It never ceases to amaze me how dumb some people are:
Quote:
Asked to pay by gift card? Don’t.
May 31, 2018
by Jennifer Leach
Assistant Director, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC
Has someone asked you to go get a gift card to pay for something? Lots of people have told us they’ve been asked to pay with gift cards – by a caller claiming to be with the IRS, or tech support, or a so-called family member in need. If you’ve gotten a call like this, you know that the caller will then demand the gift card numbers and PIN. And, poof, your money is gone.
Scammers are good at convincing people there really is an emergency, so lots of people have made the trip to the Walmart or Target or CVS to buy gift cards to send these callers. And scammers love gift cards – it’s one of their favorite ways to get your money. These cards are like giving cash – and nearly untraceable, unless you act almost immediately.
So here’s the most important thing for you to know: anyone who demands payment by gift card is always, always, always a scammer. Try this gift card buying exercise out at home – especially when anyone asks you to pay with a gift card:
Q: Should I buy an iTunes, Google Play, Steam, Kroger, Walgreens, BestBuy, Amazon, CVS, Rite Aid or ANY OTHER gift card for someone who demands payment? For any reason?
A: NO.
Gift cards are for gifts, not payments. If you’ve bought a gift card and lost money to someone who might be a scammer, tell the company who issued the card. (The contact info might be on the card, but might require some research) Call or email iTunes or Amazon or whoever it was. Tell them their card was used in a scam. If you act quickly enough, they might be able to get your money back. But – either way – it’s important that they know what happened to you. And then please tell the FTC about your loss. Your report helps us try to shut the scammers down.
Tagged with: gift cards, scam
Blog Topics:
Money & Credit
Comments
Navy-Ret | May 31, 2018 |
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I haven't been asked to do the gift card thing but I just got a check in the mail telling me I have been selected as mystery shopper and to deposit the check in my bank. I have read about this scam and chuckled a bit before I tossed it in my shredder. Thanks for the tip on the gift cards.
sensrbtch | May 31, 2018 |
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navt-vet; do not even open the envelope. that is a money laundering scam, and it is safe to hand it over to the irs,federal agent, or a officer of the court. state police investigator will be ok, also. thanks for your service! USAF,66-70.
jellybeancs | June 1, 2018 |
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Ive gotten 2 of those one for 9000.00 and one for 3500.00
Doone | May 31, 2018 |
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People on Letgo and Offer up are asking to be paid with gift cards too. So watch out EVERYWHERE
Former Mark | May 31, 2018 |
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Is there anything that the person receiving the request can do to help catch these guys? Such as Contact the Card company and FTC before providing the numbers to the Scammer? or is it best just to hang up the phone?
Kadin | May 31, 2018 |
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The best thing to do would be take the number they are calling from and the number they are telling you to call back to send them the gift card. Afterwards report it to the FTC, I would also hang up after I got that information.
ShariYS | May 31, 2018 |
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Don't even buy the gift card. Just hang up, and then report the call to the FTC.
firemanbill | May 31, 2018 |
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My daughter was scammed using this method. They claimed to be with DirecTV. When I contacted DirecTV and paid her bill by phone I advised them of the scam. No sooner I hung up the phone they called me back and ask why I paid her bill by phone. They where watching her account that closely. Scammers are everywhere. I don't respond to anything over the internet. They imitate even the IRS, Local police, state police asking for donations.
MomVictimized | May 31, 2018 |
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My mother was hit by this scam, YESTERDAY. She is currently out 4k! I just sent this article to her, but any further information would be great! Thank you.
Bridget Small - FTC | June 1, 2018 |
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Please ask your mother to report the scam to the company that issued the card. The contact information might be on the card, or could require some research. Contact the company and tell them their card was used in a scam.
Also, please report this to the FTC at FTC.gov/Complaint. The information you give will go into a secure database that law enforcement uses for investigations.
josie foley | May 31, 2018 |
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I was a victim of this scam. Chase fraud dept was great and said it can happen to anyone. These scum bags are good! Don't be fooled
candy04 | May 31, 2018 |
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This happen to me, but in a different way. The scammers used online gmail communication using a fraud scheme regarding a job offer. The company was real with Letter of Employment Offer and logo, but the scammers were not.
I was sent a check by USPS to begin using materials and supplies to work at home for this company. My first assignment was to purchase iTune gift cards for $200($100 each), scratch off the back of the cards and scan it back to them, showing that I had purchased it.
