{"id":7353,"date":"2024-10-29T05:53:22","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T05:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/?p=7353"},"modified":"2024-10-29T05:53:22","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T05:53:22","slug":"gift-card-scams-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"Gift Card Scams to Avoid: A Guide to Secure Gifting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Do you know consumers lose more than $5 billion a year because of frauds linked to gift cards? This number is a huge cause of concern for many people worldwide and many of them don&#8217;t even know these exist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These frauds occur when someone impersonates familiar brands or officials or a family member so that the victim can be persuaded easily. All it takes is one good minute and the victim is all in.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To save you from this, we&#8217;ve researched the 6 common gift scams that you should definitely keep an eye out for. Keep reading.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#6_Gift_Card_Scams_You_Should_Avoid\" >6 Gift Card Scams You Should Avoid<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#1_Imposter_Calls_Demanding_Gift_Cards\" >1. Imposter Calls Demanding Gift Cards<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#2_Gift_Cards_Tampered_with_at_Stores\" >2. Gift Cards Tampered with at Stores<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#3_Fake_Charities_Asking_for_Gift_Card_Donations\" >3. Fake Charities Asking for Gift Card Donations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#4_Fake_Gift_Card_Balance_Check_Websites\" >4. Fake Gift Card Balance Check Websites<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#5_Friend_or_Family_Member_in_%E2%80%9CEmergency%E2%80%9D_Requesting_Gift_Cards\" >5. Friend or Family Member in \u201cEmergency\u201d Requesting Gift Cards<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#6_Overpayment_or_Refund_Scams_Using_Gift_Cards\" >6. Overpayment or Refund Scams Using Gift Cards<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/gift-card-scams-to-avoid\/#Summing_Up\" >Summing Up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Gift_Card_Scams_You_Should_Avoid\"><\/span><strong>6 Gift Card Scams You Should Avoid<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For your safety, here are six gift card scams that typically happen so make sure you don\u2019t fall prey to these after reading about it.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Imposter_Calls_Demanding_Gift_Cards\"><\/span>1. Imposter Calls Demanding Gift Cards<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7357\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Imposter-Calls-Demanding-Gift-Cards-300x163.jpg\" alt=\"Imposter Calls Demanding Gift Cards\" width=\"550\" height=\"298\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Imposter-Calls-Demanding-Gift-Cards-300x163.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Imposter-Calls-Demanding-Gift-Cards-768x416.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Imposter-Calls-Demanding-Gift-Cards.jpg 793w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These scammers often pretend to be officials from a trusted organization, for instance, any government agency, utility company, or even <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/ai-tools-for-boosting-business-productivity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tech support<\/a>. These people create a panic and tell the victim that they owe money and if they don&#8217;t clear it as soon as possible, they\u2019ll have to face serious consequences.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">That\u2019s where many people get scared and pay them using a gift card because they ask for it specifically. These scammers also stay on the call through the buying process as well so you don\u2019t get the time to talk to anyone about it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In such cases, hang up the phone immediately and call the organization on their official number to confirm. Try not to give gift card details over the phone, no matter how urgent or scary it might sound.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Gift_Cards_Tampered_with_at_Stores\"><\/span>2. Gift Cards Tampered with at Stores<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sometimes the scammers physically change gift cards at stores by covering the original barcodes with fake ones or scratching off the real codes and covering it with fake stickers. The problem with these cards is when you purchase them, the funds are activated on the scammer\u2019s account.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Always remember to run your fingers over the card once or twice to make sure it isn\u2019t tampered with. You can also ask the cashier to confirm the balance before purchase and always ask for a receipt.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you want to get <a href=\"https:\/\/coingate.com\/gift-cards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">good deals on gift cards<\/a>, try to only visit official and reliable sites. There you can find gift cards related to almost everything, ranging from Amazon, streaming, and even cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Fake_Charities_Asking_for_Gift_Card_Donations\"><\/span>3. Fake Charities Asking for Gift Card Donations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7356\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Fake-Charities-Asking-for-Gift-Card-Donations-300x165.jpg\" alt=\"Fake Charities Asking for Gift Card Donations\" width=\"550\" height=\"302\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Fake-Charities-Asking-for-Gift-Card-Donations-300x165.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Fake-Charities-Asking-for-Gift-Card-Donations-768x422.