Better Business Bureau Warns Of ‘Jenny B’ Gift Card Scam

Women from across the country, including Northern Illinois, have reported receiving cards from a person identified as “Jenny B” congratulating them on their pregnancy.

Dennis Horton, Director of the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), joins the WROK Morning Show twice a month with the latest in consumer tips, updates, and information on how to avoid being scammed.

In between those appearances with us, he routinely emails out warnings and updates.

That's how we became aware of the "Jenny B" gift card scam.

Dennis Horton:

The cards being sent are packed with gift cards for motherhood related products. “In some cases coupons are included with the gift cards and they all link back to Mother’s Lounge, LLC, a company based in Pleasant Grove Utah.”
Elizabeth S. of Genoa, IL called BBB to report what she thought was a scam. She received the card containing the gift cards and coupons on Oct. 23rd. She noted that the cards and coupons were valued at $245. She states she has no idea how or why she is on that mailing list. She also noted that she is not pregnant.
The company sends gift cards for their different online businesses. To date, BBB serving Northern Nevada and Utah has found fifteen affiliate businesses, including Thoughtful Gift Cards and Canopy Couture. These gift cards are sent all over the U.S. and Canada in an envelope which appears to have lost its return label, when it never had one in the first place. This seems to be a marketing tactic meant to make the envelope look more like mail from a friend.
Horton notes, “In past complaints to BBB consumers who have added a gift card to their orders appears to increase the shipping cost. This increase appears to cover the majority of the cost of the gift card.”

In BBB’s review of over 55 complaints and Scam Tracker reports for Mother's Lounge, consumers who have purchased from these websites reported receiving lower quality products than expected.

When purchasing or using gift cards, BBB recommends that you:

Read the fine print. Search the card’s packaging and the card itself for any fees, expiration dates, and terms and conditions. Some organizations charge service fees or will limit the gift card to “in store only” purchases, making it useless for online shopping
Start with Trust®. It’s important to buy from sources you know and trust. Visit BBB.org to see a business’ BBB Business Profile and find trustworthy BBB Accredited Businesses. Make sure to look up the business at BBB.org to view its rating, complaint history and reviews from past customers.
Examine the card and packaging for tampering. Make sure the packaging hasn’t been tampered with and check the back of the card to make sure that the PIN number hasn’t been exposed and no protective stickers have been removed.