Gift Card Scam: Why No One Legit Is Paid in Gift Cards

A gift card scam is any situation where you're pressured to pay a bill, fine, or fee using gift cards — Apple, Google Play, Amazon, or Steam.

How the gift card scam works

The scammer invents urgency (a debt, an arrest, a prize fee) and directs you to buy gift cards and read the codes over the phone. Once the codes are shared, the money is gone and nearly impossible to trace or recover.

Red flags to watch for

• You're told to pay a bill, fine, or fee with gift cards
• They ask you to read the numbers on the back over the phone
• There's pressure to do it immediately or stay on the line
• The “agency” or “company” only accepts gift cards

What it looks like

“To avoid arrest today, buy $500 in Google Play gift cards and read me the codes on the back.”

What to do

1. Stop — no real business, bank, or government agency is ever paid in gift cards.
2. Don't buy the cards or read anyone the codes.
3. If you already shared codes, call the card's toll-free line right away; acting fast can sometimes save the funds.
4. Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

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