Target Gift Card Fraud Ring Suspects Caught In Fairfax Co. With Nearly 1,000 Cards

SPRINGFIELD, VA — Two California men were arrested by Fairfax County police in connection with a complex fraud ring involving altered gifts cards from Target, police said Wednesday.

Officers assigned to the Springfield Town Center were alerted by Target on Dec. 20 about two men who were altering gift cards in their store and doing the same thing on the same day at a Target store in Manassas.

Fairfax County police officers saw the two men stocking the shelves at the Target in Springfield with gift cards and then detained them. The two men were in possession of altered Target gift cards that are suspected of being linked to an outside account, which takes money from a would-be buyer and deposits it into the fraudster’s gift card account instead of the buyer’s, police said.

When police searched one of the suspect’s vehicles, they found nearly 1,000 altered Target gift cards and evidence of a larger fraud ring in the region and extending into other states across the country, the police department said.

Rongjie He, 32, of California was charged with 10 felony counts of obtaining money by false pretense, credit card theft, and two counts of conspiracy to commit larceny. He was taken to the Fairfax County jail and has since been released on bond, police said.

Kaihua Chen, 27, of California, was charged with four felony counts of obtaining money by false pretense, nine counts of credit card theft, and two counts of conspiracy to commit larceny, according to police. He was taken to the Fairfax County jail and is currently being held on no bond.

When purchasing a gift card from a retail store, the FCPD suggests customers check the gift card packaging for any signs of tampering or resealing. Customers should look for broken seals, loose corners, or any other indications that the packaging has been altered.

Customers also should be aware that many gift cards have an activation sticker or label on the back. They should make sure the activation sticker is intact and has not been peeled off or replaced. Altered cards may have a different activation sticker or a sticker that looks suspicious, the FCPD said.

Fairfax County police are asking anyone with information about the two suspects to call the Franconia District Station at 703-922-0889. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone at 866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web.