Gift Card Scams

Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them and What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted Introduction In mid-December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The alert underscores a simple but critical fact: no legitimate business, government agency, or utility company will ever demand payment in the form of gift cards. Yet these scams continue to cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars each year, with older adults frequently among the hardest hit. Understanding how they work—and knowing exactly what to do if you or someone you know is targeted—can prevent financial harm. ...

Gift Card Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid Them In December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The announcement is a useful reminder for consumers everywhere because this type of fraud rarely respects state lines. Gift card scams have become one of the most frequently reported fraud types to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and they tend to spike around the holidays when many people are buying and using gift cards anyway. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Still Everywhere: How to Spot Them and What to Do Introduction If you receive an unexpected phone call demanding payment by gift card, hang up. That is the simplest advice, yet thousands of people lose money to gift card scams every year. The Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia recently issued a consumer alert about this persistent fraud. While the warning targets Washington, D.C. residents, the tactics and protections apply to anyone, anywhere. ...

Gift Card Scams Are on the Rise: How to Recognize and Avoid Them In December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The alert describes fraudsters who call, email, or show up in person pretending to be from government agencies, utility companies, or well-known businesses. They insist you pay an overdue bill, a fine, or a supposed debt by purchasing gift cards and reading them the numbers on the back. Once you do, the money is gone—and it is almost impossible to recover. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Everywhere: How to Protect Yourself Introduction Gift cards are convenient presents, but they’ve also become a favorite payment method for scammers. Because they are nearly untraceable and can be spent quickly, fraudsters regularly pressure victims into buying them and handing over the codes. In December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert to warn residents about the persistence of gift card scams and to offer clear steps to avoid them. This article draws on that official guidance — along with broader federal data — to help you recognize the red flags and know what to do if you or someone you know is targeted. ...

Gift Card Scams Are on the Rise: What You Need to Know to Avoid Being Tricked Intro Gift cards are a convenient present, but they’ve also become a favorite tool for scammers. On December 15, 2025, Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning District residents about a surge in gift card scams. While the alert targets local consumers, the tactics and takeaways apply nationwide. If you receive an unexpected call, text, or email demanding payment via a gift card, it’s almost certainly a scam. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Everywhere: How to Spot Them and What to Do If someone you don’t know demands payment with a gift card, it is almost certainly a scam. Gift cards are meant for giving, not for paying taxes, bail, utility bills, or tech support. Yet scammers continue to rely on them because once the card number and PIN are shared, the money is gone and nearly impossible to recover. ...

Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them and What to Do Right Now Introduction Gift cards make convenient presents, but scammers have turned them into one of the most widely used payment methods for fraud. In December 2025, Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning Washington D.C. residents about the persistent threat of gift card scams. The official notice reminds consumers that no legitimate government agency, business, or utility company will ever demand payment in the form of gift cards. If you encounter such a request, it’s almost certainly a scam. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Gift Card Scams: A New Alert from D.C.’s Attorney General In mid-December 2025, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert warning District residents about a surge in gift card scams. The alert is short, but it underscores a problem that drains hundreds of millions of dollars from Americans every year. The tactics scammers use are remarkably consistent—and once you know them, they become much easier to spot. ...

Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them and What to Do (Official Alert) Introduction Gift card scams remain one of the most persistent frauds targeting consumers across the United States. In December 2025, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia issued a consumer alert about this exact threat. The alert, signed by Attorney General Brian Schwalb, warns District residents that scammers are increasingly demanding payment via gift cards and outlines steps to avoid becoming a victim. While the alert is specific to Washington, DC, the tactics described are used nationwide, and the advice applies to anyone who uses gift cards or digital payments. ...