MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Ahead of National Consumer Protection Week (March 6-12), the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA) has released two new public service announcements (PSAs) to help educate consumers on fraud involving gift cards. Part of a robust consumer education campaign, the PSAs arm shoppers with tips on how to identify scams, what to do if approached by a fraudster, and how to report the crime.
"Gift cards represent a multi-billion-dollar industry and it's important to us that each consumer gift card experience is positive. While fraud only impacts a small fraction of the total dollar volume spent on gift cards, we want to do what we can to eradicate it and proactively stop criminals from taking advantage of honest consumers," said Laura Parker, Retail Gift Card Association Board Chair. "Like other payment tools, scammers sometimes use gift card funds to victimize consumers. Our PSAs provide valuable educational resources that we hope will put an end to these criminal acts thanks to widespread awareness and resources available to law enforcement entities."
Organizations looking to fight gift card fraud are encouraged to share or post the RGCA's 30 second and 60 second PSAs via social media, on their websites, and via email campaigns. The RGCA has also launched http://www.GiftCardSafety.org, which provides other fraud-fighting resources including:
- Contact information for reporting fraud
- Tips to safeguard gift cards
- Common scams to watch out for
Among the top tips provided to consumers:
- Gift cards can only pay for things from the brand that appears on the card.
- No one should ever demand payment with gift cards. Gift cards cannot be used for bail money, owed taxes, technology support, taxes for winning the lottery.
- If shoppers think someone is trying to scam you, or that they have fallen victim to a scam, they should report fraud to the FTC and contact local law enforcement.
The RGCA's new PSAs were generously sponsored by Best Buy, The Home Depot, The Walt Disney Company, Domino's Pizza Inc., and PLI Card Marketing Solutions.
About the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA)
The Retail Gift Card Association is the nonprofit trade association that represents the closed-loop gift category. The Association's mission is to protect, promote and enhance the use of retail gift cards as forms of branded currency and stored value solutions that enable, enrich, and encourage commerce. All RGCA members abide by a Code of Principles that supports consumer-friendly policies for the purchase and redemption of closed-loop gift cards. RGCA's membership is comprised of retailers from all sectors, including restaurants, general merchandise, apparel, sporting and leisure, and non-retailers. For more information, visit us at thergca.org.
Media Contact
Ashley Jackson, The Fletcher Group, +1 (719) 332-3495, [email protected]
SOURCE The Fletcher Group
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