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California Man Charged with Conducting Large-Scale Gift Card Fraud Scheme

LANSING – Today, Sinjuan Song, 31, of Alhambra, California, was arraigned before the Honorable Todd Fox of the 51st District Court in Waterford for allegedly conducting a large-scale gift card fraud scheme, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Song has been charged with one count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a 20-year felony, and two counts of Possession of a Fraudulent Financial Transaction Device, each a 4-year felony.

Song is allegedly connected to an organized retail crime group that distributed altered gift cards at Meijer locations in White Lake, Waterford, Auburn Hills, Southgate, Allen Park, and Taylor in March 2025. The investigation was led by the United States Postal Inspection Service in collaboration with the Attorney General’s FORCE Team and the Michigan State Police.

Gift card fraud scams typically begin with the theft of empty, unsold gift cards from retail stores. The cards are then tampered with to reveal their unique redemption numbers, recorded by alleged scammers, then concealed once again with an adhesive to appear as though they have not been tampered with. The altered gift cards are then returned to their original intended retail point of sale, and the alleged scammers use computer programs to monitor when any card is activated with a balance of funds. As soon as a shopper places a balance on the card, the balance is transferred into another digital account. The gift card, when given as a gift and redeemed, is already depleted.

Attorney General Nessel, who was named the inaugural attorney general strategic partner of the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance, previously released a video alerting Michiganders to the gift card scam, detailing how the scam is believed to operate, and offering tips to avoid becoming a victim.

“Organized crime syndicates are increasingly conducting large-scale retail fraud here in Michigan and across the country, harming not only retailers but consumers looking to purchase gifts for loved ones,” said Attorney General Nessel. “I am proud of the work my FORCE Team does with Michigan State Police and the Postal Inspection Service to stop these illegal schemes and hold those responsible accountable.”

Song was given a $500,000 cash/surety bond. He is prohibited from leaving Oakland County and must surrender his passport among other conditions. Song is next scheduled to appear before the 51st District Court for a Probable Cause Conference on March 31 at 2:30 p.m.

The FORCE Team was established in January 2023 by the Attorney General to target criminal organizations that steal products from retailers to repackage and sell for a profit. Two assistant attorneys general serve the unit full time, working with special agents within the Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police detectives to investigate and prosecute these crimes. The FORCE team also partners with the FBI’s Detroit Fraud and Financial Crimes Task Force and the Postal Inspection Service. This is a first-in-the-nation unit, unique in the 50 states as being the first such unit with embedded, dedicated staff from the Department of Attorney General.

The FORCE Team is dedicated to working collaboratively with retailers and local law enforcement agencies to combat organized retail crime. FORCE is an acronym that stands for Focused Organized Retail Crime Enforcement. Recent corporate partners on investigations have included Sam’s Club/Walmart, Meijer, Target, Home Depot, TJ Maxx, Rite-Aid, Lululemon, Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and Lowe’s.

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Please note: For all criminal proceedings, a criminal charge is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Department does not provide booking photos.

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