Sen. Chuck Schumer urged stores and shoppers to protect themselves from fraudsters who are draining gift cards' balance once they're activated.

"The system all too many stores use now is a free buffet for scammers and crooks that can leave unsuspecting victims with a valueless piece of plastic by Christmas Day," Schumer said Sunday.

Gift card fraudsters go to retail and drug stores - where gift cards are on the shelves - and record gift card access code concealed by cardboard or a scratch off film.

They track it online and, once it's activated, deplete it before the consumer uses it.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/gift-card-buyer-beware-schumer-warns-scam-drain-funds-article-1.993478#ixzz1omwwgGbH