Consumer Alert
Scammers push people to pay with iTunes gift cards
One thing we know about scammers — they want money, and they want it fast. That’s why, whatever the con they’re running, they usually ask people to pay a certain way. They want to make it easy for themselves to get the money — and nearly impossible for you to get it back.
Their latest method? iTunes gift cards. To convince you to pay, they might pretend to be with the IRS and say you’ll be arrested if you don’t pay back taxes right now. Or pose as a family member or online love interest who needs your help fast. But as soon as you put money on a card and share the code with them, the money’s gone for good.
If you’re not shopping at the iTunes store, you shouldn’t be paying with an iTunes gift card. Other payment methods scammers might ask for include Amazon gift cards, PayPal, reloadable cards like MoneyPak, Reloadit, or Vanilla, or by wiring money through services like Western Union or MoneyGram. Government offices won’t require you to use these payment methods.
If you get targeted by a scam like this, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.
Want to know more about avoiding scams? Read How to Avoid a Scam
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In reply to Please add a linked in icon by mary
well i fell for this i tune con 4 times from the same person.
he said he needed the i tune card to roam his phone to keep calling me. that same person sent me a check of 12000.00 wanted me to deposit it into my bank and send him the money
i didn;t do that i was out the money on the i tunes though. beware of stevelucero339 hes very good and truly loves you
In reply to well i fell for this i tune by dusty
my name is Rhonda I just got scammed by somebody from New York City and said that I had received a government grant for $7,800 and all I needed to do is get itunes card for 250 dollars at first he said 100 I went up and got100.00 I gave him the code he said there was a problem with taxes from new york to texas so I need to send another 150 dollars so I did that he give me another number to call this number was to the federal Reserve Bank in New York Citythe number he gave me is 1-631-485-4884 her name is Kelly bell so I called her at that number and she said I had to have a additional 500.oo dollars to be sent to her because there was a transfer fee from bank to bank . So I called my bank and ask them what the fee was. When I found out how much it was the red flag came up.so everyone please be careful with these government grants that won't you to put money on itunes cards. The other person name is henry william the number is 1-315-217-5563.
In reply to my name is Rhonda I just got by Rhonda
In reply to I had the same thin happen to by Sunshine
In reply to my name is Rhonda I just got by Rhonda
In reply to well i fell for this i tune by dusty
In reply to i had the same thing happen by Kathy C
In reply to U really got the 12000 by Prrayna28
In reply to i had the same thing happen by Kathy C
In reply to well i fell for this i tune by dusty
In reply to well i fell for this i tune by dusty
In reply to They called me twice while I by Soniavan
In reply to Block the caller and then put by disgruntled
I don't use iTunes but every time I try to use my iPad they pop up and want me to sign in. I have no credit card on file anywhere and I have iTunes turned off so what do they keep trying to get me to sign in. Please stop. I am not going to use them!
In reply to i got a call yesterday may 10 by gail
In reply to i got a call yesterday may 10 by gail
In reply to Thats the same number they by Duped for the …
Please report this to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. The information you give will go into a database that law enforcement agencies use for investigations.
In reply to We have noticed this trend by james.wild
In reply to They don't there's no way to by Silenthill25
Scammers can sell an iTunes code on the black market or a gift card exchange website. If you buy an iTunes gift card or code at a steep discount, you risk getting something that doesn't work, and losing money. And, you might be helping a con artist make money.
I run a municipal office of Consumer Affairs and regularly inform our residents about these scams and attempts at identity theft, as I am continually advised they are repeated regularly.
Unfortunately, most of the scammers use throw-away phones and disguise the true calling information so IRS, FTC and other government organizations cannot find and prosecute many of them. The callers are getting more abusive and their threats are a signal that they are trying to scam you. Merely hang up and try to report them to the proper authorities as both IRS and FTC have scam-reporting contacts. NEVER give any personal information to strangers and NEVER respond by using gift cards or Western Union payments. Also, NEVER cash a check sent you from an unknown source, as this is another way scammers get information for identity theft.
In reply to I run a municipal office of by CONSUMER AFFAI…
Yeah. This Itunes gift card thing is the newest scam. They claim to be with the US Government and tell you that you qualify for a 7800$ grant for the next 5 years. They get you to buy $500 gift cards for one payment after another and never actually let you get your grant money. They got me for over $2600. As a 66 yo. retiree now all my pension check money is gone and I will have to go to the bank to get a loan to pay my bills. These people need to be locked up!
In reply to Yeah. This Itunes gift card by sprink4669
Please report this to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. The details of what happened to you are important. Please add them to the database that law enforcement uses for investigations.
In reply to Please report this to the FTC by FTC Staff
In reply to If so many people are being by LEG
If you gave someone the code on the back of the iTunes cards, you can contact Apple Support and ask them to disable the cards, if the value hasn't been used yet.
If the cards still have value, you can return to the store that sold you the cards. File a report with their fraud department, and ask the store for a refund. You can also contact Apple Support and explain that you have unused cards and want a refund.
