--- title: "Paid a Scammer With Gift Cards? What To Do | Scam Lantern" description: "Someone asked you to pay with gift cards? It’s a scam. Already paid? Pick the card brand to get the FTC-listed number to report it, and what to keep." url: https://scamlantern.me/gift-card-scam/ --- Gift card scam helper # Asked to pay with gift cards? It’s a scam Anyone who tells you to pay with gift cards is a scammer. The FTC says only scammers tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back, and no real business or government agency will ever tell you to pay that way. If you haven’t paid, stop and hang up. If you already have, keep the card and the receipt and call the company behind the card straight away. Pick its brand below for the number. ## Why scammers want gift cards A gift card is as good as cash to whoever has the numbers. The FTC explains that the card number and PIN on the back let the scammer take the money loaded onto the card, even while you still hold the card itself. That is why they ask you to read the numbers out or send a photo, and why they push you to do it fast. The number and PIN are the money. The card and receipt are your proof when you report it. ## The stories scammers tell Gift card scams start with a call, text, email or social media message. The FTC lists the stories it sees most: - **The government:** the IRS, Social Security or even the FTC, saying you owe taxes or a fine. Government agencies never demand payment by gift card. - **Tech support:** Microsoft or Apple, saying something is wrong with your computer and asking for remote access. - **A family member or friend in an emergency.** Some scammers use voice cloning so they sound just like your loved one, and ask you not to tell anyone. - **A prize** you have to pay fees on first, or **your utility company** threatening to cut you off. - **Someone you met online**, or a buyer who “overpays” by cheque and asks for the difference on a gift card. The tactics are the same every time: it’s urgent, they tell you exactly which card to buy and where, and they may stay on the phone while you go to the store. The FTC’s advice for that moment is short: hang up, it’s a scam. ## If you already paid: do this in order 1. **Keep the card and the receipt.** The FTC says to keep both and use them when you report it. 2. **Report it to the gift card company right away,** no matter how long ago it happened. Pick the brand above for the number or page the FTC lists. Apple and Google can freeze money that is still on the card. 3. **Ask for your money back.** The FTC says some companies are helping stop gift card scams and might refund you. It’s worth asking. 4. **Report it** at ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US, or through the services on our [report page](https://scamlantern.me/report-a-scam/) elsewhere. 5. **Stop paying.** If they call back for more, it is the same scam. Hang up. ## How to use the helper Choose the brand of card you bought. The steps show the phone number or page the FTC lists for that company, with what to say. The FTC’s list, last dated July 2023, is a list of US gift card companies; we copied it exactly as it read on 5 November 2026. If your card isn’t on the list, the FTC says to look for the company’s contact details on the card itself or on the company’s own website. If you live outside the US, use the number on your card or the company’s own website for your country, and report the scam where you live. Copy the steps, or print them, so you have them in front of you while you make the call. ## Outside the US The rule holds everywhere. Canada’s Anti-Fraud Centre says legitimate businesses and organisations will not ask for gift cards as payment, especially under pressure, and Scamwatch in Australia lists being asked to pay in an unusual or specific way as a sign of a scam. Report it in the UK to Report Fraud (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland, in Canada to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, in Australia to Scamwatch, and in Ireland to your local Garda station. ## Common mistakes - **Sending a photo of the card.** The photo shows the number and PIN, which is all a scammer needs. - **Thinking it’s too late to report.** The FTC says to report it however long ago it happened. - **Throwing the card away.** Keep it, with the receipt, for the company and any report. - **Buying “one more” card to fix a problem.** Any request for more gift cards is the same scam. ## Questions **Someone asked me to pay with gift cards. Is it a scam?** Yes. The FTC says only scammers tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back, and that no real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. **Can I get my money back from a gift card scam?** Sometimes. Report it to the company that issued the card right away and ask for a refund. If money is still on an Apple or Google Play card, the company can freeze it. The FTC says some companies might give your money back. **Should I keep the gift card after the scam?** Yes. Keep the card and the store receipt. The company will want the numbers on them when you report the scam and ask for your money back. **Does the IRS or Social Security take gift cards?** No. The FTC says government agencies won’t contact you to demand immediate payment, and never demand payment by gift card. Anyone who does is a scammer. **My card isn’t on the list. Who do I call?** Look for the company’s contact details on the card itself or on its own website. If you can’t reach the card company, or it won’t talk to you, the FTC says to report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. ## Sources All checked on 5 November 2026. - FTC: [Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/avoiding-and-reporting-gift-card-scams) (July 2023), including its list “How To Contact Gift Card Companies”, copied here exactly, and [What To Do if You Were Scammed](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed) (June 2026). - Gift card companies’ own pages, as linked from the FTC list: [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/giftcardscams/b?ie=UTF8&node=15435487011), [American Express](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/credit-cards/credit-intel/gift-card-scams/), [Apple](https://support.apple.com/gift-card-scams), [Best Buy](https://www.bestbuy.com/site/privacy-policy/protect-yourself/pcmcat266100050002.c?id=pcmcat266100050002), [eBay](https://pages.ebay.com/giftcardscams/), [Google Play](https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/9057338), [MoneyPak](https://secure.moneypak.com/report-fraud), [ReloadIt](https://www.reloadit.com/), [Sephora](https://www.sephora.com/beauty/gift-card-scam-awareness), [Steam](https://help.steampowered.com/en/), [Target](https://security.target.com/), [Visa](https://usa.visa.com/support/consumer/gift-card-balance.html) and [Walmart](https://corporate.walmart.com/privacy-security/fraud-alerts/). - Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: [The 12 frauds of the holidays](https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/features-vedette/2021/11/holiday-fetes-eng.htm) (25 November 2025). Scamwatch: [Methods scammers use](https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/stop-check-protect/help-to-spot-and-avoid-scams/methods-scammers-use). - Reporting services: [Report Fraud launch](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/report-fraud-new-service-from-city-of-london-police) (GOV.UK, 4 December 2025), [Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre](https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm), [Scamwatch](https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam) and [An Garda Síochána](https://www.garda.ie/en/crime/fraud/).