Letter: Thieves Now Targeting Redbox Customers

To the editor:

An interesting mode of fraud happened to me Friday night (Jan. 11, 2013) at the Giant in Hellertown.

I got a movie at the Redbox to watch after dinner. A few hours later, we were ready to watch the movie. I opened the case and the only thing there was a PHOTOCOPY of the DVD, with the scan pattern placed in the correct position, enabling the person who previously rented it to return the empty box with the piece of paper instead of the disc.

I called Redbox, who of course have the credit card number of the person who had just rented it. That person had only had it out for a few minutes before returning it (just enough time to photocopy the disc with the copier at Giant and return it). So, Redbox knows the identity of that person (unless the credit card was stolen as well). I am sure that act is time-stamped from the rental and return, so it is also caught on the video system of the store. Redbox refunded my money and rectified the situation with me.

Unfortunately, because of these types of thieves, people should now check their movies when they are immediately taken out of the machine.

George Kramer

Lower Saucon