Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry is warning residents of a scam known as “card draining” that could impact them this holiday season.

Card draining occurs when scammers record gift card information and associated pin numbers from unpurchased gift cards. Once bought by a consumer, the scammer uses the recorded information to drain the card of any money.

“What has happened is that the scammer will take that (gift) card and get the pin number and very trickily (cover) the scratched off area,” county sheriff Michael Slupe said. “Once the card is purchased … the scammer will keep trying that number to see if there’s money on there.”

The warning follows a statement from New Britain Township’s police department in Bucks County reporting that more than 100 gift cards had been tampered with at a local grocery store.

The scam is happening elsewhere in the state and country, Henry said in a news release.

“The holidays present additional opportunities for scammers to deceive and steal from consumers who choose gift cards as presents for loved ones,” Henry said. “Be sure to take a careful look at the cards you purchase and keep your receipts, just in case.”

One suggestion, Slupe said, is to purchase a gift card directly from the desired shop.

“If you’re going to (get a card from) a restaurant, buy the gift card from a restaurant employee,” he said.

If making a purchase from a retail store like Walmart, Slupe suggests making sure the gift card has not been tampered with and that all parts of the card are present.

“I’d even throw out the suggestion to grab (a gift card) from the back of the pack,” he said.

With some time left until Christmas, Slupe said card draining might present a problem if gift cards are bought ahead of the holidays.

“In the meantime, if (card draining) were to occur, then people would have zero left on their (gift) card,” he said. “Most people don’t use their gift cards right away.”