Police are warning consumers about a massive gift card scam that could make the holidays anything but merry this year.

While giving gift cards is an easy way to give family and friends exactly what they want for Christmas and other occasions, gift cards that have been compromised are worth nothing to the recipients on your holiday shopping list.

Fraudulent Gift Cards Involving Kroger, Amazon, Target, and Others Uncovered

Police in St. Matthews, Kentucky have busted four men at the center of a crime ring linked to fraudulent gift cards totaling more than $1 million. WLKY reports that the organized crime scheme affected people across the country.

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Here's how the gift card scam works:

Thieves are accused of obtaining unactivated gift cards from major retailers and then recording their serial numbers. The cards were then resealed into their original packages and placed back on store shelves or racks. Then, after the cards are purchased and activated, the thieves would allegedly steal the money that was loaded onto the cards.

A Kroger store employee grew suspicious when he saw a man spending an inordinate amount of time in the store's gift card section.

Be Cautious When Purchasing Gift Cards

Police shared tips for consumers with WLKY about buying gift cards from Kroger or other major retailers.

  • Inspect the packaging. If a gift card appears to be tampered with, don't buy it.
  • Keep the activation code receipt and pass it along to gift card recipients.
  • Consider purchasing gift cards directly from the company instead of a rack at a major retailer, or buy gift cards digitally from the company's official website.

Check Out 21 Now-Defunct Stores We All Miss Going to in Michigan

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This Affordable Fenton Home Has a Sweet Indoor Pool

If the drudgery of opening and closing a pool every season is overwhelming, this affordable home on Lake Shannon in Fenton solves that problem nicely.

Gallery Credit: George McIntyre

The Most Popular Fast Food Restaurants in Michigan

What are the most popular fast-food restaurants here in Michigan? If you're automatically assuming that the chain with the Golden Arches has the most locations, you're in for a shock.

As you take a look at the pics below, see if you can figure out which location we've featured. All pictures are from the greater Flint area, and we've left in just enough background for you to be able to make an educated guess.

The answers are below.

By the way, the ranking is based on the restaurants with the most locations in The Mitten, based on data from the Friendly City Lab at Georgia Tech. Their numbers are based on data compiled in 2021, so some numbers may have fluctuated since then.

Gallery Credit: George McIntyre