card scheme that, according to court documents, spans the country.

Carter said the scheme involves stealing gift cards off the rack, then carefully opening the packaging to get barcode and PIN information. The gift cards are then brought back to the store.

 

"They use software to run the gift card numbers constantly, so when someone buys one, they get notified right away that now there's funds on that card," Carter said.

The scammers then steal the money, leaving the consumer with a useless gift card.

According to court documents, the fraud scheme is highly organized, sophisticated and leads to millions of dollars in losses for consumers and retailers nationwide.

"It's so sophisticated," Carter said. "They're taking extreme steps to not only launder the money, but also cover their tracks."

[Mainecat]

It was better when they just sold fake Coach handbags.