By Nicole Alibayof
For those of you who have not listened to rumors since high school, now is not the time to start. Whether you heard about your favorite stores such as Cache and Home Depot going out of business from friends, e-mails or Web sites, they are not true and will not affect your gift card purchases this Thanksgiving. What you should be worried about is getting ripped off by scammers. Gift cards can still be the perfect gift if you choose wisely.

Here are eight tips from scambusters.org on how to protect yourself from gift card scams: make sure not to buy gift cards from online auction sites. Many of the cards sold on these types of Web sites are stolen, counterfeit or used. They are a large source of gift card fraud.
Only buy gift cards directly from the store issuing the gift card or from a protected retailer’s Web site. No matter how less expensive they may be somewhere else. Make sure, if you do buy a gift card on the Internet, you buy it from the place you plan to use it.
Do not buy gift cards off of publicly displayed racks in retail stores and do not assume that they are safe because they are inaccessible to the public; store employees can participate in gift card scams too.
Always carefully examine both the front and back of the gift card before you buy it. If the PIN number is visible put the card back and get a different one. Do not buy the card if it looks like it’s been tampered with.
Always ask the store cashier to scan the gift card in front of you. This will protect you from criminals who exchange worthless cards for the cards you think you’re purchasing because it ensures your card is valid when you buy it and it reflects the balance you just charged on it.
Always keep your receipt as a proof of purchase as long as there is money stored on the gift card. Many retailers are able to track where the gift card was purchased, activated and used. If the card is stolen and you have your receipt, some retailers will replace the card for you.
Register your gift card at the store’s Web site if possible. Doing this will allow you to uncover any misuse of your gift card sooner and report it quicker.
Finally, never, ever give your Social Security number, date of birth or any other unnecessary private information when you purchase a gift card. No company of good reputation will ask for this information.
More information about buying the proper gift cards can be found on Web sites such as ripoffreport.com and consumer-action.org.