Three men face charges in a $14 million gift card fraud scheme that targeted North Texas retailers for seven months.
Kristians Petrovskis, Romunds Cubrevics, and Nurmunds Ulevicus allegedly cloned gift cards across multiple stores, stealing from up to 10 locations daily.
All three suspects remain in Dallas County Jail with immigration holds. The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center estimates the trio possessed more than 400 gift cards when arrested.
Garland police arrested the men on December 15 after the state agency tipped them off about suspicious activity at a Walgreens on Broadway Boulevard.
Officers discovered “a shopping bag of gift cards in the trunk.” The cards represented potential losses exceeding $26,000.
The suspects reportedly told investigators they targeted 10 stores daily, seven days per week, for seven months. State officials believe the total fraud reached $14 million.
Gift card cloning involves stealing unactivated cards from stores and copying their electronic numbers. Thieves then reseal the cards and return them to the shelves. Once unsuspecting customers purchase and activate the cards, criminals drain the funds remotely.
Authorities urge shoppers to inspect gift card packaging carefully. Excess glue or damage could indicate tampering.