State officials are warning consumers about a gift card scam going on this holiday season.

They say thieves have figured out a new way to steal money on the cards. When the cards are still at the store, they uncover the scratch-off activation code and take a picture of it. When a consumer buys the card and activates it, the thieves go online and use the money.

Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging companies to block critical activation numbers in packaging. Schumer also wants stores to place the cards behind cash registers so thieves don't have easy access to them.