Once activated and funded, these payment cards become vulnerable. Scammers exploit this window to rapidly move money across multiple cards. The funds then disappear—either cashed out through ATMs or converted into merchandise at high-end retailers. It's a classic relay operation designed to obscure the money trail. Law enforcement recently cracked down on this scheme, apprehending three individuals with ties to Eastern Europe who orchestrated similar fraud rings across the country. Their method: simple but devastatingly effective.