RECIPIENT GOES TO USE IT THE BALANCE IS ZERO. MAGGIE VESPA MAKES SURE HOW IT DOESN'T HAPPEN TO YOU. >> CALL THIS AN UNDERCOVER LOOK AT CAPTURING A MODERN-DAY GRINCH. >> NOPE. >> BODY CAMERAS ROLLING, DETECTIVES IN SACRAMENTO TACKLE A SUSPECTED SHOPLIFTER. ♪♪ ♪ >> NOPE. >> LATER, ALLEGEDLY FINDING THIS JAW-DROPPING LOOP. 5,000 STOLEN APPLE AND TARGET GIFT CARDS, PART OF AN ONGOING SCAM, THEY SAY TO TAMPER WITH RETAIL GIFT CARDS AND STEAL YOUR MONEY. A SCAM SO PERVASIVE IT'S GOT AUTHORITIES COAST TO COAST SOUNDING ALARMS. >> WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU GUYS THE INFO SO YOU DON'T FALL VICTIM TO THE SCAM AS WELL. >> AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, VICTIMS LEARNING THEIR GIFTS WERE USELESS. >> MY GIFT CARD WAS WIPED OUT AND IT WAS DECLINED. >> BOTH OF OUR $200 GIFT CARDS WERE JUST COMPLETELY, COMPLETELY DRAINED. >> THE SCAM IS COMPLICATED AND THIEVES DON'T HAVE TO STEAL THE GIFT CARDS OUT OF THE STORE AND THEY HAVE TO SNEAK THEM BACK IN AND ALL THE WHILE ZEROING IN ON THE BAR CODES THAT TIE THE CARD TO YOUR MONEY. >> A PERFECT EXAMPLE IN PENNSYLVANIA WHERE POLICE SAY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAUGHT TWO MEN ENTERING A SUPERMARKET. THAT'S ONE OF THEM IN THE GREEN HAT AND THEN THERE IN THE TOP RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THEM PUTTING ALLEGEDLY 75 GIFT CARDS ON STORE SHELVES AND THE MEN FACING FELONY CHARGES STOLE THE GIFT CARDS AND COPIED THE KEY INFOE AND THE GOAL, FOR UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMERS ON THE CARD THAT THE FEES WILL SPEND. >> YOU NEVER KNOW KNOWING THAT IT'S BEEN TAMPERED WITH OR TRIED TO USE IT, SADLY. >> OR TRY TO USE IT, CORRECT. >> TIPS BEFORE FALLING VICTIM, IF IT LOOKS TAMPERED WITH, DON'T BUY IT. BUY CARDS ARE KEPT BEHIND THE COUNTER OR ONLINE. FINALLY, SAVE THOSE REPRESENTS SO IF THE CARD IS DRAINED YOU CAN MAKE THE CASE FOR GETTING YOUR MONEY BACK. >> A LOT OF FOLKS IN OUR NATION ARE HAVING A TOUGH TIME PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE AND PAYING