In a warning released October 29, 2026, FBI Newark urged trading-card and collectibles retailers to guard against payment fraud. This dated recent feature covers that announcement and its prevention guidance, not a new theft report.
The agency said seven New Jersey shops were targeted between September 2025 and March 2026. Those are the dates of the activity described in the warning, not the date of the announcement.
The failed-payment request
According to FBI Newark, the scheme can begin with someone attempting a contactless mobile payment, then saying it failed and asking an employee to enter a card number manually. The agency says the number comes from a stolen or compromised card.
The FBI says a store may not discover the fraudulent transaction until weeks later, giving the person time to resell the items before the store or bank detects the scheme.
Safeguards for the counter
FBI Newark recommends that retailers:
- Require photo identification for manual-entry credit card purchases.
- Disable manual-entry credit card purchases if possible.
- Use locked display cabinets and secure them between shopper interactions.
- Install surveillance cameras, door alarms and panic buttons.
- Keep multiple employees behind the counter to watch for distractions.
- File police reports for attempted or actual thefts.
Where to report information
The release asks victims to call 911 immediately. It also lists FBI Newark at 973‑792‑3000 and the FBI's online tip portal at tips.fbi.gov.
The reported pattern and the retailer recommendations above come from the FBI Newark release dated October 29, 2026.
