Offensive linemen have essentially the most thankless job within the NFL. Get on this guy's way and when you do a very good job we'll never discuss it. If you screw up, at best we are going to publicly shame you. Or we blame you for a loss or injury.

The big Stollen need a hug and are subsequently looking forward to the Christmas season. Their wealthy quarterbacks – and sometimes running backs – reward offensive linemen for his or her blood, sweat and tears with generous gifts at Christmas. While they aren't at all times made available to the general public or annoying media types, we were capable of put together our list of the ten best gifts this yr, plus a number of honorable mentions. (The end of the list is best left to your imagination, and we couldn't confirm our theory that Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud gave his offensive linemen some rocks to kick.)

Did the quarterbacks and teams receive an instantaneous reward from the offensive linemen for his or her generosity? Let's take a take a look at the highest gifts and the way these teams fared in Week 17.

1.Cincinnati Bengals

Week 17 Result: Defeat the Denver Broncos 30-24

Joe Burrow asked his linemen what they wanted, and when some said weapons, he thought in regards to the coolest weapon – and samurai swords were the plain answer.

“Samurai swords are pretty damn cool in my opinion,” he told reporters.

He bought authentic Japanese katana swords, each with a singular backstory to a city or battle, placed them in a room and had the swords chosen.

“Joe does a great job of buying gifts that are extremely meaningful,” left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. said. told reporters. “The fact that he bought me a sword is the oldest form of respect.”

“My favorite gift I’ve ever received because it’s so different,” guard Alex Cappa added.

Burrow was sacked seven times within the Bengals' time beyond regulation win over the Broncos on Saturday, so perhaps there can be less fake swordplay this week, folks.

2. Green Bay Packers

Result Week 17: Lost to Minnesota Vikings 27-25

Running back Josh Jacobs packed custom diamond pendants for his 12 offensive linemen. They were commissioned by ZoFrost and Co., a Houston-based jewelry manufacturer.

Jacobs is having an incredible season but was held to 69 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries within the loss to the Vikings. The Packers scored the ultimate 15 points of the sport to return close, so possibly it just took some time for the linemen to stop squinting on the shenanigans.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 17 Result: Defeat the Dallas Cowboys 41-17

Running back Saquon Barkley, who’s vying for the NFL rushing record, was smart and went with quarterback Jalen Hurts on gifts for the linemen. They bought each a personalised golf cart marked with the player's last name and number. And in fact the Hurts and Barkley logos on the back. After all, what's the purpose of a present when you're not consistently reminded of who made it for you?

— Quay L.Jones #FlyEaglesFly (13-3) (@QuayLJones3) December 24, 2024

4. San Francisco 49ers

Week 17 result: Lost to Detroit Lions 40-34

Brock Purdy was smart too. He hasn't gotten his big payday yet, so he turned to corporate sponsorships. Thanks to his friends at Toyota, Purdy gave 10 linemen either a Toyota Sequoia or a Toyota Tundra. Although these are the costliest gifts on the list, we will't rate them too high since Purdy was more of a middleman.

Santa Purdy

Brock surprises his O-Line with some latest wheels pic.twitter.com/4iYIWs9k3t

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 20, 2024

5. New York Jets

Week 17 result: Lost to Buffalo Bills 40-14

You can't dress up a pig, but that doesn't mean pigs don't like to wash up from time to time. Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was having a miserable season, tried to modernize the Jets facility. He had a tailor come and measure the linemen for a custom Tom Ford suit to wear with their latest Tom Ford sunglasses and Tom Ford cologne. They also received one Louis Vuitton pass holder.

And when all that was an excessive amount of for them, Rodgers threw in a stereo speaker and a bottle of Devils River Bourbon.

As for the sport, Rodgers sat on the bench within the fourth quarter when the Jets trailed 40-0. There isn’t any truth to the rumor that considered one of the linemen at this point shouted, “Who the hell is Tom Ford?!?”

6.Detroit Lions

Week 17 Result: Beat the San Francisco 49ers 40-34

After all, offensive linemen are a straightforward bunch. Jewelry? Truck? No. Lions quarterback Jared Goff knew his audience.

