Montreal woman stunned to find her Walmart gift cards drained

After receiving a set ofWalmartgift cards before Christmas, SamanthaVandzuratucked them into a drawer for safekeeping while she went on vacation to Florida.

After returning to Montreala few weeks later, Vandzura decided to use the cards to buybaby supplies and drove to a Walmart.

While at the checkout to pay, a cashier told a shockedVandzuraher cards, valued at $550, were already used and nearly drained of money.

One card was empty. The second had a balance of just over $4.

"I didn't even have my wallet with me," saidVandzura.

Flustered, she quickly headed to the customer service desk, wherea receipt was printed off that showed the cards were used over two days at the end of December in Ontario:BramptonandThornhill.

Impossible,Vandzurasaid, as she had beenin Florida at the time, more than 2,000 kilometres away.

She asked if the purchases were made in person or online, but customer service couldn't tell her.

"They told me that there was nothing that could be done."

Vandzura says shewas then told the cards must have been lost or stolen.

"I told them, "That's impossible they're here,'" saysVandzura,clutching the cards in her hand.

Long fight to get her money back

As soon asVandzuragot to her car, she calledWalmartCanada's gift card departmentand gotan automated response system.

She followed the automated instructionsand scratched off the strip on the back of eachcardthat covers thecard's identification number and PIN, to enter that information into the system.

The strip, meant to protect Walmart's cards from fraud, was intactand did not appear to be tampered with, Vandzurasaid.

Unable to reach a person to speak to, Vandzura hung up and calledWalmartCanada's customer service line.

"They basically just told me their policy is not to refund anything when it comes to gift cards."

Still hoping to get her money back,Vandzurafiled a complaint and was told she wouldget a call back within 48 hours, but that call never came. SoVandzurakept calling every few days, only to be told her complaint had beensent to head office for "escalation."

Curious to see if other consumers were running into the same problem,Vandzurawent online and found several stories similar to her own, in the U.S. in Missouri, there's even a class-action lawsuit contendingWalmartdoesn't do enough to protect its gift cards from thieves.

After three weeks of getting what she describes as the runaround fromWalmart,Vandzurareached out to CBC.

"To be honest, if it wasn't $550, I probably would have given up already," saidVandzura.

Preventing gift card fraud

According to the ConseilQubcois de commerce du dtail, Quebec's retail council,consumers in the province spent $245 million on gift cards last holiday season.

The council keeps no statistics on how much is lost to fraud.

Quebec's Office of Consumer Protection says it hasn't received any complaints.

With so few people reporting this type of fraud, the Montreal police service (SPVM) doesn't have a lot of statistics on gift card fraud.

However, the head of the SPVM's economic crimes unit, Cmdr. DominiqueCt,said fraud victims should call police.

It doesn't guarantee an investigation will be opened, but the information could help police determine if a certain sector is being targeted, he said. If the fraud iscentresonaparticular store, the police could also work with the merchant and check video cameras.

How the hack works

So how do fraudsters hack the cards?

• Typically,fraudstersgrab a gift card off a display rack.
• They peel or scratch off the sticker on the back to get at the card's identification number and PIN.
• The sticker is then replaced with a new one and the card isput back on the display rack.
• The card is purchased, and thefraudsterthen checks to see when it is activated.
• As soon as the card isloaded with money, the fraudster wastes no time using it to buy items online.

Ct encourages consumers to have the cashier check over gift cards before they purchase them, to ensure there has been no tampering.

"That way, you will be sure your card is original and legitimate."

He says merchants can also do their part, by putting the cards behind the counter so they're only accessible to employees.

Watch as Leah shares tips on how to protect yourselfagainst gift card fraud:

How to protect yourself against gift card fraud

5 years ago

Duration 1:31

Reporter Leah Hendry explains how to make sure scammers don't have access to your gift cards.

Not a widespread problem

WalmartCanada told CBC News it issues and processes thousands of gift cards every day.

"The experience this customer has described is unusual," said DianeMedeiros, a spokesperson for the big-box retailer.

Medeirossays gift cards are only activated at the point of purchase by trained associates.

After a card is purchased, the customer is given a receipt that outlines its activation number and the amount of money on it.

Medeiros says the scratch surface protects the gift card's identificationnumber and PIN.

CBC NewsaskedWalmarthow many gift cards were compromised or how much money is lost to gift card fraud, butWalmartrefused to answer.

In a followupemail,Medeiroswould only say ittakes customer concerns seriously.

"WalmartCanada will look at every instance on a case-by-case basis, and work with our customer to investigate any potential fraud and assist where possible," she said.

Gift cards reissued

Shortly afterCBC'sinquiries toWalmartabout Vandzura's experience, the Montrealer'scards were reissued for the full amount.

"I definitely believe that if CBC hadn't reached out to them, that I would have gone months without any advancement," saysVandzura, who is annoyed by what she describes as a wild goose chase.

She does not believe the big-box retailer is doing enough to protect its customers.

After her experience, she says, she won't useWalmartgift cards again, at least not until the company changes its policy on refunds.

She also believes they need to put the gift cards in a safer place. Hercards were bought off a rack, accessible to anyone, and not kept behind a counter, saidVandzura.

"That would ensure that no one, other than the person for whom it was intended, can have access to the information," Vandzura says.