Target gift card scams: why a demand to pay with one is a scam
Quick answer
Anyone who tells you to pay with a Target gift card is a scammer. No real business or government agency demands gift cards. Stop, don't read out the card number and PIN, and if you already did, contact Target at once using the number on the card and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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How it works
The FTC says no matter who contacts you, anyone who tells you to pay with a gift card is a scammer. Target cards are one of the retail cards scammers name because they're sold in stores everywhere.
The usual script: someone calls, texts or messages you posing as a government agency, a utility, a tech support company, a boss or a relative in trouble. They tell you a problem must be fixed today, and the only way is to buy a gift card. They may stay on the phone while you go to the store, then ask you to read out the number and PIN on the back.
Once they have that code, the money is spent fast and is very hard to trace. The FTC says your money might be gone, but it's always worth asking the company whether there's a way to get it back.
Red flags
- Anyone telling you to pay a bill, fine or fee with a gift card
- Being told which card to buy, and where
- A caller who stays on the line while you shop
- Being asked to read out or photograph the number and PIN on the back
- Urgency, threats or a plea for secrecy
- A request from a boss or relative to buy cards and send them the codes
What to do
- 1
Stop and don't share the codes
If you haven't read out the numbers yet, hang up and don't. Look up the real company or agency yourself.
- 2
If you shared the codes, call Target now
Use the customer service number on the back of the card. Say the card was used in a scam, and keep the card and the receipt.
- 3
If you paid for the cards with a debit or credit card
Call your bank or card issuer, say it was fraud and ask for a refund.
- 4
Report it
File at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC says reports help law enforcement investigate.
- 5
Expect follow-up scams
People who lose money are often contacted again by someone offering to get it back for a fee. Don't pay.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Gift card scammers often start with a call or message that uses your name and a believable story. Names, phone numbers and relatives' names are easy to buy or look up on people-search sites and show up in breaches. Serus finds where your address, phone number and email are listed and removes them, and alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can build a convincing message about you.
Frequently asked
Can a real company ask me to pay with a Target gift card?
No. The FTC says legitimate businesses and government agencies don't demand gift cards as payment.
Can I get my money back?
Sometimes, if you act before the money is used. Call Target using the number on the card and tell them it was used in a scam. Recovery isn't guaranteed.
Should I keep the card and receipt?
Yes. The FTC advises keeping both in case you need them for your claim.
Is Target the scammer?
No. Scammers use Target cards because they're easy to buy. Target is not behind the demand.
Sources
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