CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A Miami Gardens man was arrested after allegedly planting dozens of tampered gift cards in a Cape Coral Walmart in a widespread scam targeting unsuspecting customers.
Sebastian Garcia Gallego, 25, was caught Wednesday afternoon by Cape Coral Police after a Walmart loss prevention officer spotted him on surveillance slipping altered cards onto a display rack at the Del Prado Boulevard location.
According to police, Gallego had already placed more than 50 tampered cards in the store and was found with 200 additional cards in his vehicle. He later admitted to traveling city to city to conduct similar scams for pay.
“What happens is, people buy these cards, but when they try to use them, the money is rerouted to the scammer,” explained Lisa Greenberg, public affairs officer for the Cape Coral Police Department. “The customer ends up losing their money.”
Police say this is a common fraud tactic where the card’s barcode and PIN are stolen, then the card is resealed and returned to the shelf, ready to be unknowingly purchased by a victim.
Walmart managers pulled all gift cards from the display and contacted authorities immediately after the incident.
Gallego now faces charges of grand theft, fraud, and property damage. Authorities are warning other retailers, as Gallego reportedly hit multiple stores across Florida.
Police urge shoppers to keep their gift card receipts, as it may be the only way to seek reimbursement in the event of fraud.
