Also, paying by gift card might appear to be more secure than using personal credit cards or banking information. However, if you fall for this scam and give out gift card information, the only “cause” you’ll be giving to is to pay a scammer’s deep pockets!

Types of Gift Card Scams

Most consumers know they shouldn’t give out their gift card numbers to an online or offline stranger, but con artists have developed devious plans which will cause trusting people to forego that common sense.

Does it work? Yes!

Consumers losing $53 million in 2018 alone, suggests that it does. Worse, that amount is the combined total for gift cards stolen in small ($5, $10) to large ($100, $500+) amounts! A scammer only needs to trick you long enough for them to get ahold of your gift card number and use it to purchase other cards or items. Some types of gift card fraud involve the use of phishing websites, fraudulent phone calls, and tech support scams.

How Gift Card Fraud Works and How to Stop Them!

Phishing Emails and Websites

Seeing is believing unless you are looking at a phishing email, fake website, or fraudulent pop-up ad. Even if a site, email, or pop up ad appears legitimate, it might not be. Cybercriminals duplicate real emails and official websites, so their trick isn’t discernible to the untrained eye.