Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the sentencing of Yuniel Rodriguez-Leon for his involvement in a gift card cloning scheme that targeted Walmart stores in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties from October to December 2023.
“I am proud of the work of the agents and prosecutors in my office for their efforts in combating the retail theft that occurred in this gift card cloning scam,” said Attorney General Mayes. "I’m also grateful to Walmart for the support and partnership provided in this operation. Together, we will continue to identify, pursue, and prosecute those involved in such crimes to ensure justice for Arizonans.”
Law enforcement identified a group who were removing gift cards from Walmart, cloning the numbers, and placing them back on shelves. Consumers would then purchase these cards and load them with funds, only to find the balances used before they could access them.
With help from Walmart’s Global Investigations, Rodriguez-Leon was captured on video surveillance at multiple stores placing cloned gift cards on display and removing others for future cloning. Further investigation revealed multiple transactions where he used cloned gift cards for personal purchases.
Rodriguez-Leon pleaded guilty on August 2, 2024, to Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices (a Class 2 felony) and Illegally Conducting an Enterprise (a Class 3 felony). On September 17, 2024, he was sentenced to 2.75 years in the Arizona Department of Corrections followed by a consecutive sentence of 2.5 years’ probation.
Attorney General Mayes had announced an investigation into this matter in December 2023.
Gift card cloning involves fraudsters copying magnetic strips from store gift cards and returning them to shelves. When consumers buy these cards, fraudsters use the copied strips to drain funds, leaving consumers with worthless cards.
Consumers can protect themselves by ensuring that the number on any gift card matches the number on the receipt. Signs of tampering include stickers over activation codes or damage to packaging. For added security, consumers may consider purchasing gift cards stored behind counters or near cash registers.
Victims of fraud can file complaints at https://www.azag.gov/complaints/criminal or contact the Attorney General’s Office at (602) 542-8888.
The case was investigated by the Special Investigation Section of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office with assistance from Walmart’s Global Investigations, US Department of Agriculture, US Secret Service, Phoenix Police Department, Glendale Police Department, and Peoria Police Department. Assistant Attorney General Matthew McCray prosecuted the case.
###