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Common Gift Card Scams
Staples sells gift cards that can be used at Staples.com and Staples stores, as well as specialty gift cards. To protect yourself, be aware that gift cards are also used by scammers to target victims.
There are several ways scammers use gift cards for fraud, such as asking you to pay for a service by buying a gift card and giving them the numbers on the back of the card. If you are asked to do this, someone is trying to scam you. No real business or government agency will ever insist you pay them with a gift card. Anyone who demands to be paid with a gift card is a scammer.
Once you provide the gift card details to the scammer the funds will likely be spent before you can get in touch with customer service or law enforcement.
Below are a few examples of common scams:
Relative-in-trouble
The scammer pretends to be with a friend or a family member in an emergency and asks you to send money right away. For example, they may pretend to be with the police and are asking for bail money. If you’re worried, hang up and call your friend or relative to check that everything is all right.
Government
The caller says they’re from a government agency, such as the IRS or the Social Security Administration. They insist you have to pay taxes or a fine. This is a scam.
Internet Provider/Phone Provider
A caller says they’re from an Internet or Phone provider, claiming that if you buy gift cards and send them to the ‘company’ you will receive reduced rates for services. The scammer might even coach you to say the gift card is being purchased for personal use. This is a scam. Legitimate companies will not accept gift cards as a form of payment.
Our Policies
In order to comply with federal anti-money laundering regulations, we are unable to process gift card orders of more than $1,000 in any single transaction.
- Gift, prepaid and phone cards are nonrefundable and nonreturnable.
- Prepaid cards cannot be redeemed for cash. Specific terms and conditions are included with each card.
Other Resources
To learn more about common gift card scams, visit FTC.gov/giftcards. To file a complaint, visit https://ftccomplaintassistant.gov, call 1-877-FTC-HELP, or write to: Federal Trade Commission, CRC-240, Washington, D.C. 20580
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