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Fake-Charities-Asking-for-Gift-Card-Donations.jpg 791w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scammers don\u2019t care about anything which is why they quite oftenly try to exploit people\u2019s kindness. These people create fake charity campaigns, especially during the holidays and ask for donations in the form of gift cards.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many people find it to be genuine and send some money to help the people in need, not knowing what\u2019s happening on the backend. If you\u2019re ever stuck in such a scenario, try using websites like Charity Navigator or the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Better_Business_Bureau\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Better Business Bureau<\/a> to check if it&#8217;s authentic.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Never forget, legitimate charities never ask for donations in the form of gift cards.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Fake_Gift_Card_Balance_Check_Websites\"><\/span>4. Fake Gift Card Balance Check Websites<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, to go one step further, some scammers create websites that appear to be legitimate balance checkers. Once you enter your card number and PIN here, they steal the balance in the blink of an eye.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you want to check the balance of your gift card, always use the official website of the card issuer and nowhere else. You can also use the number given on the back of these cards to inquire about the remaining balance.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Friend_or_Family_Member_in_%E2%80%9CEmergency%E2%80%9D_Requesting_Gift_Cards\"><\/span>5. Friend or Family Member in \u201cEmergency\u201d Requesting Gift Cards<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">When it comes to friends and family, no one thinks twice before helping. This is something scammers know as well which is why they hack emails and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/legal-risks-and-opportunities-for-tech-startups-in-social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social media accounts<\/a> to send out messages claiming to be that friend and ask for help. They ask for gift cards to keep their real identity anonymous<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">If something like this ever happens to you, contact the person immediately on another channel, such as a phone call, to make sure the request is genuine. If they don\u2019t know what you\u2019re talking about, tell them their account is hacked and they need to change their password quickly.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Overpayment_or_Refund_Scams_Using_Gift_Cards\"><\/span>6. Overpayment or Refund Scams Using Gift Cards<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-7355\" src=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Overpayment-or-Refund-Scams-Using-Gift-Cards-300x162.jpg\" alt=\"Overpayment or Refund Scams Using Gift Cards\" width=\"550\" height=\"297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Overpayment-or-Refund-Scams-Using-Gift-Cards-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Overpayment-or-Refund-Scams-Using-Gift-Cards-768x415.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Overpayment-or-Refund-Scams-Using-Gift-Cards.jpg 791w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For this last scam the fraudsters claim that they have mistakenly paid you more money and ask you to return it as a gift card. Don&#8217;t be fooled by such tricks. These scams usually happen through fake customer service calls or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/report-suspicious-emails-websites-phishing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">phishing emails<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quickly contact the involved company in such a scenario and ask them if that&#8217;s actually the case. Don&#8217;t hesitate for even a second.<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summing_Up\"><\/span>Summing Up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These gift card scammers are on another level of creativity now. The only way you can save yourself now is by being aware of how these things happen. Always remember that gift cards are only for gifts and not for any other purpose. If someone insists on using it as a payment method, block them because it\u2019s surely a scam.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you know consumers lose more than $5 billion a year because of frauds linked to gift cards? This number is a huge cause of concern for many people worldwide and many of them don&#8217;t even know these exist. These frauds occur when someone impersonates familiar brands or officials or a family member so that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7358,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[198],"tags":[423,424,425],"class_list":["post-7353","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-gift-card-scams-to-avoid","tag-how-do-gift-card-scams-work","tag-how-to-avoid-gift-card-scams"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7353","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7353"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7353\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7360,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7353\/revisions\/7360"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7358"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7353"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7353"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.clickdo.co.uk\/home-business\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7353"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}