CVS employees in Wilton, Connecticut, reported a man handling numerous gift cards inside a parked vehicle. Officers who investigated found 36 cards and equipment police said could be used to open their packaging, expose identifying numbers and reseal them.
Chunlin Wang, 35, of Flushing, New York, was arrested November 10, 2026. He faces 36 counts of second-degree forgery and one count of attempted second-degree larceny, according to the police account reported by Patch.
Police estimated that the intervention could have prevented as much as $14,400 in losses to future customers. That amount represents potential losses from the suspected scheme, rather than money confirmed stolen from shoppers.
Deputy Chief Robert Cipolla described the vehicle as a “mobile fraud factory workshop” in an interview with NBC Connecticut. CVS told the station it was cooperating with law enforcement and encouraged employees to report suspicious activity.
Police Say He Was Scraping Protective Foil Off Gift Cards
Police responded to the CVS at 93 Old Ridgefield Road around 2:13 p.m. Officers saw Wang using a Dremel-style rotary tool to remove protective foil covering gift-card serial numbers, according to WTNH’s report.
Wang allegedly tried to conceal the items when he noticed an officer approaching. Investigators found materials for opening and resealing gift-card packages, along with cards whose identifying numbers had been exposed while they remained inside their packaging.
Police described a method of gift-card draining in which someone records information from unsold cards, reseals the packaging and returns the cards to store displays. When a customer purchases and activates a compromised card, the person holding its information can use the balance. Cipolla told NBC Connecticut that investigators believed the altered cards might have been intended for circulation at the Wilton CVS.
Court Record Lists $75,000 Bond and a January Appearance
Police initially reported a $500,000 bond following Wang’s arrest. News 12 Connecticut reported that he appeared in court November 12.
A printout of the Connecticut Judicial Branch case record, with information updated November 13, lists a $75,000 bond and states that Wang had not been released from custody. The entry identifies the case as awaiting a plea and schedules his next court date for January 14, 2027, at 9 a.m. in Stamford GA 1. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Inspect Gift Cards Before Paying and Keep the Receipt
The Federal Trade Commission recommends inspecting gift cards before buying them, including checking for scratches, exposed PINs and missing protective stickers. If a card appears tampered with, alert an employee and consider buying elsewhere, since other cards in the display may also have been altered.
Pay by credit card when possible, and keep both the gift card and receipt. If the balance disappears, contact the gift-card company immediately with the purchase details and ask whether the money can be recovered. Suspected gift-card fraud can also be reported through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.