“It's difficult when people are handing out Toyota trucks to keep up,” he says told reporters“But I got them a nice Yeti package with a lot of Wagyu steaks and beef. I hope you like it.'”

That's what they did. The only downside is that the gift is gone inside 4 days.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 17 result: Lost to Kansas City Chiefs 29-10

This ought to be higher on the list. We are simply anti-gift cards. Even in the event that they cost $10,000 for an Airbnb that will be used worldwide. The Steelers' Russell Wilson also gave 14 offensive linemen a black and yellow Louis Vuitton duffel bag, custom black and yellow Good Man Brand shoes and a bottle of Ten To One rum from his wife, Ciara.

The Steelers have lost three games in a row, so holiday-themed gifts were clearly a nasty idea.

Out of: @DangeRussWilson
To: The offensive line pic.twitter.com/eFXiVZfy4f

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 24, 2024

8. Kansas City Chiefs

Week 17 Result: Defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 29-10

This must also be higher on the list. But we're bored with the Chiefs winning all the pieces. And Taylor Swift. Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs gave his bodyguards a red Yeti cooler with a Rolex watch, Oakley sunglasses, Lucchese boots and Normatec Recovery boots inside. This after gifting them a golf cart last yr and a personalised golf bag with clubs the yr before.

QB1 spread some Christmas cheer by giving gifts to the O-line pic.twitter.com/xASg3iplnX

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 18, 2024

9. Washington Commanders

Week 17 Result: Defeat the Atlanta Falcons 30-24

Jayden Daniels is unpredictable on the sector as he can throw the ball over the heads of defenders or run past them. But on the subject of buying gifts, the Commanders QB kept it easy. He packed electric scooters for his offensive linemen “so they don’t have to walk around as much.” he told reporters.

10. Los Angeles Chargers

Week 17 Result: Defeat the New England Patriots 40-7

Justin Herbert gave his linemen two gift cards, one from Delta Airlines (together with luggage) and one for Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms – to distract them from their vacation plans.

The Patriots didn't show up on Sunday, so it didn't matter for this study what Herbert got his boys.

Justin Herbert gave the offensive lineman luggage and gift cards.

Here's Rashawn Slater with a thanks video: pic.twitter.com/JUXuEyVafL

— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) December 24, 2024

---

Honorable mention

Buffalo Bills

Week 17 Result: Defeat the New York Jets 40-14

In the past, Bills QB Josh Allen gave his linemen custom scooters, golf clubs and lessons. But his Bills' linemen have reversed the trend – because at any time when they make mistakes, Allen simply runs past a defensive lineman or tackles a defensive back.

Last yr they gave him an ATV. This season, they decided to let him know what they considered the upcoming MVP voting. The linemen gave him a custom diamond necklace produced from Allen's No. 17 jersey with “MVP” on the nameplate. The linemen's names are listed on the back. Tackle Dion Dawkins posted the gift on Instagram with the caption, “Merry Christmas to our MVP.”

New York Giants

Defeat the Indianapolis Colts 45-33

Daniel Jones resides the nice life as a practice player for the Vikings. But he didn't forget his former teammates — or held any grudges for all of the beatings they caused earlier that season — and sent gifts to his old Giants linemen. He gave her a present a limited bottle of Clase Azul Tequila. The price of the bottles can range from $120 to $19,000.

Here's hoping the linemen didn't google their respective bottles.

Overall record: 8-4

Moral of the story: Big boys like presents.

The Athletic;

Even as Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez are reportedly checking out the small print of their divorce, the previous supercouple seems determined to take care of an amicable relationship and met last weekend to exchange Christmas presents for themselves and their children.

And Affleck has been fascinated with his gift for Lopez, Page Six reported. The gift was nothing extravagant or intimate—not one other multimillion-dollar piece of bijou. Instead, it was something that might be meaningful to the megastar entertainer and even revealed a private obsession for her, based on Page Six.

The 52-year-old actor and director arrived on the members-only Soho House club in West Hollywood on Sunday carrying a black bag containing the gift – “a signed Marlon Brando book.” That's what sources who spoke to Page Six say, including the owner of Mystery Pier books, the famous bookstore in West Hollywood, where Affleck did some Christmas shopping.

