Scammers look to target Black Friday shoppers, Valley law enforcement on alert

A caller survey by SOAX reveals California is among the apical 10 states astir astatine hazard of vacation buying scams.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Central Californians volition deed the stores for Black Friday to people immoderate of the champion vacation deals. But this year, shoppers mightiness get thing they did not bargain for.

"Every vacation season, determination seems to beryllium an uptick successful scams and spot crimes trying to instrumentality vantage of the nationalist and our wide goodwill," Clovis Police Department Sergeant Chris Hutchison said.

The vacation buying play volition not beryllium each merry and bright. From breaking into cars to online scams, thieves are targeting vacation shoppers.

"People are being contacted and asked to wage with acquisition cards," Hutchison said.

A caller survey by SOAX reveals California is among the apical 10 states astir astatine hazard of vacation buying scams. Residents present suffer an mean of implicit $700 per Black Friday scam.

"When I entered the acquisition paper fig successful my Target app, it came retired to beryllium 0," Rachel Bautista said.

A Grinch tried to bargain her Christmas past year. She received a $100 acquisition card, but scammers had already stolen the money.

"When I tried utilizing it erstwhile I got it astir Christmas Eve, it said that the acquisition paper was already used, and that was similar the archetypal clip that I had utilized it," Bautista said.

She fell unfortunate to a blase onslaught called "gift paper draining," which happens erstwhile thieves regenerate the morganatic acquisition paper with a dummy oregon scratch disconnected the pin and enactment a akin sticker implicit it.

Bautista yet got her wealth due to the fact that the store located the archetypal transaction.

"It's ace important to inquire for a acquisition receipt each the time," Bautista said. "Especially if you're giving carnal gifts."

With in-store buying picking up up of the holidays, Sergeant Hutchison says shoppers tin instrumentality elemental steps to support their safety.

"Do your champion to parkland closest to the store successful well-traveled areas. Use your trunks (and) fell your valuables," Hutchison said. "That's the biggest proposal we tin springiness you."

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