Someone Wants Me to Pay with a Gift Card. Is It a Scam?

What this helps with: Knowing what to do when a caller, text, email, or message tells you to pay with gift cards, and how to try to get your money back if you already did.

Yes. Anyone who tells you to pay with a gift card is a scammer. The FTC says no real business or government agency will ever ask you to buy a gift card to pay them. Gift cards are for gifts, not for paying bills, fines, or fees.

How the scam usually goes

Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. The person may say they’re from the government, your bank, a company you know, or tech support. They may say you won a prize. They may say a family member is in trouble. Or they may be someone you met online who says they care about you.

Then the pattern is almost always the same:

1. They say it’s urgent. Pay right now, or something terrible will happen. They don’t want you to stop and think, or talk to someone you trust.
2. They tell you which cards to buy, and where. They may name Apple, Google Play, Amazon, Target, or eBay cards. They may send you to a certain store, or to several stores so the cashier won’t get suspicious.
3. They stay on the phone with you. Some will stay on the line while you drive to the store and buy the cards. They act like they’re helping you.
4. They ask for the numbers on the back. Once they have the card number and PIN, they can take the money, even though you still have the card.

What to do right now

1. Stop and hang up. Or close the message. You don’t have to explain. It’s okay to be “rude” to a stranger.
2. Don’t buy the cards. If you already bought them, don’t share the numbers and don’t send a photo of the card.
3. Check with someone you trust. Call a family member or friend. If the person said they’re from a company or agency, call it yourself. Use a number from your bill, the back of your card, or the official website. Don’t use a number they gave you.
4. A cashier asks if someone told you to buy the cards? Tell them the truth. Cashiers are trained to spot these scams, and they’re trying to help.

Good to know: Apple says its gift cards can only be used to buy things from Apple. They can’t pay a bill, taxes, or a government fee. The same idea goes for other store gift cards.

If you already gave someone the numbers

Act fast. The money may still be on the card.

1. Call the company that issued the gift card right away. Use the phone number on the back of the card. Or use the FTC’s list of how to contact gift card companies. The FTC says to report it no matter how long ago it happened.
2. Tell them a scammer tricked you into giving them the card number and PIN.
3. Ask for your money back. Some companies, like Apple and Google, may be able to freeze money that’s still on the card. It’s worth asking.
4. Keep the card and the receipt. Take a picture of both with your phone. You may need them later.
5. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Every report helps.
6. Someone offers to get your money back for a fee? That is usually a second scam. Don’t pay.

This is not your fault. Scammers are good at what they do, and they trick smart, careful people every day. Telling someone helps.

For free, friendly help, you can call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET). You don’t need to be an AARP member.

Buying gift cards as real gifts?

That’s fine. Just check the card first. See How Can I Tell If a Gift Card Has Been Tampered With?

Want more ways to stay safe? See our guides to spotting a scam, Social Security scams, and AI voice and video scams.

Official sources

• FTC: Avoiding and reporting gift card scams
• FTC: Only scammers tell you to buy a gift card to pay them
• FTC: What to do if you were scammed
• Apple: About gift card scams
• AARP: Fraud Watch Network Helpline
• FTC: Report fraud

Last checked: Oct 21, 2026

This is general help, not personalized tech support, and not legal or financial advice. It covers gift cards bought in the U.S. If you think you’ve lost money, contact the gift card company and the official sources above.