“Ben gave Jennifer the book (Marlon Brando) because she is a fan, and her Super Bowl body was inspired by Marlon Brando,” a source told Page Six.

The source didn't name the “Marlon Brando book,” however the legendary star of “The Godfather” and “The Last Tango in Paris” published an autobiography called “Songs My Mother” in 1994, ten years before his death Taught Me.” in 2004 on the age of 80.

Like any writer, Brando signed copies of his book, at the least one in all which could have ended up at Mystery Pier Books. The internationally renowned Sunset Boulevard store is understood for its celebrity clientele and for exclusively selling “first edition and first condition” copies of collectible literature, including books signed by authors.

Meanwhile, Lopez's “Super Bowl body” likely refers back to the sexy, studded black leather bodysuit she wore to her performance on the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020. It feels like the bodysuit was inspired by Brando's iconic outlaw biker look within the 1953 film The Wild One.

Starting in 1951, Brando became Hollywood's hottest and best-known young actor, starring in “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “On the Waterfront” and “The Wild One.” Subsequent generations of stars, from Al Pacino to Johnny Depp, have cited Brando as inspiration for his or her approach to acting in film.

It now appears that Brando was also an inspiration for Lopez, and Affleck thought Lopez would really like a book in regards to the two-time Oscar winner.

Signed copies of Brando's autobiography can sell for $600 or more on eBay. Of course, several hundred dollars wouldn't be considered extravagant within the Affleck-Lopez playbook.

Affleck reportedly spent greater than $7 million on two diamond engagement rings that he gave Lopez over the course of their two-decade love story.

They first made headlines as a pair in 2001 and got engaged before a significant, high-profile split in 2004. After the 2 rekindled their romance 17 years later, their love story reached its climax with their marriage in 2022. They first married by eloping in Las Vegas in July 2022, then married again in August 2022 in a lavish ceremony on the grounds of Affleck's Georgia estate.

But things went downhill from there, based on several reports. The couple separated in April 2024 and Lopez filed for divorce on the second anniversary of their reception in Georgia. Still, they’ve reportedly vowed to stay friendly, if just for the sake of their five children together.

Lopez shares 16-year-old twins Max and Emme together with her third ex-husband Marc Anthony. Affleck and his ex-wife Jennifer Garner are the parents of Violet (19), Seraphina (15) and Samuel (12). As Lopez and Affleck rekindled their romance, their children grew closer.

Page Six reported last week that the separated spouses need to remain “connected” during their divorce, though they seem to have celebrated the vacations individually. On Christmas Day, Lopez posted photos as she enjoys the vacations in Aspen with Emme and her sister Lynda Lopez.

“They have every intention of continuing to be involved in each other’s lives even if they don’t have a romantic relationship,” a source told Page Six. “Ben and Jennifer are still connected and they communicate when it comes to their children.”

The ex-partners even have “a mutual respect” for one another that “doesn’t go away overnight,” the source continued.

Wrap a ribbon around your travel plans. Here are five family-friendly ways to gift your family members a visit.

Adventure lover

Give your loved ones the gift of the world on an adventure trip designed by Tauck travel industry professionals. Through their Tauck Bridges program, you'll experience hands-on learning, off-the-beaten-path adventures, and insights into local culture. Whether you select to explore the rainforests of Costa Rica, the wilds of Tanzania, the Swiss Alps or the Galapagos Islands, you'll create unforgettable memories as the most recent gadget or hot fashion item. Check out the corporate's recent e-brochure. It is meant to supply parents and grandparents a colourful tool that features children in holiday planning. Because anticipation is an element of the journey.

For more: www.tauck.com

Museum lover

For more: www.si.edu

Music lover

In Nashville, Tennessee, home of the Grand Ole Opry and the most effective of country music, learn the way an easy radio show spawned a world entertainment phenomenon. From industry legends to the latest luminaries, get a glimpse into the history and a up to date tackle the genre on the “Home of American Music.” Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, Bluebird Café and the Johnny Cash Museum. Ask about backstage passes, behind-the-scenes tours and family packages. Or treat your teen to tickets to see their favorite pop star on stage in Las Vegas. Avoid the brilliant lights by staying on the Four Seasons, a game-free oasis.

