How do gift card scams work?
Gift card scams can come in different forms, but the goal is the same. They tend to follow these patters:
- Initial Contact: You may get a call, email, or message from someone claiming to be a trusted person or organisation.
- Pressure and Urgency: The scammer will push you to act quickly, not think, and sometimes stay on the phone while you buy the cards.
- Directing to Gift Cards: you might be told to buy specific gift cards, sometimes from multiple shops so staff don’t question it.
- Getting the Details: the scammer will ask for the card number or PIN, often by reading it out or sending a photo. Those details are all they need.
- Using or Selling the Details: Once the scammer has the details, the card can be spent immediately or sold on.
How to avoid becoming a victim
Remember, gift cards are for gifts.
If you receive emails or telephone call where you are asked to buy gift cards, you are being scammed!
Scammers rely on urgency and authority to stop you thinking clearly.
Even if an email seems to have been sent by a senior colleague or if a telephone call seems to be a business (e.g. a computer support company, bank, etc.) or government agency, you are being scammed.
If you have already bought the gift cards, do not provide the card details to the scammer.
What to do if you've been part of a gift card scam
It is highly likely that you will not be able to recover the funds. Scammers act very quickly.
Call the gift card provider immediately. They may be able to freeze and remaining balance and record the details for investigation. Keep the card and the receipt handy, if you still have them.
If you have been a victim to gift card fraud, please get in touch with the Isle of Man Constabulary by calling 631212. Please also report any scam that you come across, not just gift card scams, on our Cyber Concerns Online Reporting Form. Reporting scams helps everyone to avoid fraud.
