Why Scammers Love Gift Cards During the Holidays
Spot holiday gift-card pressure tactics and learn the steps to protect your money before sharing a code.
Scammers love gift cards during the holidays because the card number and PIN let them steal money fast without meeting you. The holiday rush gives them many busy shoppers and a normal reason to talk about gift cards. A gift-card scam is a trick where someone pressures you to buy a card and share the code.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says no real business or government agency tells people to pay with a gift card.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 05, 2026.
How big is the problem?
The Federal Trade Commission reports gift and reload cards were the payment in 41,120 fraud reports in 2024. Those reports totaled $212 million in losses, described in the Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024. The Federal Trade Commission also found about one in four people who reported losing money to fraud said a scammer tricked them into sharing gift-card codes.
Those agency totals count only filed reports, so they miss many victims and understate the full loss.
Why do scammers want the code?
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says scammers create urgency and name the brand and store to buy. They sometimes stay on the phone during the purchase, then demand the card number and PIN. That code is enough to drain the value even if you keep the plastic card.
There is no bank hold to wait out and no item to ship, so speed favors the scammer.
Why do the holidays give them cover?
Gift cards are a normal holiday purchase, which makes the request blend in. The National Retail Federation survey found about 43% of shoppers planned gift-card buys, with spending near $29.1 billion, in the Thanksgiving-weekend shopping survey. Scammers use that rush for tax scares, utility shutoff threats, and family emergency pleas.
The Internal Revenue Service warns it never asks for gift cards for a tax bill and generally mails a bill first, in the holiday gift-card Tax Tip.
What should you do when pressured?
If someone by phone demands a gift card, hang up. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services advises victims to keep the card and store receipt, ask the gift-card company about reversing payment, and report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Watch for these pressure signs: Pause any gift-card purchase that comes from an urgent call or message.
Keep the card and receipt, then report the demand.
- A caller demands gift cards for taxes, bills, or an emergency.
- They pick the brand and store and stay on the line.
- They ask for the number and PIN right away.