In reply to Yeah. This Itunes gift card by sprink4669
In reply to I run a municipal office of by CONSUMER AFFAI…
I have been receiving calls from different "companies " some time 3 4 times from a diff. Far State, they usually ask if I need a loan, how much debt I have, and they told me that with their system I will reduce dramatic my debt in credit cards, them they ask me if I have cash or a savings account, I usually don't pay attention and hang up the telephone.
Other offered a "Grant" to buy a house, and ask a fee to be charge to my credit card of $29.95 for the first month and $36.00 for the next months service, If I receive a "Grant " denial them I call them and reimburse first month, and cancell next future payments.
What I really think is that scanners target specific people like Seniors, or somebody that really helps to purchase a house, rent,, etc. or need cash flow, they will offer "services" try to sell anything or invent anything to take money of people that really need help and with not good intentions, try to take out money and rip-off good citizens in need for help and assistant.
I warm my 3 credit bureaus And report a warning for somebody trying to access my record. Also I enroll in the Federal Trade program for warming advise. I think that we need to work more to Improve this area, because somebody "desesperate" can give info. or send transfer payments, or credit card number, waiting for a help that it will arrive. My regards, Thank you for your interest in this seriou situation.
A man contacted me by fb. He asked that I tell no one about him. And to use msg on fb.He goes by name Ogiebarret Barret. He claims to be from Uk. He wants me to send money to UK for personal inheritance. He becomes es extremely mad if I stall or say no to any requests for money to send to Guyana. He is also on romance scams. only 7nder another name. Ladies beware of this romantic fool who will want to marry you 8n a week.
hello good morning my name is fernando g i am from nj i am talking to anne haster she offer me i chevrolet suburban 2007 from the autoshop magazine i pay whit i tunes gifts the first times says by 6 i tunes $500 aech one by cash
and them she text me back she whants 3 more for ansurance to move the truck but i refuse to by more i tunes,and them on ebay page i have my order id 34505882757
i call ebay number informtion says i missing digit supose the truck by here on 3 days shipping
all this happens star on march 28 2016 and she offer more products because she is military and trying to go to brigade combat team back to south korea replaicing the troops scheduled to come home her phone number is 866949177 whit addres piedmont, sd 57769 i trying to call back for more information but nothing
In reply to hello good morning my name is by garciafernando
This sounds like a scam. When you give someone an iTunes card, they can take the money right away. Some criminals take your money and give you nothing.
You say you found the car in a magazine. You could make a complaint to the magazine and ask for help. If you found the car online, you can make a complaint to the website customer service. You can make a complaint to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. The information you give to FTC goes to other law enforcement agencies.
You can make a complaint to the FTC in English or Spanish.
In reply to hello good morning my name is by garciafernando
In reply to This is a scam. Do not by marihoop
In reply to Beware of calls from loved by Scammed in Florida
Thank you for sharing your experience. Scammers may pose as relatives or friends, calling or sending messages to urge you to wire money immediately. They’ll say they need cash to help with an emergency — like getting out of jail, paying a hospital bill, or needing to leave a foreign country. Their goal is to trick you into sending money before you realize it’s a scam. For more information, please see (and share), Family Emergency Scams.
And for a variation on this scheme, check out Attention Grandparents: Watch out for phony debt collectors.
In reply to Beware of calls from loved by Scammed in Florida
I was scammed for 200.00 dollars. on a I tune card. Is there any way I can redeem my money refunded to me.
In reply to I was scammed for 200.00 by Janice54
If you use an iTunes card to send money, it's like sending cash. The person who gets the card can take the value immediately. If you want a refund after you give a card, you have to ask the person you gave the card to.
In reply to If you use an iTunes card to by FTC Staff
In reply to Hi Bridget, by SV
If you use an iTunes card to send money, it's like sending cash. The person who gets the card can take the value immediately. If you want a refund, you have to ask the person you gave the card to.
You friend can report this to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint, and give as many details as he can. The details help law enforcement investigations.
If the scammers said they were calling from the IRS, your friend can also report to the Treasury Inspector General for Taxpayer Administration (TIGTA) at 800-366-4484.
In reply to If you use an iTunes card to by FTC Staff
In reply to Bridget, by SV
Thank you for letting us know the details of the call. Your comments will help people who read the blog, and help us with education.
I hope your friend will report all this at FTC.gov/complaint, and to the wire transfer company and his bank, if the scammers got his bank account number. He doesn't need to give the FTC his personal information if he doesn't want to, but the details of the scam are important to law enforcement agencies for investigations.
If your friend shared any personal information (bank or credit card numbers, social security number) with the scammers, he can go to IdentityTheft.gov and get tips on how to protect his information. He can also alert his bank and credit card company and ask them how to protect his accounts.
Also, please warn your friend that scammers often sell the names of their victims to other criminals. He may get more calls and emails with scam pitches, or even offers to help him "recover" the money he lost. Those "recovery" calls are really scams in disguise; don't send money to get money.
In reply to Hi Bridget, by SV