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

Gift Card Scams

If someone asks you to pay for something by putting money on a gift card, like a Google Play or iTunes card, and then giving them the numbers on the back of the card, they are trying to scam you. No real business or government agency will ever insist you pay them with a gift card. Anyone who demands to be paid with a gift card is a scammer.


What is a Gift Card Scam

Gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. As soon as someone tells you to pay them with a gift card, know that it's a scam. Gift cards are popular with scammers because they are easy for people to find and buy. They also have fewer protections for buyers compared to some other payment options. They are more like cash - once you use a gift card, the money on it is gone.

Once the scammer has the gift card number and the PIN, they have your money. They may tell you different stories to get you to pay them with gift cards, but most commonly what happens is:


  • The caller will say it's urgent. You have to pay right away or something terrible will happen. They want to scare or pressure you into acting quickly, so you don't have time to think or talk to someone you trust.

  • The caller usually tells you which gift card to buy. They might say to put money on an eBay, Google Play, Target, or iTunes gift card. They might send you to a specific store, sometimes telling you to buy cards at several stores, so cashiers won't get suspicious.

  • The caller might stay on the phone with you while you go to the store and load money onto the card. If this happens to you, stop. Hang up. It's a scam.

  • The caller 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. Don't give them those numbers. You will lose your money, and you won't be able to get it back.

Spot the Scam

Only scammers try to convince you to pay with gift cards. If you know how to spot their tactics, you will be able to avoid the scam, and help others spot and avoid it. Here is a list of common gift card scams and schemes:

  • The caller says they are from the government - tax, social services or law enforcement. They say you have to pay taxes or a fine.

  • Someone calls from tech support, maybe saying they are from Apple or Microsoft or a major internet provider like Optus or Telstra. They say there is something wrong with your computer and you have to pay them to get it fixed.

  • You meet someone special on a dating website, but then they need money and ask you to help them. This romance scammer makes up any story to trick you into sending them gift cards. Never send money or gifts to anyone you haven't met in person - even if they send you money first.

  • The scammer pretends to be a friend or family member in an emergency and asks you to send money right away - but not tell anyone. This is a scam. If you are worried, call the friend, relative or someone close to them to check that everything is all right.

  • Someone says you have won a prize, but first, you have to pay fees or other charges with a gift card. Remember, no honest business or agency will ever make you pay with a gift card. But also - did you even enter that competition/raffle?

  • The caller says they are from your power company, or another utility company. They threaten to cut off your service if you don't pay immediately. Utility companies don't work that way.

  • You get a check from someone for way more than you expected. They tell you to deposit the check, then give them the difference on a gift card. Don't do it. That check will be fake, and you will be out all that money.

What To Do If You Paid a Scammer With Gift Cards

If you paid a scammer with a gift card, tell the company that issued the card right away. Keep the card and any receipts you have. Look for the company's contact information on the card itself, or do some 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 us and we can help.


Safely Buying and Using Gift Cards

Remember that gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. So if you buy gift cards to give away or donate:

  • Stick to stores you know and trust. Avoid buying from online auction sites because the cards may be fake or stolen.

  • Check it out before you buy it. Make sure the protective stickers are on the card and that they do not appear to have been tampered with. Also, check that the PIN number on the back isn't showing. Get a different card if you spot a problem.

  • Keep your receipt. This, or the card's ID number, will help you file a report if you lose the gift card.