Friday, November 13, 2026 Official warnings, in plain English

Cyber Safety Today

Is this real? · Shopping and payments

Someone asked me to pay with a gift card. Is that real?

The short answer

No. Only scammers tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers.

Published November 13, 2026Checked against sources November 13, 2026Written by software from the sources listed

No. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back. No real business or government agency will ever tell you to buy a gift card to pay them.1

The request can start with a call, a text, an email or a social media message. The story changes, but the goal is the same: get you to buy a card and hand over the card number and PIN. Those numbers let the scammer take the money you loaded onto the card, even if you still have the card itself.1

The messageAn example of the pattern, not a real message

This is the Social Security Administration. You owe a fine and it must be paid today. Go to the store now and buy gift cards. Stay on the phone with me while you do it. When you have the cards, read me the number and the PIN on the back of each one.

How to tell

  • They say it is urgent. You must pay right away or something terrible will happen. They do not want you to have time to think or to talk to someone you trust.1
  • They tell you which card to buy and where. They might name a brand of card and send you to a specific store. Sometimes they say to buy cards at several stores, so cashiers will not get suspicious.1
  • They stay on the phone while you go to the store and load money onto the card.1
  • They ask for the card number and PIN, or a photo of the card.1

The FTC lists the stories these callers tell most often1:

  • They are from the government, such as the IRS, the Social Security Administration or even the FTC, and you owe taxes or a fine. Government agencies will not contact you to demand immediate payment, and they never demand payment by gift card.
  • They are from tech support, something is wrong with your computer, and you must pay to get it fixed.
  • They are from your utility company and will cut off your service if you do not pay immediately.
  • They are a friend or family member with an emergency, and you should send money right away and not tell anyone.
  • You won a prize, but first you must pay fees with a gift card.
  • They met you on a dating website and now need money.
  • They sent you a check for far more than you expected and want the difference back on a gift card. That check will be fake.

What to do

  1. Hang up. Do not pay.1
  2. Do not read out the card number or PIN, and do not send a photo of the card.1
  3. If the caller says they are a friend or relative, contact that person yourself to check that everything is all right.1
  4. If the caller says they are tech support, do not give them access to your computer.1
  5. Keep the FTC’s rule in mind: gift cards are for gifts, not for payments.1

If you already clicked or paid

  1. Find the gift card and the store receipt. You will use them for the next steps.1
  2. Report the scam to the gift card company right away. Report it no matter how long ago it happened.1 Tell them a scammer tricked you into giving them the card number and PIN.2
  3. Ask for your money back. Some companies are helping stop gift card scams and might give your money back. The FTC says it is worth asking.1
  4. For an Apple, iTunes or Google Play card, ask if the money is still on the card. If it is, the company can put a freeze on it.1
  5. Keep the gift card and the receipt. You may need them to follow up on your claim.2

The FTC keeps a list of phone numbers for the gift card companies, including Amazon, Apple, Google Play, Target, Walmart, eBay and Steam. Use the number from the FTC’s gift card page, or the contact information printed on the card itself.1

Where to report it

Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.1

If you cannot find the card company’s contact information, or the company does not want to talk to you, report it to the FTC.1