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Virtual Gift Card Safety Tips

Protect yourself and the people you gift to. Here is everything you need to know about using virtual gift cards securely.

Why Safety Matters: Virtual gift card codes are equivalent to cash. Because they do not require a PIN or signature at point of use, anyone who has your code can spend your balance. The tips below will help you keep your cards safe.

10 Essential Safety Tips

1

Buy Only from Official, Authorised Sources

Always purchase virtual gift cards directly from the retailer's official website or a reputable, established gift card platform. Avoid buying cards from online auction sites, social media sellers, or unofficial resellers — a significant proportion of gift cards sold in these environments are fraudulent, already spent, or cloned. If the deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.

2

Never Share Your Code with Anyone You Did Not Choose to Gift

Your gift card code is like cash. Do not photograph and share it on social media, forward it in response to unsolicited requests, or read it out over the phone to someone who contacted you. Once your code is known to another person, they can spend your balance. There is usually no way to recover funds lost this way.

3

Recognise Gift Card Payment Scams

Gift card payment scams are among the most common and costly types of consumer fraud. Scammers pose as government tax agencies, utility companies, tech support teams, prize administrators, or even romantic partners, and demand that you purchase gift cards and share the codes as "payment." Legitimate organisations — including tax authorities, utilities, courts, and banks — never request payment via gift cards. Hang up, do not respond, and report the contact.

4

Check Your Balance Immediately Upon Receipt

As soon as you receive a virtual gift card, visit the issuer's official website to verify the balance matches the stated value. Occasionally, cards can be tampered with before delivery in a scam called "card draining," where a fraudster intercepts the code and spends part of the balance before the recipient claims it. Checking promptly means you can report any discrepancy quickly.

5

Secure the Email Containing Your Code

Your gift card code typically arrives by email. Protect your email account with a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication (2FA). If your email account is compromised, any gift card codes sitting in your inbox are at risk. Delete gift card emails promptly once you have redeemed or transferred the code to a secure location.

6

Use Cards Promptly and Track Expiry Dates

Many gift cards carry an expiry date. While consumer protections in many countries restrict how quickly a card can expire, it is good practice to use your card well before the expiry date to avoid any risk. Keep a note of any expiry dates shown in the delivery email and set a calendar reminder if the card is for a future occasion.

7

Be Sceptical of Unsolicited Gift Card "Prizes"

If you receive an unexpected email or message telling you that you have won a gift card in a competition you did not enter, treat it with extreme caution. These are almost always phishing attempts designed to steal your personal information or infect your device with malware. Legitimate prize organisations do not contact people out of the blue via email or social media.

8

Watch Out for Phishing Emails Mimicking Gift Card Brands

Scammers send emails that look like official notifications from well-known retailers or gift card platforms, asking you to click a link and "verify" your code. These are phishing pages designed to steal your code. Always navigate directly to the issuer's website by typing the URL in your browser — never click links in unexpected emails claiming to be about a gift card.

9

Keep a Record of Your Codes

Save a copy of your gift card code (and any associated PIN if required) in a secure, private location — such as a password manager or encrypted notes app. Do not store codes in unprotected plain-text files or shared documents. If the delivery email is lost or deleted before the card is used, having a backup copy may be your only option.

10

Only Redeem on Official Retailer Websites

Only enter your gift card code on the official website of the issuing retailer — double-check the URL in your browser's address bar. Some fraudulent websites mimic legitimate retailer pages and "harvest" codes entered on them. Look for HTTPS in the URL and verify that the domain matches the retailer exactly (including subdomains).

Scam Awareness: Common Gift Card Fraud Methods

Understanding how scams work is one of the best defences against them.

Impersonation Scams

A caller pretends to be from a government agency, utility company, or tech company and claims you owe money or your account is at risk — demanding payment via gift card codes.

Romance Scams

After building trust online over weeks or months, a "romantic partner" you have never met in person asks for gift card codes as a "favour" or as proof of your affection.

Lottery & Prize Scams

You are told you have won a prize but must pay a "processing fee" or "tax" using gift cards before the prize is released. There is no prize — you lose the value of the cards.

Fake Employment Scams

A "new employer" sends you a cheque and asks you to purchase gift cards on their behalf, keeping some as commission. The cheque bounces, leaving you liable for the full gift card amount.

Card Draining

Scammers in physical stores photograph barcodes on display gift cards, then check and drain the balance once a buyer has activated the card — before the legitimate buyer can use it.

Phishing Links

Emails or messages with links to fake gift card balance check or redemption pages that steal your code when you enter it.

What to Do If Your Gift Card Is Compromised

If you believe your gift card code has been stolen or fraudulently used, take these steps as quickly as possible:

  1. Contact the issuer immediately. Call or email the customer support team of the company that issued the card. Provide your order details and explain the situation. Some issuers can freeze the card and investigate, though recovery is not guaranteed.
  2. Gather your evidence. Save copies of: the original delivery email, any transaction or purchase receipts, communication with the scammer (if applicable), and any balance check history.
  3. Report to consumer protection authorities. In the UK, report to Action Fraud. In the USA, report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In other countries, contact your national consumer protection agency. Reporting helps authorities track and disrupt fraud networks.
  4. Warn others. If you were targeted by a specific scam, consider reporting the sender/caller details to the relevant platform (email provider, social media network) and alerting family or friends who may receive similar approaches.
  5. Do not pay more. Scammers sometimes contact victims again, claiming they can help recover the lost funds for a fee — paid in gift cards. This is always a secondary scam.