For more: www.opry.com; www.visitmusiccity.com; www.fourseasons.com/lasvegas/

Snow lover

For more: coloradoski.com; www.colorado.com

Island lover

Pack your sunscreen and revel in an incredible time on the island. In Hawaii, explore torch-lit trails, native birds and plants, and a world-famous luau on the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island. Treat yourself to dinner on the sand and hula dancing on Kauai, snorkel on Maui, or surf and swim while relaxing on Oahu. In Costa Rica, wake as much as a chorus of tropical wildlife at the one lodge in Arenal Volcanoes National Park. The majestic and perfectly formed volcanic centerpiece of a lush rainforest landscape might be viewed from most guest rooms, the dining room and an expansive terrace. Horseback riding, biking and mountaineering trails wind through ancient lava fields and rolling jungle paths where howling monkeys, slithering snakes, butterflies and colourful birds beckon visitors.

For more: www.gohawaii.com; www.arenalobservatorylodge.com; www.visitcostarica.com

©2024 FamilyTravel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Originally published: December 10, 2024 at 2:48 pm PST

If you're anxious about finding the best gift and ensuring the recipient receives it on time, you're not alone. More than half of Americans say that Gift giving stresses her out.

Concerns about on-time delivery are so widespread that folks share holidays Deadlines for every shipping service. And in case you possibly can't meet these deadlines, there are actually practical ones Etiquette Guides Providing advice to tell the recipient.

If you sent late gifts, thanks Delivery delays, depleted supplies and even good quaint Procrastinationour latest research could offer some encouraging news.

In a series of studies forthcoming within the Journal of Consumer Psychology, we found that folks overestimate the negative consequences of a delayed gift.

I attempt to follow norms

Why do people are inclined to overestimate these consequences? Our results show that folks pay more attention to gift giving to the donation norms because the recipients.

For example, other researchers have found that folks are inclined to be reluctant to present used products as gifts because there’s a norm that gifts must be latest. However, in point of fact, many persons are often open to receiving used items.

We found that this discrepancy also applies to beliefs concerning the importance of timing. Many people fear that a late gift will signal that they don't care concerning the recipient. They then fear that their relationship will suffer.

In reality, these fears are largely unfounded. Gift recipients are much less anxious about when the gift will arrive.

Unfortunately, excessive sensitivity when giving a late gift cannot only cause unnecessary worry, but in addition influence the alternative of gift.

Compensate for delays

To test how delay concerns affect gift selections, we conducted an internet study ahead of Mother's Day in 2021. 201 adults took part in a raffle. They could either send their mother a less expensive gift basket that arrived in time for the occasion or a costlier one which arrived late.

Concerns about delay led to almost 70% of participants selecting the cheaper and faster option.

In one other study, we conducted the identical variety of raffle for Father's Day and got similar results.

Aside from people selecting low-quality items to make sure faster delivery, we also found that givers may feel like they’ll make up for the delay with effort.

In one other online study of 805 adults, we found that participants were less prone to expect a delayed delivery to harm a relationship after they expressed their take care of the recipient in other ways. For example, they believed that assembling an item by hand moderately than purchasing it pre-assembled could make up for a late delivery of a present.

Better late than never?

If sending something late isn't as bad as expected, you could be wondering if it's okay to only not send anything in any respect.

We would caution against going this route.

In one other online study of 903 participants, we found that recipients felt that receiving nothing in any respect could be more damaging to a relationship than receiving something as much as two months late.

This implies that late is best than never for the recipient.

You might need to keep this in mind, even when it's latest Games console, Action figure or Virtual reality headset is sold out this Christmas season. It could still be a welcome surprise when it arrives in January or February.

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©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Tell – or surprise?

Cards and certificates

Buy an “experience”.

On Wednesday morning, the day before Thanksgiving, Mae woke up, put her hair in curlers, and turned on her laptop. A message appeared, saying that her Safari web browser had encountered an issue and offering the 83-year-old a link that might connect her to the Apple Computer Company. Mae clicked on it.

She didn’t understand it yet, but Mae, like Millions of Americans yearly, had fallen into the clutches of fraudsters. Over the subsequent 10 hours, the criminals tried various ways to steal their money.

