Police warning: No gift card without ID and signature

Published 11:44 am Wednesday, December 17, 2014

POULSBO — Police arrested two suspects for using fraudulent gift cards at local businesses, and are asking shops to come forward if they believe the two men visited their store.

“On (Dec. 9), we had at least two bad guys in town that were trying to use fake/fraudulent gift cards to make store purchases or buy additional gift cards,” Poulsbo Police Chief Al Townsend wrote in an email. “They tried this routine in at least three Poulsbo businesses.”

Kitsap businesses visited by the suspects: Big 5, Sport Haus, and Dahlquist Fine Jewelry in Poulsbo; and Barnes & Noble in Silverdale.

Dahlquist Fine Jewelry caught on to the alleged scam and called police. A description was put out to authorities and the two suspects were arrested at the Seattle ferry terminal. The suspects’ car was seized by the Poulsbo Police Department.

On Dec. 17, Poulsbo Police Detective Valerie Nau said the case is still under investigation. The suspects have been released pending the investigation.

According to Dahlquist owner Rich Koven, two men walked into his store on Dec. 9 and attempted to buy jewelry items that totaled more than $8,000 by using fraudulent gift cards.

According to Koven: “When we asked for ID, they quickly left our store. Our employees wrote down the color and make of the car and the license plate. I contacted Poulsbo police.

“Officer Daniel La France showed up and took our statement, as well as the statement of another business owner where they had tried to use the same fraudulent cards. By chance, an off-duty officer saw these same two people trying to make a purchase earlier in the day and remembered they said they were from Seattle. Poulsbo Police then contacted Bainbridge Island Police and the ferry system and had them look for the car.

“By pure luck, the car was on a ferry heading to Seattle. They were met by police that arrested one on warrants and impounded the car to be searched later.

“Thanks to smart and quick thinking by our police, many businesses were saved from potential losses.”

According to KOMO News, the Poulsbo Police Department said it recovered 92 stolen or fraudulent credit, debit and gift cards as well as other stolen items.

“Poulsbo Police Department said the men tried to use the cards in three other businesses,” KOMO News reported. “Investigators said they believe they were using stolen credit and debit cards to load up gift cards, even using them to buy tablets from Barnes and Noble.”

Detective Nau offered this advice to businesses that accept debit and credit cards:

— Ask for identification with signature. Gift cards must have an authorized signature, like any regular charge or debit card. Don’t accept an unsigned card or a card without ID.

— Cards can be altered several ways. Some suspects may affix numbers from another card onto the gift card, or repunch the numbers. Run your finger over the front and back of the cards. You’ll be able to feel if the card has been altered.

— Don’t hand key the card numbers. Sometimes, a suspect may affix numbers from a stolen card to the front and demagnetize the card so the numbers have to be hand keyed. If the card doesn’t slide, don’t accept it.

“Big 5, Sport Haus, and Dahlquists all refused the cards because of no identification and they refused to hand key the numbers,” Nau said.