Why Did Jetblue Stop Selling Gift Cards
Why Did Jetblue Stop Selling Gift Cards - Have you ever received a voicemail or text message from an IRS representative alerting you that you owe taxes and need to send an electronic gift card to pay? You may be told that you owe hundreds of dollars and there is only one way to get them off your record.
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Why Did Jetblue Stop Selling Gift Cards
All you have to do is call the Amazon gift card number and pay the penalty. If you receive such a call, email or text message, ignore it. These are examples of gift card fraud. This is a type of scam where criminals trick victims into sending gift cards online or reading the numbers on the back of gift cards over the phone.
Fortunately, the different types of gift card scams aren't that complicated to spot and avoid. Here are some of the more common gift card scams and steps you can take to avoid them. The thieves behind these scams rely on heavy-handed tactics to scare people into giving away gift cards.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers typically call, text or email victims to let them know they're having some kind of financial problem. They may claim that the victim is not paying taxes, is behind on mortgage payments, owes hundreds of dollars in speeding tickets, or is behind on utility bills.
How Gift Card Scams Work
Fraudsters foreclose on victims' homes, send them to jail, or threaten to cut off electricity if they don't pay. Scammers then ask the victim to purchase a gift card and send an electronic version of the card or provide the gift card number and PIN.
Once you have this information, you can use it to buy whatever you want with the gift card and the victim will lose the money spent. Scammers can try to scam you by phone, text or email using seven common gift card schemes: Here's how to spot and avoid the scams.
In one of the more common gift card scams, criminals claiming to work with the IRS call you or send you a text or email message. This scammer says you have unpaid taxes and the IRS will arrest you if you don't pay them now.
Criminals say you have to pay taxes with a gift card. After purchasing a gift card (scammers typically ask for gift cards at certain retailers), they call the perpetrator back and scan the gift card number and PIN. Fraudsters use this information to purchase goods online using the purchased gift card.
How Gift Card Scams Work
Is it a reward? First, the IRS will never call, text, or email you about unpaid taxes. The IRS will always send a letter with a phone number. Second, the IRS never threatens to send you to jail for taxes you owe. Finally, the IRS will never require you to pay your unpaid taxes with a gift card.
Gift card scammers often use bots (software applications that perform automated tasks online) to withdraw gift card balances from unsuspecting customers. Scammers can use a bot called GiftGhostBot to probe retailers' online gift card balance check systems. The bot is searching the system for activated gift cards.
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Once the bot finds the gift card number, criminals use it to make purchases for themselves or sell the gift card information on the dark web. When you use your card, your balance runs out and you find your gift card useless. One way to avoid this scam?
Use gift cards as soon as you receive them to reduce the chances of bots discovering your card information. Store cashiers sometimes engage in fraud. Suppose you buy a gift card at a department store. The cashier may activate the gift card, but instead of returning the card to you, they will replace it with an inactive card.
7 Common Types Of Gift Card Scams
Then the cashier keeps the activated card and hands over the non-working card. Cashiers can make purchases using the purchased, activated card. How to avoid this scam? Watch the cashier check you out. Make sure the gift card is returned as soon as the card is activated.
Another popular gift card scam? Thieves steal some gift cards from stores like Walmart and Target, which are often equipped with a magnetic stripe reader that reads the numbers stored on the gift card's magnetic stripe. Thieves scan gift cards with readers and store dozens of card numbers.
The cheater puts the gift card back and walks away. The scammer then calls the customer service number for these cards and enters the photocopied gift card number. This allows scammers to see if someone has purchased and activated a gift card and the balance on the card.
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The scammer can then use the gift card number to make online purchases and drain the balance of the purchased card. Want to avoid this scam? Do not purchase gift cards from the public racks of retail stores. You may be tempted to buy a gift card from an online auction site.
7 Common Types Of Gift Card Scams
Please don't. Fraudsters often sell gift cards that have not been activated on these sites. You pay for the card thinking it's a deal because you're paying less than the card's value, but you find out the gift card doesn't work. Some scammers lie about the value of gift cards they sell online.
They can claim the gift card is $50. I paid for my card and received it, only to find that I only had $5 left on it. Avoiding this scam is easy. Do not buy gift cards from online auction sites. If you wish to purchase a gift card online, please do so directly from the retailer.
You may receive calls, emails or text messages from people claiming to participate in lotteries or contests. This scam says you've won a trip, a new car or a prize. However, to redeem the reward, you must first redeem the gift card or pay a redemption fee.
Scammers buy a specific gift card, call you back, and ask you to read the card number and PIN into your phone. Of course this is another scam. No legitimate lottery, sweepstakes or business will ask you to pay a fee to claim a prize.
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