The operator of a gift card cloning scheme targeting Walmart stories in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties was sentenced to 2.75 years in jail and another 2.5 years of probation.

Yuniel Rodriguez-Leon pleaded guilty on Aug. 2 to one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices, a class 2 felony, and one count of illegally conducting an enterprise, a class 3 felony. He was sentenced on Sept. 17, according to a press release from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

The scheme involved a group of people taking unactivated Walmart gift cards from stores, cloning the numbers on the card, and then putting the cards back. Once the cards were purchased by consumers, the cards could be accessed and the money removed from them.

State investigators worked with Walmart’s Global Investigations to identify Rodriguez-Leon on video surveillance in multiple stores placing cloned gift cards on gift card cubicles and removing cards for future cloning. Additional investigation identified multiple transactions where Rodriguez-Leon would use cloned gift cards to make personal purchases, according to the press release.

“I am proud of the work of the agents and prosecutors in my office for their efforts in combating the retail theft that occurred in this gift card cloning scam,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes in the press release. “I’m also grateful to Walmart for the support and partnership provided in this operation. Together, we will continue to identify, pursue, and prosecute those involved in such crimes to ensure justice for Arizonans.”

The Attorney General’s Office said consumers can avoid being defrauded in such scams by double-checking to ensure the number on the back of any gift card matches the number on the receipt. If the numbers do not match, that is a sign the card may have been cloned.

Consumers should also look for signs of tampering, such as stickers placed over activation codes or damage to packaging or faint scratches on the card from being swiped through a card reader. For extra precaution, consumers may consider purchasing gift cards stored behind the counter or near cash registers.

Anyone who believes they have been the victim of fraud can file a complaint by visiting https://www.azag.gov/complaints/criminal or calling the Attorney General’s Office at 602-542-8888.

This case was investigated by the Special Investigation Section of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office and Walmart’s Global Investigations. The investigation involved assistance from the US Department of Agriculture, and US Secret Service. Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria Police Departments also assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Matthew McCray.