HOW IT WORKS
 
Gift Card Scams Explained;
Don’t Get Tricked
It’s common to hear stories about various  financial scams  and assume it would never happen to you. Unfortunately, anyone can fall victim to scams, including gift card scams. There are several types of gift card scams, and new ones emerge every day. What they all have in common is a sense of urgency. Scammers try to convince you to buy gift cards to solve a fake problem. Don’t believe them. It’s a scam!
Step One - The Set Up
Step One
The Set Up
The scammer contacts the victim through an unsolicited phone call, email, text, or social media message, claiming to be a trustworthy figure or a government official.
Warning sign: The message is unexpected and asks you to trust someone you did not contact first.
Step Two - The Pressure
Step Two
The Pressure
The scammer warns of immediate danger or serious consequences unless the victim purchases gift cards and provides the card numbers and PINs as payment for a fake debt.
Warning sign: Scammers use fear, urgency, and threats to make you act before you think.
Step Three - The Purchase
Step Three
The Purchase
The victim purchases the requested gift cards.
Warning sign: No real government agency, police department, utility company, or legitimate business will demand payment with gift cards.
Step Four - The Handoff
Step Four
The Handoff
The victim shares the card numbers and PINs with the scammer.
Warning sign: Anyone asking you to read, text, email, or photograph gift card numbers is trying to steal the money.
Step Five - The Payoff
Step Five
The Payoff
The scammer uses or sells the gift cards, and your money is gone.
Act fast: Save your receipt and packaging, contact the gift card company, and report the scam as soon as possible.
Important Reminder
No legitimate business or government agency will ever demand you fix a problem or pay a debt by purchasing gift cards. If someone claims to be a friend or family member, contact that person directly to confirm the situation. Gift cards are for gifts, not for payments of taxes, bills, fees or bail! Never give an unknown person access to gift card numbers and PINs.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
 
Targeted by a Gift Card Scam?
Don’t be embarrassed — you’re not alone. Every report helps law enforcement investigate, arrest, and prosecute scammers.
 
Report it.
Every report helps law enforcement investigate, arrest, and prosecute scammers.
 
Save evidence.
Save call logs, messages, receipts, packaging, screenshots, and anything else that can help law enforcement identify the scammers.
 
Call the gift card company.
Tell them what happened as soon as possible and provide any card information, receipts, or evidence you saved.
 
Inform local police.
Contact police where you live and where you purchased the gift cards, so they know scammers are targeting people in their communities.
 
Tell your state attorney general’s office.
Find your state attorney general’s contact information  here  and let their office know about the scam.
 
Report the scam to the FTC.
Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at  reportfraud.ftc.gov . Scammers rarely operate in just one jurisdiction or state, and FTC reports help the federal government investigate criminal rings that run gift card scams.
If You Get an Unsolicited Message
Rebuff the scammer. Do not respond to their message.
Report it. Law enforcement needs to know.
Remember: Gift cards should only be purchased for gifts.
Watch How Gift Card Scams Happen