Key Points:
- Police arrested a man after CVS staff reported suspicious activity involving gift cards.
- Officers reported finding 36 cards and tools used to open and reseal packaging.
- Police urge shoppers to inspect packaging and security coverings before buying gift cards.
Why It Matters: Tampered gift cards can appear unopened, allowing someone to drain the balance after an unsuspecting shopper loads money onto them.
Wilton Police arrested a New York man Tuesday, Nov. 10, after investigating suspected gift card tampering in the parking lot of the Wilton Center CVS at 93 Old Ridgefield Rd.
Chunlin Wang, 35, of Flushing, N.Y., was charged with 36 counts of second-degree forgery and one count of attempted second-degree larceny.
Officers responded around 2:13 p.m. to a report of a man holding numerous gift cards inside a parked vehicle. Police said they found 36 gift cards and tools used to open packaging, remove protective foil covering card numbers and reseal the packages. Cards in apparently unopened packaging had exposed serial numbers, police said.
Police described a scheme in which people record gift card numbers and PINs, reseal the packaging and return the cards to store displays. After a customer purchases and loads money onto a card, someone with the information can drain its balance.
Police credited CVS staff with reporting the suspicious activity and estimated potential losses associated with the cards at $14,400.
Wang’s bond was set at $500,000. He was scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court Thursday, Nov. 12.
Police urged shoppers to check gift cards for altered packaging, exposed PINs or serial numbers and missing or replaced security coverings. Anyone who spots a suspicious card should notify store staff and choose another.
