There is yet another new trend of theft occurring throughout the retail industry, according to the Nassau County Police. Unsuspecting consumers are being defrauded of the values of their gift cards. The thieves have found a way to steal the balance of a gift card if purchased off the rack in stores. Perpetrators are now jotting down the card numbers in the store and then waiting a few days to call to see how much of a balance is on the card. Once they find the card is "activated," they go online and start shopping. The police department has issued the following tips on how to avoid this gift card scam:

• Purchase gift cards only from reputable sources, preferably directly from the store.

• Don't solely rely on a clerk's selecting cards for you from publicly inaccessible stock as your one and only protection against being defrauded. Also examine both sides of cards yourself, keeping an eye out for any sign of tampering and/or the exposure of the cards' PINs. Refuse to purchase cards where either is evident.

• If acquiring cards on the Internet, buy them from the online versions of the stores they are to be used in. Never buy them from auction sites, even if it looks like you could score a real bargain by doing so. Remind yourself that cards sold through auction sites have often turned out to be stolen or counterfeit.

• Keep your receipt as proof of purchase for as long as you have value stored on the card. Should you ever lose that gift card, use that receipt to ask the retailer to issue you a replacement. (Not all retailers will do this. But at least some do, so ask.)

• Immediately after buying a gift card in a store, ask the cashier to scan the card itself to ensure the plastic you bought is valid and bears the proper value. (This will protect you against the card's having been swapped out of its packaging for a zero balance one.)

• Bear in mind that reputable companies will not ask gift card buyers to provide their Social Security numbers, bank account information, or dates of birth. If when trying to purchase such cards you're asked this, walk away from the deal.

• If the card's issuer offers this option, register your gift card at that store's website. Doing so gives you the ability to periodically check your card's balance online and so catch on to any misuse of the card far earlier than you otherwise would.