The best approach to get them to purchase gift cards was to get them to purchase them. The cards from retailers like Target, Apple and Amazon are sold in drugstores and supermarkets.

They are higher for fraudsters than money, easier to move and just as anonymous. Criminals can obtain gift card numbers online, in stores all over the world or Sell ​​or trade them on illegal markets on the Darknet, telegram or discord.

An estimated $8 billion is stolen annually from seniors age 60 and older through scams perpetrated by strangers. in response to AARP. The cards are some of the common fraud methods reported by older adults,According to the Federal Trade Commission.

Mae’s story is one in every of many cases which have prompted us to – a Professor of Fraud Prevention and Forensic Accounting the previous top financial regulator and Pulitzer Prize winner investigative reporter – to analyze how fraudsters and corporations exploited cracks within the Civil War-era system of economic regulation.

The investigation shows that federal regulators have did not protect the general public from gift card fraud and Congress has largely bowed to regulators. Efforts by states and the federal government to rein within the industry have been fought by lobbyists and gift card trade groups. And gift card retailers are sometimes not much help to law enforcement.

One of us learned about Mae's case through his work as a fraud investigator and has seen dozens of comparable cases. Mae, who lives in Maryland, doesn't want to offer her last name, but she wants people to know her story in order that they don't make the identical mistakes.

In gift card fraud, everyone advantages except the victim: fraudsters, gift card firms, and retailers. Criminals benefit from a rapidly evolving payments industry that’s shrouded in secrecy and designed to make sure easy transactions.

Call this number

When Mae called the number that appeared on her screen, a person who introduced himself as Mac Morgan, an “Apple high security engineer,” answered. The problem appeared to be coming from her bank, he told her. She explained that she lived at M&T, a bank in northeast Buffalo, New York. Call them, he said, and gave her a phone number.

The woman who answered said her name was Alivia and that she worked from M&T Bank's anti-fraud unit. Alivia told Mae that a European pornographer and scammer had tried to realize access to her account and withdraw $20,000 through the night. The withdrawal had been blocked, but Mae needed to get to the bank and collect the cash before the scammers did.

Alivia promised to remain on the phone with Mae throughout the method.

Gift cards are the most recent tool utilized by scammers to defraud people of their money through schemes resembling romance scams, fake tax returns, and false investment schemes.

The The average reported loss amount is $1,000.but between 2021 and 2022, greater than 100 consumers reported losses from gift card fraud exceeding $400,000, in response to an FTC public records request. According to Jordan Hirschfield, a present card analyst at Javelin Strategy & ResearchHe estimates that between 1% and 5% of gift card sales could possibly be fraud, but since nobody keeps records, it's difficult to get a precise number. If the 1% to five% figure is correct, that's between $5.5 billion and $27.5 billion per yr.

A victim’s fear bubble

Mae had a Fear bubblean artificially induced state of panic that makes rational considering difficult.

Anyone can turn into a victim. Mae had graduated with honors from an elite private university. She is a sober retired nurse who lives independently. Now, on the instructions of a scammer, she rushed to her bank in a panic.

At the bank, the teller and manager tried to dissuade Mae from withdrawing $20,000 in money. After about quarter-hour, they managed to get her to calm down.

In Maryland, the bank had no alternative but to offer Mae her money. This isn’t the case in other states. In Florida, a state that’s battling increased fraud cases against seniors, The legislature passed a law In May, financial institutions were allowed to postpone transactions with people over 65 if there is affordable suspicion of exploitation.

Reports from law enforcement agencies indicate that even a couple of hours' delay can burst the fear bubble created by fraudsters.

Several states have passed or are considering laws requiring warning labels on gift cards. Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island And West Virginia.

Next, Alivia led Mae to a Cash2Bitcoin He went to an ATM at a gas station and explained the registration process, including uploading her driver's license, a know-your-customer requirement that doesn't apply to gift cards. Mae put 1000’s of dollars into the machine. At $15,000, she reached the limit for deposits.

Alivia then passed the phone to a co-worker named Ross, who instructed Mae to purchase gift cards. At Rite Aid, Mae bought 4 $2,000 cards, scratched off the backs of the cards, and skim the numbers to Ross.

