Consumer Alert
Keep your money safe from gift card scammers this holiday season. Here’s how
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What’s one way to keep your money safe from scammers during the holidays? If you’re in the check-out line buying gift cards, make sure they’re for gifts. Only gifts. Not because someone tells you to buy gift cards and give them the numbers off the back of the card. Only scammers say that.
Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. It’s usually for something urgent and they want you to pay right away. Scammers might say they’re from the government or a company you know. Or, thanks to AI voice cloning, they might even sound just like the friend or family member they call pretending to be, asking you to send money to fix their emergency. No matter what they say, it’s a trick to get you to go to a store, put money on a gift card, and give them the numbers. It’s a scam.
If you think you gave a gift card to a scammer, act fast. Grab your gift card and gift card receipt, then:
- Report the gift card scam to the gift card company. It doesn’t matter how long ago the scam happened. Use this How To Contact Gift Card Companies list to report it.
- Ask for your money back. Some companies are helping stop gift card scams. They might give your money back. It’s worth asking.
- Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report makes a difference and helps protect people in your community from fraud and scams.
And what about those free gift card offers? Lots of scammers send phishing emails promising free gift cards in exchange for your personal or financial information. Save your money. Don’t click on any text or email links.
So: gift card for your 17-year-old niece who’s impossible to buy for? Sure. Gift card for the person who just called with an urgent reason to go get a card and share the PIN numbers? Heck no. Learn more at ftc.gov/giftcards.
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Need more explanation
What happens when they get the numbers???
In reply to Need more explanation What… by John coniglio
If you give a scammer the card number and PIN from the back of a card, the scammer can use the money you loaded on the card, even if you still have the card itself.
I have not been scammed, but it's because of God & theFTC that I haven't 🙏 ❗
THANK YOU
I needed to hear this!
My friend almost got scammed. I was unaware of the AI voice cloning.
That is down right scary. Can happen so quickly, if we feel a loved one is in trouble and we think we hear their voice.
In reply to I needed to hear this! My… by Barb
How is this possible.
Does this apply if you pay cash for the gift card?
In reply to Does this apply if you pay… by Donna
Yes
Whats wrong with cash?
What about the gift cards to major stores and eateries that do NOT work once they have been "activated" at the point of sale, and then given to a relative for a special occasion? That has happened to me three times over the past year. I would get a gift card, have it activated at the register of the store where I purchased the card, then use it as a gift to a relative. The said relative would try to use the card for the face amount, "$25 or $50 or $100" and NOT be able to use it. A useless card had been sold to me!! How can we stop that form of fraud?
In reply to What about the gift cards to… by Lovette
News now are showing how this new scam on legitimate card purchases are happening. scammers get the numbers from cards and when you activate it at register they are instantly alerted and they drain the money from the account before you have even given the card as a gift.
In reply to What about the gift cards to… by Lovette
Most major stores print out an "activation status receipt" along with your receipt. I always tape that to my card so the recipient will know that ithas been activated and can check on the status themselves.
In reply to Most major stores print out … by Deb
My sister did exactly that and my $100 card had a $0 balance. Was used 3 days after she bought it at target at 3 am. Can’t even get a live person on the phone to report it. Gift giver out $100.
In reply to My sister did exactly that… by LeeAnn
I'm currently facing the same issue with a $100 Macy's gift card that was purchased from Raley's. It was a wedding gift from my mother-in-law. When we tried to use the card at Macy's we were told there were no funds left. We called the phone number on the gift card and an automated message stated a purchase of $1.25 and then a purchase of $98.75 was made on the same day. We were in immediate contact with Macy's Gift Card Fraud, gave them all the requested information and now just getting the run around from Macy's. I filed a BBB complaint hoping to get some help.
How about the celebrities who have multiple profiles/accounts on Facebook and Instagram asking for donations for whatever reason or charity? It's grown worse than ever in a very short time.
I am in contact with a man called Frank
Heinrich he apparently is a surgeon on Nato in Southern Africa he got 2 girls that live in the States he asked me to switch from messenger to Telegram does anybody had contact with him