Vernon’s SilverStar ski resort gets hit by gift card scam

Vernon RCMP are investigating a case in which criminals bought gift cards from SilverStar Mountain Resort using fraudulent means to resell them to unsuspecting buyers.

Police received a report that several gift cards were bought at the Vernon area ski resort with fraudulent credit card transactions, according to an RCMP media release issued today, Feb. 12.

Staff at the resort were looking into a disputed credit transaction and noticed the fraud, then they noticed several other gift card purchases seemed to be fraudulent.

Police believe the scammers are now reselling the gift cards online through sites like Facebook Marketplace.

“The cards vary in amount and are real, which makes it nearly impossible for buyers to determine their legitimacy at first glance,” Vernon RCMP media liaison Const. Chris Terleski said in the release.

“You’re taking an awfully big risk anytime you purchase a gift card second hand. Our advice is that consumers only purchase gift cards directly from the business or their authorized sellers.”

The resort is working with RCMP on this ongoing fraud.

Anyone who bought a SilverStar gift card from an online seller has been advised to take extra steps to make sure it’s legitimate. If you have a gift card you can contact SilverStar by email at guestservices@skisilverstar.com to get the card verified.

Anyone with information about this fraud, or who believes they may have unknowingly purchased a fraudulent gift card, is encouraged to report it to police immediately.