22 Forged Visa Gift Cards Land 2 California Men In Jail: FCPD

RESTON, VA — Fairfax County Police recently arrested two California men for possessing 22 fraudulently altered Visa gift cards that they were swapping for $2,000 worth of legitimate gift cards at a Reston store last week.

Officers with FCPD’s Christmas Anti-Theft Team were at a store in the 12100 block of Sunset Hill Road on Wednesday, around 5:21 p.m., when a loss-prevention officer notified them about a suspect who had committed fraud the day before at a different location. The officers located 36-year-old Haijun Qin of California and watched as he placed altered Visa cards in various sales racks around the store, according to authorities.

When Qin tried to leave the store, the CATT officers took him into custody,finding 22 altered gift cards in his possession, according to police. Investigators determined that Qin had an accomplice, whom they identified as 35-year-old Haoran Yue, who was waiting nearby in a car.

The officers later located the car and took Yue into custody. A search of the vehicle provided further evidence of fraudulent behavior, according to police.

FCPD charged Qin with 22 counts of possession of a credit card forgery device, 22 counts of credit card forgery, and burglarious tools. Yue was charged with three counts of credit card forgery, possession of a credit card forgery device, and burglarious tools, according to police. They were then taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center where they were held without bond.

Tips to Avoid Gift Card Scams

• Inspect the Packaging Carefully: Look for signs of tampering, such as mismatched seals, uneven edges, or any stickers or labels that seem out of place.
• Check Gift Card Balances Quickly: After purchasing, check the balance on the gift card to ensure the funds were loaded correctly. Many retailers offer online balance-checking tools.
• Monitor the Activation Process: When purchasing a gift card check that the barcode being scanned matches the card you’re buying.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have information about these incidents to call Crime Solvers. Tips can be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), and by web –Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards. Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.