Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams
Only scammers will tell you
to buy a gift card, like a Google Play or Apple Card, and give them the numbers
off the back of the card. No matter what they say, that’s a scam. No real
business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay
them. Always keep a copy of your gift card and store receipt. Use them to
report gift card scams to the gift card company and ask for your money back.
1. How Gift Card
Scams Work
2. Common Gift Card
Scams
3. What To Do If
You Gave a Gift Card to a Scammer
4. How To Contact
Gift Card Companies
5. Buying and Using
Gift Cards
How Gift Card Scams Work
Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message.
Scammers will say almost anything to get you to buy gift cards — like Google
Play, Apple, or Amazon cards — and hand over the card number and PIN codes.
Here are some common tactics scammers use in gift card scams:
Scammers will say it’s urgent. They will say to pay them right away or something
terrible will happen. They don’t want you to have time to think about what
they’re saying or talk to someone you trust. Slow down. Don’t pay. It’s a scam.
Scammers will tell you which gift card to buy (and where). They might say to
put money on an eBay, Google Play, Target, or Apple gift card. They might send
you to a specific store — often Walmart, Target, CVS, or Walgreens. Sometimes
they’ll tell you to buy cards at several stores, so cashiers won’t get suspicious.
The scammer also might stay on the phone with you while you go to the store and
load money onto the card. If this happens to you, hang up. It’s a scam.
Scammers will ask you for the gift card number and PIN. The card number
and PIN on the back of the card let the scammer get the money you loaded onto
the card — even if you still have the card itself. Slow down. Don’t give them
those numbers or send them a photo of the card. It’s a scam.
Scammers tell different stories to get you to buy gift cards so they can
steal your money. Here are some common gift card scams:
Scammers say they’re from the
government. They say they’re from the IRS, the Social Security
Administration, or even the FTC. They say you have to pay taxes or a fine. But
government agencies won’t contact you to demand immediate payment, and they
never demand payment by gift card. It’s a scam.
Scammers say they’re from tech
support. They say they’re from Microsoft or Apple and there’s something
wrong with your computer. They ask for remote access, and say to pay them to
get it fixed. Don’t give them access to your computer. It’s a scam.
Scammers say they’re a friend or family member with an emergency. If
the scammer uses voice cloning, they may even sound just like your loved one.
They ask you to send money right away — but not tell anyone. It’s a scam. If
you’re worried, contact the friend or relative to check that everything is all
right.
Scammers say you’ve won a
prize. But first, they tell you to pay fees or other
charges with a gift card. It’s a scam. No honest business or agency will ever
make you buy a gift card to pay them for a prize. And did you even enter to win
that prize?
Scammers say they’re from your utility company. They
threaten to cut off your service if you don’t pay immediately. But utility
companies don’t work that way. It’s a scam.
Scammers ask for money after they chat you up on a dating website. Romance
scammers will make up any story to trick you into buying a gift card to send
them money. Slow down. Never send money or gifts to anyone you haven’t met in
person — even if they send you money first.
Scammers send a
check for way more than you expected. They tell you
to deposit the check and give them the difference on a gift card. Don’t do it.
It’s a scam. That check will be fake and you’ll be out all that
money.
What To Do If You Gave a Gift Card
to a Scammer
If you bought a gift card and gave someone the numbers off the back of
the card, that’s a scam. Use your gift card and gift card store receipt for
these next steps:
Report the gift card scam to the gift card company right away. No matter how
long ago the scam happened, report it. Use the How To Contact
Gift Card Companies list below.
Ask for your money back. Some companies are helping stop gift card scams and
might give your money back. It’s worth asking.
Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Every
report makes a difference.
How To Contact Gift Card Companies
Amazon
Call 1 (888) 280-4331 and follow Amazon’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Amazon gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Amazon’s website to
learn about scams.
American Express
Call 1 (877) 297-4438 and follow American Express’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the American Express gift card or your store receipt.
Visit American
Express’s website to learn about scams.
Apple, iTunes
Call 1 (800) 275-2273. Say “gift card” to connect with a live
representative. Follow Apple’s instructions.
Ask if the money is still on the Apple or iTunes gift card. If so, Apple
can put a freeze on it. Ask for your money back.
Keep a copy of the Apple or iTunes gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Apple’s website to
learn about scams.
Best Buy
Call 1 (888) 237-8289 and follow Best Buy’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Best Buy gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Best Buy’s
website to learn about scams.
eBay
Chat with eBay customer
support, or have a representative call you back.
Keep a copy of the eBay gift card or your store receipt.
Visit eBay’s website to
learn about scams.
Google Play
Report the gift card scam to Google.
Ask for your money back. If the money is still on the card, Google can
put a freeze on it. If you don’t have a Google account, fill out this
form.
Keep a copy of the Google Play gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Google’s website to
learn about scams.
MoneyPak
Submit a fraud claim to MoneyPak.
Keep a copy of the MoneyPak card or your store receipt.
Visit MoneyPak’s
website to learn about scams.
ReloadIt
Call 1 (888) 633-9434 and follow ReloadIt’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the ReloadIt card or your store receipt.
Visit ReloadIt’s
website to learn about scams.
Sephora
Call 1 (877) 737-4672 and follow Sephora’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Sephora gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Sephora’s
website to learn about scams.
Steam
Report the gift card scam to Steam through Steam Support.
Keep a copy of the Steam gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Steam’s website to
learn about scams.
Target
Call 1 (800) 544-2943 and follow Target’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Target gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Target’s website to
learn about scams.
Vanilla
Call 1 (833) 322-6760 and follow Vanilla’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Vanilla card or your store receipt.
Visa
Call 1 (800) 847-2911 and follow Visa’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Visa gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Visa’s website to
learn about scams.
Walmart
Call 1 (888) 537-5503 and follow Walmart’s instructions.
Keep a copy of the Walmart gift card or your store receipt.
Visit Walmart’s
website to learn about scams.
Don’t see your card on this list? Look for the company’s contact
information on the card itself or research online to find out how to reach the
card issuer. If you can’t find the contact information or the card issuer
doesn’t want to talk to you, report it to the
FTC.
Gift cards are for gifts. Only gifts. Not for payments.
Never buy a gift card because someone tells you to buy one and give them the
numbers. Whenever you buy gift cards:
Stick to stores you know and trust. Avoid buying from online auction
sites because the gift cards may be fake or stolen.
Inspect the gift card before you buy it. Make sure the
protective stickers are on the card and that it doesn’t look like someone
tampered with them. Also check that the PIN number on the back isn’t showing.
Pick a different gift card if you spot a problem and show the tampered card to
a cashier or manager.
Always keep a copy of the gift card and store receipt. Take a picture
of the gift card and store receipt with your phone. The number on the gift card
and store receipt will help you file a report with the gift card
company if you lose the gift card or if you need to report fraud.