The Compromise<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
I opened the card in the parking lot, found a few clues that the card had been compromised:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I like to think I\u2019m pretty good at spotting compromised gift cards; I\u2019ve found and destroyed upwards of 1,000 over the last decade. In fact as far as I know, I\u2019ve only actually purchased four compromised cards prior to last week. Then last week, my compromised card count increased by an eye-popping 25% (or 2,500 basis points because it sounds even bigger) when I bought a compromised Pathward Mastercard at Kroger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Side note<\/em>: I was already suspicious of that particular gift card because the security flap was too easy to remove, but the store had very low stock, I was in a hurry, and I was heading out of the country later that day, so I threw caution into the wind very stupidly. Don’t be stupid like me, and don’t be afraid to open a gift card in store and inspect it before buying it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I opened the card in the parking lot, found a few clues that the card had been compromised:<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Compromise<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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