Surprise Gift Basket Scam: How It Works
(with video below) Everyone loves receiving surprises from a friend or a loved one; it's always a great feeling to know that someone is thinking of you enough to send you flowers or a gift basket. However, when that gift basket comes with a price attached, you could be on the victim end of a fraudulent move. How does the scam work?
Watch the video to see in action the Gift Basket Delivery scam, or read on:
Gift Basket Delivery Scam VideoIn this scam, the victim first receives a phone call. The caller claims to be from a business called "Express Couriers". Politely, the caller informs the recipient that a gift basket is about to be delivered to her attention in about an hour.
Sure enough, a courier (scammer) comes to your door with a beautiful gift basket containing a bottle of wine and fruit or flowers. To verify your being of legal drinking age, the delivery person asks you must pay a $3.50 "verification" charge by swiping your credit or debit card on their device and entering your PIN. They won't take cash. Otherwise, the scam wouldn't work.
There is no card with the basket, and the courier will advise the victim that the card should arrive later, revealing the name of the recipient.
The trouble is, once you have given this complete stranger your credit card and PIN, the only thing that arrives later is the statement from your bank or credit card company advising you that you are now thousands of dollars in debt.
Surprise Gift Basket Delivery Scam: How To Avoid
Be advised that in no way will a delivery person who is bringing you a gift from a third party ever need access to your credit card, and you should never be required to pay any fee to receive a gift.
This, of course, does not include tipping a delivery person, which should never be done via credit or debit card, but in cash. Also, be advised that cards almost always come with the gift being delivered; they will never be "delivered separately" or at a later time.
Surprise Gift Basket Delivery Scam: How To Report
Make your family and friends aware of this scam by sharing it on social media using the buttons provided. You can also officially report the phone number scammers use to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:
How To Protect Yourself More
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