I was so excited about being able to work at home that I did this stupid thing. Well, you can guess, the check was altered/fraud. I reported this to FTC and the real company. I lost $200 but learned a lesson and now I am passing on to others. I am waiting on a questionnaire from the USPS Inspection Commission and I will also report this to the Texas Attorney General's Office.
nothing to say | May 31, 2018 |
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to late I got scammed
crstlgls | May 31, 2018 |
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I don't pick up numbers I don't recognize. Then, I look up the number online. If it's questionable, I don't call back and I report it to the FTC. I've seen numbers from all over the country.
Barbara | May 31, 2018 |
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I have lost thousand of dollars to scammers and am ashamed because I am a senior citizen and now, I know I have been a victim I have kept the money order receipts or receipts from the bank but tell me, is there any way I can get this money back? These people said they were just going to borrow the money but no one paid it back.
Bridget Small - FTC | June 1, 2018 |
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You can talk with someone at your bank, and ask if you can report the people who tricked you into buying money orders.
You might also want to report those people to the Attorney General in your state. Click here to see a list of all state Attorneys General.
suckered | May 31, 2018 |
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I fell for that Target scam where they send you a check and then they tell you what to buy which was iTunes cards and to peel the number off the backs and email them the photos of the back of the cards. I'm stupidly out $1850.22. Then had the nerve to send me a second larger check today which I new was a fraud and took it to the bank that it supposedly came from and called the police.
Clowdyains | May 31, 2018 |
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I have been getting phone calls from someone claiming to be working on a case for the IRS and is giving me 24 hours to call them back, threatening that the police will come to arrest me if I don't respond. I know it is a scam, but do I report this? ..and to whom?
Bridget Small - FTC | June 1, 2018 |
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You can report this to the FTC at FTC.gov/Complaint. The information you give will go into a secure database that law enforcement uses for investigations.
Almost scammed | May 31, 2018 |
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Someone tried to get me to buy a used car using Ebay gift cards
TinyRose | May 31, 2018 |
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My husband & I were told to purchase an itunes gift card for $1oo.oo by someone who we thought was from HP tech support . we were having trouble with our computer at the time & told us that the code on the back would help us fix the trouble we were having . When something like this happens , you can't help but feel helpless, violated & stupid for having been taken . We will never , ever fall for that one again . Please don't let this happen to any of you .Be careful & be wise when dealing with these dirty dogs .
marina52 | June 1, 2018 |
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Hello I have a question --- message.
A US citizen (businessman) goes to Tailand can not use his business account do not self, make me in his bank account at GLOBAL UNION BANK LTD I help him, but that I do for him cann one needs a code Now according to an opinion for an account you automatically get a code to do so. (in my country it is so) but at this bank if you have no code must be paid penalty and not a bit 2620 $. I have not heard that yet. Thank you
Bridget Small - FTC | June 1, 2018 |
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This sounds very strange. It could be a scam.
Did the businessman say the bank is a US bank? A legitimate US bank will have a website with a list of bank locations and contact information. Search online for information. Contact a bank employee to ask about fees. If you have more questions, send me another question.
If you do not find information about a legitimate bank, do not send money by wire transfer, check or other payment method. You will lose all the money you send.
James | June 1, 2018 |
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I was a victim of this IRS fraud and nieve enough to believe the caller. I lost $8,000 instantly and there was no getting it back. The thief had me going to different stores purchasing several i-tune gift cards to pay for supposed tax penalties. The perpetrator sounded middle eastern so it was international. He continued to threaten me with the police if I disconnected the phone. I truly believed I was going to jail if I didn't pay. Eventually, the police did get involved and called i-tunes immediately and there was nothing the police or i-tunes could do. It was all a scam. I felt so defeated, angry, and frustrated that I actually believed this guy was the IRS.
LOLA | June 1, 2018 |
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If you receive Unknown Calls do not call back, just put them on the Reject call and click Clear or delete it, but it does not really matter even your doctors want to make money, so your phone number is easy pray.
tata52s | June 1, 2018 |
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I have been asked to get itunes to see if I am willing to get a personal loan
2dippy2 | June 1, 2018 |
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Thank you for the updates on the gift cards the IRS people are calling every day I don't pick up the phone but I do have the recording on my answering machine and when I went to the IRS site they had this scam and every word they said was just like the one I have on my machine .They might be scammers but this lady left a message on a landline phone !!! Now I can give it to the IRS people I hope they can trace it and get some of these crooks
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