eBay Gift Cards Top Fraudsters' Wish Lists Scams & Fraud

Gift Cards from eBay Google Play Target iTunes Top Scammers' Wish Lists

FTC urges people not to send gift cards reveal serial numbers to fraudsters

Patti McConville / Alamy Stock Photo It's a number one spot no retailer wants: eBay were the brand most often requested by fraudsters during the first nine months of the year, followed by Google Play, Target and iTunes cards. That news from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) comes with an urgent reminder: Gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. The cards make great holiday presents, but scammers use trickery to get them, since they are a ticket to fast cash. Key points to know: Don't ever make a payment or cover a supposed debt with a gift card. Don't ever give a stranger the card's serial number and PIN. Don't ever take a photo of the numbers and send the image to a stranger.

Almost a quarter-billion dollars lost

Nearly $245 million in gift card fraud was reported to the FTC between January 2018 and the end of September of this year. The median individual loss was $840. About one in four people who complained about losing money to fraud said they had paid using a gift card or cards. Certain types of scams seem to lend themselves to illicit requests for gift cards, according to the FTC. Here are the most common ways gift cards were used fraudulently during the first nine months of the year: 6,586 business impostor frauds 4,708 government impostor frauds 1,790 tech-support scams 1,665 romance scams 1,582 family and friend impostor frauds 864 711 prize, sweepstakes and lottery scams

Percentage of Top Fraud Types that Requested Gift Card Payments

Joining forces with retailers br

The FTC is partnering with retailers nationwide to prevent consumers from losing money to gift card scams. on the campaign. When eBay became a hot commodity for fraudsters this year, it knocked Google Play gift cards out of the top spot, the FTC says. eBay, in a statement to AARP, said it is committed to creating services that are “safe, secure and trustworthy” and that it provides fraud-prevention tips for consumers. Not only are fraudsters specifying the brand of gift card they want, they are also telling people where to buy them, says the FTC, which identified Walmart, Target, Walgreens and CVS as likely venues. At times, alert store employees have stopped gift card sales, but “scammers work hard” to prevent that, telling their victims not to reveal why they're buying the cards and even coaching them on what to say if someone tries to intervene, the FTC says.

eBay Warning Be Alert to Gift Card Scams

Here’s what eBay told AARP after the FTC said eBay gift cards have been a hot commodity sought by criminals the year. The statement was lightly edited for length:
Criminals often exploit well-known, trusted brand names like eBay to attract consumers and then lure them onto fake websites and into fraudulent transactions. Scam artists will list items for sale on fake landing pages, Craigslist or other non-eBay trading sites, and promise eBay’s protection as a means of completing the scam, but these transactions don’t take place on the eBay platform. Key tips for consumers: If someone asks you to use an eBay gift card to pay for something that is not listed on the eBay site, this is a scam. Never give or send your eBay Gift Card code to anyone outside of eBay.com checkout. That’s a scam. Your eBay Gift Card can only be redeemed at checkout on . Do not use your gift card to pay anyone outside of the eBay platform. If you’ve been scammed, contact immediately and report the matter to the Federal Trade Commission at . More tips are on the and on our .

Join today and save 25% off the standard annual rate. Get instant access to discounts, programs, services, and the information you need to benefit every area of your life. can help you spot and avoid scams. Sign up for free , review our , or call our toll-free at 877-908-3360 if you or a loved one suspect you’ve been a victim.

More on Scams & Fraud

Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.