A Gift that Doesn’t Give Back

A local non-profit organization was the victim of a new scam called “Gift Card Draining,” but thanks to the work of the La Grange Police Department a suspect has been arrested and charged with the crime.

The investigation began April 20, when a member of that local La Grange non-profit contacted the police and informed them that the raffle winner of $500 gift card tried to use the card and there was no money on it.

The police were able to find out that all the money had been spent on charges at businesses in La Grange and Sealy, and eventually the police were able to arrest and charge Tyson Paul Schimcek, 33, of Weimar with the crime.  What Schimcek is alleged to have done, and what is becoming a new crime trend in larger cities, La Grange Police Chief David Gilbreath said,  is to have gone to a retailer where gift cards are on display and written down the ID numbers on gift cards. Often those numbers are under an area that needs to be scratched off. That area is scratched off and then the criminals re-apply a sticker that can be purchased online to make it look like the area was never scratched off. The criminals put the cards back on the shelf and then every few days check online to see if the cards with the ID numbers they now know, have been activated and loaded with money.  Once the cards are activated they spend the money using the gift card numbers...

To read the rest of this story please log in or subscribe to the digital edition. http://etypeservices.com/Fayette%20County%20RecordID96/