The golden rule
No real government agency, utility, bank or employer will ask you to pay with gift cards. Anyone who tells you to buy gift cards and send them the numbers is a scammer.
Common warning signs
- Someone pressures you to act immediately or keep it secret.
- You are told to pay a fine, tax, bill or 'fee' with gift cards.
- A buyer offers more than the card's face value.
- Someone asks for a photo of the back of the card or the PIN over text or social media.
- A 'refund' or prize requires you to buy gift cards first.
If you think you've been scammed
- Contact the brand that issued the card right away — some can freeze the balance.
- Keep the card and the receipt.
- Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
How Giftcard Wizard handles this
We only buy cards from their lawful owners. Cards connected to scams or theft are rejected, and we never ask sellers to buy gift cards or pay anything upfront. See our verification process.