Two men arrested in Winsford over nationwide gift card scam
Cheshire Police have issued a warning to residents
Two men have been arrested in Winsford in relation to a nationwide gift card scam.
The scam involves people copying the codes of gift cards before they've been sold.
Once a genuine customer buys the gift card and it's activated, the suspects have automated bots that clock this and drain the funds.
All the money on the card is gone before the customer is able to use it themselves.
The arrests
Two men were arrested on 26th March.
A 45-year-old from Telford and a 35-year-old from Woodford Green were both arrested on suspicion of theft and going equipped.
Early investigations suggest that the pair were travelling across Cheshire, including Cheshire Oaks, Runcorn, Neston and Chester.
Warning issued
A Cheshire Police spokesperson said: “This Is a concerning series and I would urge residents to be extremely cautious when purchasing gift cards.
“Where possible, purchase cards which have not been on open display, if not, check for any signs of damage or tampering before purchasing the cards.”