Gift Card Scams: How Criminals Trick Employees into Buying Fraudulent Cards

Gift Card Scams: How Criminals Trick Employees into Buying Fraudulent Cards

What is a Gift Card Scam?

Gift card scams trick employees into purchasing gift cards under the false pretense that they are for business-related purposes, only to be sent to scammers who quickly cash them out.

How the Scam Works

1. An employee receives an email or text from a “CEO” or manager, urgently requesting gift cards for a business expense, holiday gifts, or a last-minute client request.

2. The scammer instructs the employee to buy multiple gift cards (Amazon, Google Play, Apple, etc.) from a local store.

3. Once purchased, the employee is asked to send the card numbers and PINs via email, text, or over the phone.

4. The scammer immediately cashes out the gift cards, leaving the business with the loss.

Red Flags of a Gift Card Scam

🚩 Emails or texts from executives requesting gift cards urgently.
🚩 Requests to buy gift cards in bulk for unspecified reasons.
🚩 Instructions to scratch off and send PINs immediately.
🚩 The sender’s email address is slightly different from the real one.

How to Protect Your Business

✅ Implement strict policies prohibiting gift card purchases without verification.
✅ Train employees to recognize and question unusual requests.
✅ Verify requests directly by calling the supposed sender.
✅ Warn employees that no legitimate business will request payment via gift cards.

💡 Don't Let Scammers Steal from Your Business!

Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit small businesses. BayTech Solutions can help protect your company from scams like these. Book a free consultation today to strengthen your cybersecurity defenses!