BBB offers tips on buying, using gift cards safely at Christmas

Gift cards are a popular and easy holiday gift available off the rack at retail stores or bought with a few clicks online.

Recipients love them, too. Better Business Bureau recently reported that according to the National Retail Federation, gift cards are the top-ranking item on many wish lists, with nearly 60 percent of consumers surveyed in a 2019 poll saying they would request gift cards.

Gift cards carry risks, too, and can be exploited by fraudsters, the BBB said. From January to September 2021, nearly 40,000 people reported $148 million stolen using gift cards, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

The nonprofit watchdog’s regional offices warn that those who give and receive gift cards need to check the legal fine print that comes with the card. Gift card recipients may be on the hook for unwanted fees over time.

You can find some great deals on gift cards right before the holidays, but the Better Business Bureau has tips on using them safely. Read the fine print before you buy, and prevent theft by not reading the card number to anyone over the phone.

More:BBB warns that online purchase scams, especially for puppies,

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Better Business Bureau: ‘Tis the season to offer gift cards | Local

 

Do you offer gift cards to your customers? If not, this may be the season to start.

Consumers are expected to spend an average of $1,000 on holiday gifts this year, and most of the people shopping aren’t hoping for traditional presents. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that 56% of consumers would prefer to receive gift cards in their stockings. They’re on more holiday wish lists than electronics, clothing, or jewelry.

For some companies, the timing couldn’t be better. Supply chain shortages have made it harder to acquire some items from large retailers this holiday season, so more shoppers are turning to smaller local businesses to pick up their presents.

As a small business owner, you could end up seeing a larger share of the customer market as a result. If that happens, you want to have as many

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How to duck spam and details breaches with throwaway figures, electronic mail addresses and credit playing cards

Pretend names and throwaway phones applied to be the things of spies. Now they are for everyone, thanks to issues about electronic surveillance.

The Washington Post Aid Desk has recommended “burners” — or pay as you go telephones not tied to your identify — as a previous-ditch option for the privateness mindful. But you can also spin up virtual burner email addresses, cellphone figures and credit history card quantities on the internet to stop organizations from amassing and sharing your genuine information. Burners enable secure you from information breaches, spam and unwanted rates, and they’re straightforward to use.

DoNotPay, which helps make automated instruments that pace up aggravating processes like contesting a speeding ticket or canceling a gymnasium membership, has seen a spike in desire for its fake cellular phone number and credit history card generators given that Apple released its Application Tracking Transparency privacy feature, in accordance to founder

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Hawaii Tourists Arrested More than Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards

  • Two holidaymakers have been arrested Sunday and accused with violating Hawaii’s COVID-19 travel rules, officials said.
  • Officers reported the pair falsified vaccination documents in buy to vacation to the condition.
  • Travelers can deliver proof of vaccination to stay away from a necessary 10-working day quarantine on arrival.

On Sunday, two visitors from the US mainland ended up arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii, in relationship with working with fake vaccination playing cards to journey to the state, officials explained.

Norbert Chung, 57, and Trevor Chung, 19, were being arrested at Daniel K. Inouye Airport immediately after officers accused them of violating the state’s coronavirus travel limitations by falsifying vaccination playing cards, according to investigators. Hawaii’s Safe and sound Travels program requires site visitors to provide evidence of a COVID-19 vaccine to be exempt from a mandatory 10-day quarantine soon after arrival.

In a assertion delivered to Insider, Hawaii’s

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