New Hampshire Gift Card Scam Ring Busted: Implications for Apple Card Buyers
A sophisticated criminal operation centered in New Hampshire has been dismantled by local police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The ring, allegedly run by Chinese nationals, stole Apple gift card data from retail stores by carefully opening packages to record PINs before resealing them. Once activated by unsuspecting customers, the funds were drained to purchase high-value Apple hardware like iPhones and MacBooks. New Hampshire was chosen for these purchases due to its lack of sales tax, maximizing illicit profits. The devices were then shipped to a local warehouse, repackaged, and sold to gray-market importers in China, Dubai, and South America. Authorities seized approximately 4,000 iPhones valued at $8-9 million in one raid, charging nearly 20 individuals with wire fraud and related crimes. The investigation also revealed a murder linked to a warehouse robbery. With gift card scams causing over $212 million in losses in 2024, experts advise consumers to buy digital cards directly from trusted sources or inspect physical cards for tampering to avoid falling victim to similar fraud schemes.
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