Someone Asking You to Pay With a Gift Card Is a Scam
No real bill, fine or fee is ever paid this way. The request itself is the tell. Here is what to do right now.
The request is the scam's fingerprint
A gift card scam does not hide. The FTC says only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back of the card. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them.
So treat any request for gift card numbers as a scam. If a caller, texter or email asks for gift card numbers, do not buy the card or share the numbers. Gift cards are for gifts only, not for payments, the FTC says. There is no version of this request that is on the level. Not for a bill. Not for a fine. Not for a fee.
How the scam reaches you
The FTC says gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. The channel does not matter. A scammer on the phone is the same scam as one in your inbox. The story changes, the demand does not.
Why they rush you
Scammers will say it's urgent and that you must pay right away or something terrible will happen, the FTC says. They don't want you to have time to think about what they're saying or talk to someone you trust.
That rush is a second tell.
The stories scammers tell
The FTC says scammers will say almost anything to get you to buy gift cards and hand over the card number and PIN codes. A few stories come up again and again.
The government. Scammers say they're from the government, like the IRS, the Social Security Administration, or even the FTC. The FTC says government agencies won't contact you to demand immediate payment and never demand payment by gift card. Want to know how fake tax notices work on paper? Read about IRS scam mail. For the phone version, see the IRS scam.
Tech support. Scammers say they're from tech support, like Microsoft or Apple, and that something is wrong with your computer. The FTC says they ask for remote access and say to pay them to get your computer fixed.
A family emergency. Scammers say they're a friend or family member with an emergency. The FTC says a scammer using voice cloning may even sound just like your loved one. They ask you to send money right away but not tell anyone. The FTC says if you're worried, contact the friend or relative to check that everything is all right.
A prize. Scammers say you've won a prize but first tell you to pay fees or other charges with a gift card. The FTC says no honest business or agency will ever make you buy a gift card to pay them for a prize.
Your utility company. Scammers say they're from your utility company and threaten to cut off your service if you don't pay immediately. The FTC says utility companies don't work that way.
Romance. Romance scammers will make up any story to trick you into buying a gift card to send them money, the FTC says. The FTC says never send money or gifts to anyone you haven't met in person, even if they send you money first. If they send you a check, the FTC says that check will be fake and you'll be out all that money.
Which cards and stores they name
The FTC says scammers will tell you which gift card to buy and where. They might tell you to put money on an eBay, Google Play, Target, or Apple gift card. They often send you to a specific store, often Walmart, Target, CVS, or Walgreens.
Some tell you to buy cards at several stores so cashiers won't get suspicious. A scammer might even stay on the phone with you while you go to the store and load money onto the card.
If you already gave out the numbers
Act now, even if the money seems gone. The FTC says to report the gift card scam to the gift card company right away, no matter how long ago the scam happened. Ask for your money back. The FTC says some companies are helping stop gift card scams and might give your money back. The company decides, and nobody can promise you a refund.
If the card was an Amazon gift card, the FTC says to call Amazon and follow Amazon's instructions. Keep a copy of the Amazon gift card or your store receipt. The FTC's guide says Apple can freeze an Apple or iTunes gift card if the money is still on it. The FTC's guide says Google can put a freeze on a card if the money is still on it.
The FTC also says to always keep a copy of your gift card and store receipt.
How to report the scam and who to tell
After the card company, tell the FTC. The FTC says to report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and every report makes a difference.
How to spot the request next time
The rule is one sentence long. The FTC says never to buy a gift card because someone tells you to buy one and give them the numbers. That is the whole test. It works for every story above, and for stories that have not been invented yet.
The FTC says not to give scammers the card numbers or send them a photo of the card.