What to Do If You Bought Gift Cards for a Scammer

Gift cards are the favorite payment method of scammers because they are fast, untraceable, and hard to reverse. But if the scammer hasn’t redeemed the cards yet, you may still be able to freeze the balance. Speed matters. This guide walks you through the exact phone numbers to call and the order to call them in — for Apple, Google Play, Target, eBay, Walmart, and other common gift cards used in scams.

Right now — before anything else, gather the physical gift cards and the store receipts. You will need to read the long card numbers off them. Then call the gift card issuer (Apple, Google, Target, etc.) and say: “I was the victim of a scam. I need to freeze these gift cards.” Some issuers can stop redemption if the balance is still on the card. Speed matters, but accuracy of the card numbers matters more.

Step 1 — Call the gift card issuer right now

  • Apple iTunes / App Store — 1-800-275-2273 (say “gift card scam”)
  • Google Play — report at the official Google Play gift card scam form (per FTC guidance: chat / form only, no phone line)
  • Amazon — 1-888-280-4331 (gift card fraud)
  • Target — 1-800-544-2943 (GiftCard Services)
  • eBay — chat at ebay.com/help or request a callback (per FTC guidance: no public phone line for gift-card scam reporting)
  • Walmart — 1-888-537-5503 (gift card scam team)
  • Best Buy — 1-888-237-8289
  • Vanilla Visa / MasterCard — number on the back of the card

Even after the call, do not throw the cards or receipts away — keep them as evidence. If part of the balance was already used, the issuer can still trace where it was redeemed. Recovery is not guaranteed and usually depends on whether the balance has already been redeemed by the time you call. Speed matters; act in minutes, not hours.

Step 2 — File a complaint with FTC and FBI

Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov. Gift card scams are tracked by the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network and shared with state AGs and local police. When you report, include: card brand, dollar amount per card, card numbers (full), receipts, and any contact information from the scammer.

Step 3 — Report to the retailer where you bought the cards

Some retailers will refund unsold balances if the scam is reported within 24 hours. Bring your receipts to the store’s customer-service desk. Even if the retailer cannot refund, the report helps their loss-prevention team flag scam-purchase patterns.

Step 4 — Tell your state Attorney General

Many state AGs maintain elder-fraud units that work with retailers on coordinated reporting. Find your state’s office at naag.org/find-my-ag.

Why scammers love gift cards

  • Cards can be drained to dark-web accounts within minutes of redemption.
  • No bank to call, no transfer to reverse — once redeemed, the money is gone.
  • Cards are easy to buy in cash at any drugstore — no ID or trace.
  • Resellers convert them to cryptocurrency for 60-80% of face value, untraceable.

How to prevent gift card scams

No legitimate organization will ever ask for payment in gift cards. Not the IRS. Not the FBI. Not Microsoft. Not Apple. Not your bank. Not Medicare. Not your power company. Not your grandchild’s lawyer. If anyone — anyone — tells you to buy gift cards as payment for anything, it is a scam. Hang up, walk away, and tell a family member.

When to call for help

National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). Free, confidential, DOJ-staffed. Open Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Eastern Time. English, Spanish, and other languages available. They will help you identify what type of fraud occurred, document the incident, and connect you to the right reporting agencies.

Two rules that prevent most scams

Rule 1. If they called you, emailed you, or messaged you — hang up. Call back at a number you find yourself.

Rule 2. Never pay anyone in gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or by mail. Real bills are not paid these ways.