(Austin) — Texas officials are warning the public about a massive fraud scheme that could impact gift cards sold statewide.
The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) recently arrested three men accused of stealing approximately $14 million from gift cards at stores ranging from Dallas-Fort Worth to Central Texas and across the Gulf Coast.
FCIC officials say the scam involves a process known as gift card cloning. The agency is urging consumers to closely examine gift card packaging before purchasing and to look for any excess glue or damage.
Texas Penal Code 32.56 went into effect this September and targets those who fraudulently use, possess, or tamper with gift cards.
The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center is the state’s fusion center that coordinates law enforcement investigations related to organized financial crimes. The FCIC is staffed by law enforcement officers and analysts with extensive experience in financial and organized crime investigations.
These crimes include gas pump skimming, ATM skimming, point-of-sale skimming, check forgery, fuel theft, and numerous other forms of organized financial crime. The FCIC works with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as financial, fuel, and retail industries, to protect consumers and the Texas economy.