Gift Card Scam
3 min read
Posted on Dec 04, 2024
Protect Yourself From Becoming A Victim Of Gift Card Scams
Some people get gift cards. Some people give gift cards. And some people just flat-out demand them.
While these increasingly popular cards can take the hassle out of gift-giving, they have also become targets of scammers.
If you get a threatening call along with the demand to pay by gift card:
Be on the lookout for scammers posing as representatives of government agencies, utility companies or tech support groups who say you owe them money and demand payment with gift cards and threaten fines, service cutoffs or jail time.
The FTC warns that "Gift cards are for gifts, not payments. Anyone who demands payment by gift card is always a scammer."
Experts have the following suggestions for buying gift cards:
- Look for cards that are kept behind the counter or that are near a checkout lane. Scammers are less likely to risk tampering with cards that are kept in high-traffic areas.
- Don't get a card if the PIN is exposed or if the packaging looks to have been tampered with. Tell someone at the store if you suspect a problem so that card can be removed.
- Be wary of cards being sold on auction sites or if people are offering to trade them. These cards could be counterfeit or the claimed value of the card could be far less that what's it's actually worth.
- Don't give personal information – such as account numbers or your Social Security number – when buying a gift card.
- Be wary if you buy something online – such as on an auction site – and the person selling the item wants to be paid with gift cards.
- If you're reselling the card, don't give the PIN number to a buyer until you've received full payment for the card.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for the feedback
Related Articles
Learn How To Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft In College
Learn How To Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft In College
You should always be aware that your personal information is valuable, so you need to take steps to protect it and your financial accounts from theft and fraud. Consider it a course on caution.
Dec 12, 2023
What to do if you, or an elder, has fallen victim to a scam.
What to do if you, or an elder, has fallen victim to a scam.
First Hawaiian Bank is providing our customers, especially our elders with informative resources and tools to empower and help protect themselves from scams that often target the elderly.
Sep 08, 2022
Take Precautions Against Computer Fraud to Protect your Business
Take Precautions Against Computer Fraud to Protect your Business
At First Hawaiian Bank (FHB), we care about the security of your confidential information. We utilize various fraud monitoring technologies and strategies to protect your information, and we encourage you to review your company’s internal fraud prevention procedures regularly.
Dec 04, 2024