Three Chicago women received Lululemon gift cards from Walgreens for Christmas, only to open them and realize someone had already opened them. The women cite a gift card scam as the reason why they weren’t able to make any purchases with the cards, with it being unclear if they ever received any refund or compensation.
The warning, which was posted on Dec. 31, 2025, and posted by @marthadee3, has garnered over 486,000 views. Many commenters shared personal tips on how to avoid purchasing gift cards that have already been used in-store, echoing the sentiment that there seems to be a larger gift card draining scam running amok in the United States.
Is there a major gift card scam happening across the United States?
Many commenters discussed a major gift card scam that’s been happening across the United States, warning @marthadee3 and her viewers about the risk.
As one commenter described, “They load the gift card numbers into a system that scoops the money off the card as soon as its activated. This is either happening at the store level or the card manufacturer. Tts so wide spread… that it can’t be random people going into stores to do this.”
There’s evidence to suggest that a larger gift card scam is occurring worldwide, as criminal organizations are draining gift cards and pocketing the digital funds loaded onto them. These scammers will take unactivated cards from stores and record their essential information. Then, as soon as someone tries to load money onto the card, they’ll immediately spend or empty the card using automated systems or bots.
It’s not necessarily individuals draining these cards either, nor is it an issue exclusive to the United States. Publications such as the BBC have linked this behavior to organized crime groups. These organizations have popped up across the globe, stealing money from Canadians, Americans, and U.K. residents alike. It’s a type of fraud that’s only increased with time, with Americans losing one billion to gift card draining.
How can you check for gift card draining in-store?
It can actually be difficult to check for gift card draining in-store. Scammers can be incredibly sneaky and hide evidence of card draining deceptively. That’s why it’s important to be mindful and incredibly careful when purchasing gift cards.
Check to ensure that the gift card is sealed correctly. If there’s any evidence of tampering, it’s best to purchase a card online or look elsewhere to make a purchase. It’s also important to check the bar codes on the back of the card to ensure they match. Mismatched bar codes can be an obvious sign that a scammer replaced them.
If possible, verify with a store attendant that the scratch-off cards have not been tampered with before bringing them home. Stores often keep scratch-off cards covered. Consumers can open the packaging with a store associate to verify the cards have not been tampered with and to ensure quality.
@marthadee3 3 of our @lululemon gift cards from Christmas were scammed :( all were bought from @Walgreens #fyp #foryoupage #lululemon #walgreens #giftcards ♬ original sound – marthadee
Should you ever purchase gift cards at Walgreens?
Commenters strongly advised against purchasing any gift cards at convenience stores like Walgreens. Instead, they recommended getting any gift cards directly from companies like Lululemon and loading the card there.
General online advice from blogs and publications supports this. Buying a gift card directly from a brand or online can make it significantly easier to detect fraud. Online and in-app balances tend to update instantly, making it easier to track and survey.
It also limits the companies involved in the purchase. That way, if a person falls victim to gift card draining, they can request a refund from one company rather than having to go “back and forth” between a place like Walgreens and another organization.
This is something that commenters on @marthadee3’s page faced. Some went “back and forth” with various companies for months trying to get a refund. One commenter described being between Walgreens and Macy’s, unable to receive a refund for an empty gift card they received in-store.
We’ve reached out to Walgreens via email, Lululemon via the company’s press form and @mathadee3 via TikTok direct message for comment.
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