It’s not just your credit card that bad actors are targeting.
Read more:you could Lock Your Social Security Number After a Data Breach.
Here’s How
What are gift card scams?
Then they check the balance frequently.
Look for any discrepancies in packaging between other gift cards the merchant has in stock.
Advances in technologies such as AI like voice cloning have given scammers tools that make them harder to identify.
Hang up and call the number of the friend or family member to confirm.
If the original call was from an unrecognized number, it’s likely a scam.
The gift cards you think you’re getting a deal on may be fake or stolen.
In this scenario, the prize is fake and the gift card funds are spent immediately.
How to avoid the scam:Legitimate giveaways don’t require you to pay anything to get a prize.
If you didn’t enter into a contest, question why someone would give you something for nothing.
How to avoid the scam:Be skeptical of requests for gift cards as payment.
Most of the time, these requests won’t make sense.
The agency also offers alist of retailers and card issuersthat commonly sell gift cards.
There are no guarantees you’ll get reimbursed, but it’s worth reporting either way.
you’ve got the option to also report cases of fraud to the FTC atReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If you suspect fraud, you may be able to get additional help from your credit card issuer.
