How To Recover After a Gift Card Scam
What to do immediately after sending gift card codes to a scammer, including who to call at the card issuer.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
First 10 minutes
- Find the number on the back of the gift card or on the issuer's official website
- Call immediately and explain you have been scammed into sharing the codes
- Have the card number and PIN ready — the agent will need them to investigate
- Ask whether the balance has been redeemed and whether it can be frozen or reversed
- Do not buy or share any further gift cards — scammers often request multiple
First 24 hours
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC has existing relationships with major gift card issuers
- Report to Action Fraud (UK) or your national equivalent
- Document all gift card details in case the issuer opens a fraud investigation
Contact your bank or payment provider
- If you purchased the gift cards by debit or credit card, call your bank about a potential chargeback
- A chargeback reverses the purchase from the shop — it does not recover the card balance directly
- Provide the bank with evidence that the purchase was made under fraudulent influence
Evidence to preserve
- Keep the physical gift cards — do not throw them away
- Photograph the front and back of each card, including the card number and PIN
- Save all messages from the scammer and note the dates and times
Secure your accounts and devices
- Change passwords for any account the scammer may have accessed or used as leverage
- Enable two-factor authentication on key accounts
- Watch for follow-up scam contact offering to recover your money for a fee
Report it
- Report to your national fraud/cybercrime service
- Report to the platform, bank, or provider involved
- Keep any reference numbers you're given
Gift card scams are extremely common because the codes are as good as cash and difficult to trace. The moment a code is shared, a scammer can redeem it instantly. However, if you call the issuer immediately, there is a narrow window in which unredeemed balances can sometimes be frozen.
No legitimate government agency, utility company, court, or employer will ever ask for payment by gift card. If someone tells you to buy gift cards to pay a fine, fee, or debt, it is always a scam.
Frequently asked questions
Can gift card issuers refund redeemed balances?
Generally no, but some issuers will refund unredeemed balances as a goodwill gesture. Calling immediately before the code is used is the only window where recovery is sometimes possible.
Which gift card issuers have fraud lines?
Most major issuers including Google Play, Apple, Amazon, Steam, and eBay have fraud reporting processes. Call the number on the back of the card or find it on the issuer's official website.