>> Reporter: AT THE REGISTER, TARGET DECLINED THE CARD. >> THEY SAID YOUR BALANCE IS ZERO. >> Reporter: SAME SITUATION FOR RENA IN SAN RAMON. >> I HAD TWO ENGAGEMENT PARTIES TO GO TO, SO I WANT TO TARGET, PICKED UP A COUPLE GIFT CARDS. >> Reporter: THE GIFT CARD WAS EMPTY BEFORE THEY USED IT. SHE ASKED THE OTHER BRIDE-TO-BE TO CHECK HER GIFT CARD. WE DON'T KNOW HOW RENA AND HAASAI'S TARGET GIFT CARDS VANISHED, BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALONE. WE HAVE FIELDED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS. SO HAVE OUR NBC AND TELEMUNDO SISTER STATIONS ACROSS THE COAST. WE KNOW TARGET IS AT THE CENTER OF A MAJOR CASE QUIETLY PLAYING OUT IN SACRAMENTO. BACK IN DECEMBER, SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARRESTED THIS MAN WHILE THEY WERE ON PATROL FOR SHOPLIFTERS INSIDE A TARGET STORE. THEY SAY HE WAS PUTTING A STACK OF TARGET GIFT CARDS ON THE RACK . WHEN DEPUTIES SEARCHED HIS CAR, THEY FOUND MORE THAN 5000 TARGET GIFT CARDS. >> THESE PARTICULAR CARS THAT APPEARED HE WAS TAMPERING WITH THE STICKY THAT COVERS THE P.I.N. >> Reporter: ADRIAN McMILLAN IS PROSECUTING DEMAND FOR VARIOUS CHARGES, INCLUDING FRAUD. >> THE WAY THIS IS DONE IN IS VERY SOPHISTICATED. THE CARDS ARE TAKEN WITHOUT ANY SORT OF VALUE ON THEM. THEY ARE TAMPERED WITH IN A WAY THAT IS NOT DETECTABLE, THEN RE-SHELVED. >> Reporter: IN COURT, McMILLAN IS ARGUING AS SOON AS THE SHOPPER LOADED MONEY ON A CARD THAT SUN PUT ON THE BACK, EITHER HE OR AN ASSOCIATE COULD IMMEDIATELY STEAL THAT MONEY. PROSECUTORS SAY SUN METU LOTS OF TARGETS AS FAR AWAY AS ARKANSAS. >> PHONE RECORDS SHOW THAT HE IS VERY MOBILE THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, THE UNITED STATES. >> Reporter: AFTER HE APPEARED IN COURT RECENTLY, HIS COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY TOOK OUR QUESTIONS . WE ASKED WHY SUN HAD ALL THOSE GIFT CARDS. WHAT'S THE EXPLANATION FOR THAT? >> AT THIS POINT, THOSE ARE JUST -- SOMETHING IN YOUR POSSESSION DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY INDICATE SOME TYPE OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR OR THAT SOMETHING ILLEGAL OCCURRED. >> Reporter: SHORTLY AFTER THIS INTERVIEW, AN ELLIE ATTORNEY TOOK OVER SUN'S DEFENSE AND DID NOT RISK ONTO US. THE D.A. SUSPECTS SUN WORKED WITH OTHERS. >> IT'S A SERIOUS FRAUD CASE, AND WE WANT TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. >> Reporter: WE ASKED TARGET ABOUT ALL ITS DRAINED GIFT CARDS. IT TOLD US WE ARE ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. OUR STORE TEAMS REGULARLY INSPECT CARS FOR PHYSICAL SIGNS OF TAMPERING. THE COMPANY NOTED, GIFT CARD TAMPERING IS AN INDUSTRYWIDE ISSUE. >> THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. >> Reporter: ROBERT TRIPP IS IN CHARGE OF THE FBI FIELD OFFICE IN SAN FRANCISCO. WE HAD A REVEALING CONVERSATION DISSECTING HOW CROOKS COMPROMISE CARDS OF ALL KINDS AND STEAL BILLIONS. >> UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S A WELL DEVELOPED SECONDARY MARKET FOR THESE GIFT CARD ACCOUNTS, SO A SCAMMER CAN HAVE A LOT OF THESE GIFT CARDS, THEY CAN DUMP THEM ON THE SECONDARY MARKET, AND GET VERY UNTRACEABLE CASH, VERY MUCH AN INTERNATIONAL ISSUE. >> Reporter: TRIPP SAID THEY CONSOLIDATE AND SELL COMPROMISE CARD ACCOUNTS ONLINE FOR LESS THAN'S FACE VALUE. ULTIMATELY, THEY LURE A U.S. BUYER WHO PAYS CASH FOR A DISCOUNT CARD. BUT THAT PERSON IS CLUELESS. A, BOUGHT A CARD WITH MONEY STOLEN FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S ACCOUNT, AND B, THEY HELPED A CROOK LAUNDER THE MONEY ON THAT CARD. >> IF THAT PASSES 22, THREE, FOUR HANDS, IT'S VIRTUALLY UNTRACEABLE. >> Reporter: WHERE THIS SCAM STARTS, IN STORES, MANY CHAINS ARE LOCKING UP EVERYDAY ITEMS LIKE UNDERWEAR, YET MANY GIFT CARDS ARE IN THE OPEN. >> WHETHER WE RECOMMEND IT OR NOT, I IMAGINE THE DAY IS COMING WHEN THOSE CARDS WILL BE LOCKED UP. >> Reporter: UNTIL THEN, THE FBI SAYS YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOURSELF. ONLY BY GIFT CARDS FROM BEHIND THE COUNTER OR IN A LOCKED CASE. ALWAYS LOOK FOR TAMPERING, LIKE LOOSE PACKAGING OR SMUDGES ON THE CARD NUMBER, P.I.N., OR BAR CODE, AND USE THE CARD FAST. FASTER THAN THE THIEVES, IDEALLY. >> I WOULD SAY IN A MATTER OF 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, IT WAS GONE . >> Reporter: YOU CAN CONSIDER HAASAI AND RENA'S NEW TACTIC. >> I GO WITH SAFE THERE WAYS OF GIFTING BECAUSE IT WAS A NIGHTMARE. >> Reporter: IF A SCAMMER STEALS YOUR GIFT CARD MONEY, TELL THE FBI HIT ITS INTERNET CRIMES COMPLAINT CENTER IS ONLINE AT IC3.GOV. SPECIAL AGENT TRIPP'S THE REPORTING SMALL CRIMES MIGHT UNRAVEL A BIG CRIMINAL WEB . YOU CAN ALSO LET US KNOW THOUGH WE DON'T HAVE POWER OF SUBPOENA