But on the Food Lion supermarket, a manager who knew her refused to sell her gift cards. Ross gave up and told her to go home but not to inform anyone what had happened.

Gift card firms claim to be “heavily regulated” because Congress has passed the bank card law in 2009. It eliminated many gift card fees, prohibited them from being valid for no less than five years, and allowed state laws to override federal laws. However, it didn’t expand existing protections against consumer fraud on credit and debit cards.

In 2010 Congress created a unified regulatory authority for financial consumer protection: the Consumer Protection Office for FinanceBut the agency has not kept pace with the Increase in consumer financial products outside banksThe regulations it passed in 2016 and 2018 exempted most gift cards from regulation. The FTC and Treasury Department have also proven ineffective in combating the issue.

The fear bubble bursts

By the time Mae finally pulled into her driveway, the ether had already died down. “There was a big lightbulb: 'You've been screwed,'” she said.

Mae called M&T: There was no open fraud case. She called Target: The gift cards had already been spent. Mae got most of her Bitcoin a reimbursement, because of compliance efforts and the fraud freeze on her account the day of the fraud. But the cash from the gift cards was gone.

Fraud against the elderly, including through gift cards, is predicted to proceed to extend.

Mae reported her story to the local police, AARP and the FTC database“It can happen to anyone,” she said.

For the total investigation, see: Gift card fraud is making scammers and the industry billions as regulators fail to guard consumers – and the way an 83-year-old fell into the ‘fear bubble’

Protection against banking fraud within the United States has never been capable of keep pace with the event of criminals.

The reason for this lies at first the national banking system proposed by Abraham Lincoln and passed by Congress in 1863.

Until the center of the Civil War, the United States didn’t have its own federal currency. Banks could create their very own paper money, but they were subject only to the laws of the person states, which varied considerably. One third of all of the paper money in circulation before the Civil War was probably fakewhich results in currency chaos.

Lincoln’s goal was to create the country’s first federal paper currency – National banknotes that only newly licensed national banks are supervised by the primary US financial regulator, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

To secure the brand new federal currency, these national banks were obliged to buy interest-bearing US government bonds from the US Treasury.

This financed the Union Army, but unintentionally created a Dual banking system. At this time, throughout the war, Congress felt that it was time to abolish state-chartered banks and decided to make them national banks that would issue a federal currency.

Congress is flawed.

The resulting dual banking system with no single regulatory authority responsible the supervision of all banks still exists today.

The state banks couldn’t issue the brand new federal currency. Soon afterward, Congress passed a federal tax on the paper money of state banks. in an try to force state-owned banks out of business.

To stay in business, state banks needed to launch recent financial products. The first, throughout the civil warwas what finally became often known as the check.

Since then, state and federal regulators have have participated to seek out ways to generate different revenue streams.

Time and time again, as criminals found ways to defraud banks, Congress and regulators addressed the complaints, but only in a piecemeal fashion. And on this regulatory “whack-a-mole” game, banks tried to remain one step ahead.

A “race to the bottom”

In 2009, then-Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Christopher Dodd, described banking regulation as “Race to the bottom.”

When bank card fraud got here to light, Congress modified the Truth in Credit Actwhich prompted the Federal Reserve to Regulation Zwhich protects consumers from unfair credit practices. The adjustment required banks to offer refunds for transactions that bank card holders had not authorized. This led to losses within the banks' financial results.

Banks then created debit cards. When consumers began to lose money through debit card fraud, adopted changes to Law on Electronic Payment Transferswhich prompted the Fed to Regulation Ethat protects consumers from unauthorized or erroneous electronic transfers. This amendment added similar consumer protections for fraudulent debit card transactions.

But by that point, the industry was already moving to a brand new payment innovation: gift cards, which were offered without the buyer fraud protections that debit and bank cards offer, despite the fact that a lot of these gift cards have the word “debit” printed on them.

Even today, regulators and Congress are attempting to catch the fraudsters.

Read The Conversation's investigation into gift card fraud here: Gift card fraud is making fraudsters and the industry billions, while regulators are failing to guard consumers – and the way an 83-year-old got caught within the 'fear bubble'