Report a
gift card scam.
No legitimate business, government agency, or person will ever ask you to pay with gift cards. If someone told you to buy gift cards and read the numbers over the phone, that was a scam. Reporting the details here — the card type, amount, store, and how you were contacted — helps investigators track these operations and potentially freeze remaining funds before the scammer drains them.
Quick gift card scam report
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Why scammers love gift cards — and how to fight back
Gift cards are the currency of choice for scammers because they combine the anonymity of cash with the convenience of digital transfer. Once a victim reads the numbers off the back of a card, the scammer can drain the balance in seconds from anywhere in the world. There's no chargeback mechanism, no sender protection, and no paper trail linking the card to a specific person. That's why the FTC consistently ranks gift cards as one of the top payment methods in reported fraud — $217 million in losses in 2023 alone.
The scams follow recognizable scripts. A phone call from someone claiming to be the IRS says you owe back taxes and will be arrested unless you pay immediately — with Target gift cards. A pop-up on your computer warns of a virus and directs you to call a "Microsoft support" number, where the agent asks for payment in Google Play cards. A text from someone posing as your boss says they need you to buy $500 in Apple gift cards for a client surprise. In every case, the urgency is manufactured to prevent you from thinking clearly or checking with someone you trust.
What to do if you've already sent the codes
Act immediately. Call the gift card company's customer service number — it's on the back of the card — and tell them the card was used in a scam. Amazon, Apple, Google, Target, and most major issuers have fraud departments that can sometimes freeze remaining balances. The faster you call, the better the odds. Keep the physical cards and receipts as evidence. Then file reports here, with the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov), and with your local police.
Even if the money is already gone, your report matters. Investigators use aggregated gift card fraud data to identify the stores and regions where scammers are most active. Retailers use this data to train cashiers — when a cashier asks "is someone telling you to buy these?" before a large gift card purchase, that intervention exists because of reports like yours.
How gift card scams are organized
Most gift card scams aren't lone operators. They're run by organized fraud rings, often based overseas, with call centers employing dozens of people working through scripts. Some operations use "money mules" — people recruited (often unknowingly) to purchase gift cards locally and send photos of the codes. The gift card numbers are then sold on dark web marketplaces or converted to other currencies within minutes. A single fraud ring can run hundreds of scams simultaneously, which is why every individual report helps build the bigger picture investigators need.
Where else to report gift card scams
Contact the card issuer first, then file with these agencies:
- →FTC — reportfraud.ftc.gov — the #1 place to report gift card fraud
- →Card issuer — Call the number on the back of the card immediately to report fraud
- →Your state AG — Most state attorneys general have consumer protection divisions
- →Local police — File a police report — you may need it for insurance or bank claims
Related scam types
Scammers often combine tactics. If this looks familiar, check these too: