Checked
Written from official fraud-agency notices. Every figure and piece of advice is checked against the sources listed at the bottom.
What we found
Set out in the same plain format as reader reports.
- What kind of scam?
- Fake bank and official calls
- In short
- A caller, text or email says you must pay with gift cards. Sometimes it is your "boss" asking for an urgent favour. Only scammers ask for gift card numbers.
- How does it reach you?
- Text, email or phone call
- What does the message look like?
- Example text written by us.Hi, it's your manager. I'm in a meeting and need a quick favour. Buy 4 gift cards, $100 each, scratch the back and send me the numbers. I'll reimburse you today.
- How can you spot it?
- Any request to pay by gift card
The FTC: it is always a scammer. - An "urgent favour" from the boss
That emergency is not real and that person is not your boss. - Photos or numbers from the back of the card
Only scammers ask for the number and PIN.
- Any request to pay by gift card
- Is it growing?
- It is ongoing
- What do the sources say?
- In the first nine months of 2021, 40,000 people reported losing $148 million to gift card scams to the FTC. [2]
- Where do I report it?
- The gift card company
- FTC ReportFraud
reportfraud.ftc.gov
- The gift card company
If this happened to you
- Stop. Do not buy the cards.
- Check with your boss on a number or email you already know. Do not reply to the contact that reached you.
- If you bought cards, tell the gift card company at once. The sooner you report, the better the chance of getting money back.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. When you buy gift cards as gifts, keep the receipt and a photo of the card.
Sources (2)
Sources
- US Federal Trade Commission: No, that's not your boss asking you to buy gift cards (28 Jan 2026)
- US Federal Trade Commission: Scammers are tricking more people into buying gift cards (2021)