House Bill 315 Advances Gift Card Theft & Unlawful Entry Offenses

On May 5, 2025, the North Carolina House of Representatives unanimously passed House Bill 315, targeting an emerging form of retail fraud: gift-card “card-draining.” Criminals scrape or photograph gift-card codes from packaging, return cards to shelves, then steal funds once legitimate customers load them.

Highlights of HB 315

Larceny of Gift Cards (new G.S. 14-72)

Class 1 misdemeanor if value ≤ $1,000

Class H felony if value > $1,000
Offenses include acquiring, retaining, or altering gift cards or redemption information without consent.

Breaking or Entering (G.S. 14-54(b1))

Entering any non-public area of a building with intent to commit gift-card larceny is a Class 1 misdemeanor (first offense) or Class I felony (subsequent offenses).

Amendments to Organized Retail Theft

Adds gift-card conspiracies (e.g., coordinating code collection) to the existing ORT statute, with felonies scaling by aggregate value.

Civil Liability

Victims of gift-card larceny may pursue treble damages under North Carolina’s civil-liability statutes.

Sponsors from both parties emphasized consumer protection. “When criminals try to game gift-card displays, real people lose real money,” said Rep. Reece Pyrtle (R-Rockingham).

HB 315 now moves to the Senate. If enacted as is, it will take effect December 1, 2025—giving law enforcement and retailers nearly seven months to train staff, update signage, and coordinate prosecution guidelines. Retailers are encouraged to implement tamper-evident packaging immediately to deter would-be thieves.