Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them and Buy Cards Safely

This guide is for holiday shoppers buying gift cards, and anyone who has been asked to pay a bill or a “boss” with gift cards.

Gift cards are an easy present, and an easy target for scammers. There are two separate risks: someone tricking you into paying them with gift cards, and a card that’s been tampered with before you buy it.

The red flag

The FTC is blunt: only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card to pay someone.¹ No real government agency, utility, tech support line or employer asks for payment that way. If a call, text or email pushes you to buy cards and read the numbers out, it’s a scam.

Check the card before you buy

The FTC’s advice in the store:^1,2

• Stick to stores you know and trust.
• Look for tampering. Make sure the protective stickers are on the card and haven’t been disturbed.
• Check that the PIN on the back isn’t showing. The FTC warns scammers can get the card number and PIN before you buy the card.
• If a card looks off, pick another one, or consider a different store.

Keep your proof

The FTC says to keep a copy of the gift card and the store receipt.¹ Our advice: snap a photo of the back of the card and the receipt before you wrap it, and give the receipt to the person who gets the card.

If you paid a scammer or the card is empty

The FTC says to:¹

1. Report it to the gift card company right away. Acting fast gives you the best chance of getting money back.
2. Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Paying for the cards

The FTC suggests paying by credit card if you can.²

Checklist

• Never pay a bill or a stranger with gift cards.
• Buy from stores you trust.
• Check stickers and make sure the PIN isn’t exposed.
• Photograph the card and keep the receipt.
• Report problems to the card company and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.