Vernon North Okanagan RCMP officers are warning residents of the danger of second-hand gift card purchases as they undergo a fraud investigation.
Police have begun investigating after receiving reports of numerous gift cards purchased from SilverStar Mountain Resort through fraudulent credit card transactions.
The issue came to light after staff were looking into a disputed credit card transaction. Upon further review, several additional gift cards that were purchased are believed to be fraudulent.
Police have reason to believe these cards are being sold on Facebook Marketplace and other resale platforms.
RCMP and SilverStar Mountain Resort are working together to alert the public, hoping to prevent any further losses.
"The cards vary in amount and are real, which makes it nearly impossible for buyers to determine their legitimacy at first glance," said Cst. Chris Terleski, media relations officer.
"You鈥檙e taking an awfully big risk anytime you purchase a gift card second hand. Our advice is that consumers only purchase gift cards directly from the business or their authorized sellers."
If you have already purchased a SilverStar gift card from an online seller, police are advising you to take extra steps to verify its authenticity. Customers can contact Guest Services (guestservices@skisilverstar.com) for assistance.
Anyone with information regarding this fraud is encouraged to report it to police immediately.
