Holiday shopping and gift card scams: how to spot them

The FTC's rule is simple: only scammers ask you to pay with a gift card. Here's how to spot fake deals and "buy gift cards" tricks this season.

⏱ About 6 minutes · 6 steps · ▶ 1:02 video
What you'll need
  • A couple of minutes
  • Your phone or computer, if you want to check a seller
  • ReportFraud.ftc.gov, if something already happened

  1. The one rule: gift cards are for gifts, not payments

    The FTC says only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back. No real business or government agency asks to be paid that way. (FTC: gift card scams)

  2. Know the common stories

    Scammers say they're the IRS or Social Security, tech support from Microsoft or Apple, your utility company, a grandchild in trouble (sometimes with a cloned voice), a prize office, or even your boss asking for an "urgent favor". They rush you and often tell you exactly which card to buy and where.

    ⚠️ Careful: If someone stays on the phone while you go to a store to buy gift cards, hang up. It's a scam.

  3. Never share the card number, PIN or a photo of it

    The number and PIN on the back let a scammer spend the money, even if you still hold the card. Don't read them out, text them, or send a picture.

  4. Buying gift cards as presents? Check the card

    Buy from stores you know, not auction sites. Check the protective sticker isn't peeled and the PIN isn't showing. Snap a photo of the card and the receipt; you'll need them if anything goes wrong.

  5. Shopping online: check the seller, pay by credit card

    Social media ads for brand-name items at very low prices are a favorite trick. Before you buy, search the seller's name with words like "review", "complaint" or "scam". Pay by credit card when you can, since you can dispute a charge, and keep the order confirmation. If a seller only takes gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or crypto, it's probably a scam. (FTC: holiday shopping scams)

    💡 Tip: Fake "missed delivery" texts spike when everyone is waiting on packages. Track orders in the store's own app or website instead of tapping links in texts. See block scam texts.

  6. Already paid? Act fast

    Call the gift card company right away (the FTC keeps a list of phone numbers), ask for your money back, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Some companies can freeze money that hasn't been spent yet.

🎉 All done!

Practice spotting fakes in our Scam or Legit? game, and read payment app scams. Facts from the FTC and OCC as of October 2026.

Related game: Scam or Legit?. Related explainer: What is phishing, and how do I spot it? .

Official help pages

Steps checked against these pages in October 2026. If a button looks different, look for a similar label.