From BigGo Finance · BigGo Finance · · 1m 30s
Hackers Target Staples' System, Issue $5m Gift Cards
Hackers fraudulently issued 15,000 gift cards worth $5m from Staples' system in 2023, using them for Apple products at Target, Sephora, and Lowe's.
In brief
Hackers fraudulently issued 15,000 gift cards worth $5m from Staples' system in 2023, using them for Apple products at Target, Sephora, and Lowe's. Hackers breached Staples' internal system in 2023, fraudulently issuing 15,000 gift cards worth $5m to buy Apple products at Target, Sephora, and Lowe's. Originally…
Hackers Breach Staples' System
Hackers breached Staples' internal customer support system Nexus in 2023, fraudulently issuing 15,000 gift cards worth over $5 million.
Gift Cards Used at Retailers
Gift cards were used at Target, Sephora, and Lowe's for Apple products, with 35 cards purchased at one Target store in New Hampshire within an hour.
Fraudulent Transactions Across States
In two days, 3,850 gift cards were used at 85 stores across 18 states, totaling $141,000 in purchases at Target.
Sephora and Lowe's Transactions
At Sephora, 330 gift cards were used online for $58,600 in purchases, and at Lowe's, 450 cards were used across 22 stores for $226,000.
Total Fraudulent Activity
Only 4,630 gift cards worth $425,000 were actually used, with the rest invalidated before use, totaling $425,000 in fraudulent transactions.
US Department of Justice Action
The U.S. Department of Justice sentenced three Chinese nationals to prison terms of two to five years in April 2025 for gift card fraud.
Total Losses Exceed $100m
The criminal organization's gift card fraud exceeds $100 million in value, with losses believed to reach $100 million across multiple cases.
The bottom line
Hackers breached Staples' internal system in 2023, fraudulently issuing 15,000 gift cards worth $5m to buy Apple products at Target, Sephora, and Lowe's.
