🎧 Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them Before You Get Hooked

Special Alert Episode!

💳 Gift cards make great gifts, but terrible payments.

With the holidays approaching, scammers are working overtime to trick people into using gift cards to pay fake bills, bogus tech support fees, and even phony family emergencies. In this special between-episode of Your Tech Makeover, I share how one simple flyer at Target, and a neighbor’s unfortunate experience, inspired a timely reminder about one of the most common (and costly) scams out there.

You’ll learn how these scams actually work, the red flags to look for, and what to do if you or someone you love gets pressured to “pay” with a gift card.

🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 🎯 How gift card scams really work and the psychological tricks scammers use to create panic.

• 🚫 The biggest red flags that signal a call, text, or email isn’t legit.

• 🧾 What to do if it happens to you, including how to report it and maybe stop the funds.

• 🧡 How to protect family and friends with a “pause plan” before they buy or send anything.

💬 Frank says:

“The IRS doesn’t take Apple gift cards, your power company doesn’t take Target cards, and no tech support person should ever ask for Google Play cards. If someone tells you otherwise, hang up.”

🙌 Support & Resources:

If you or someone you know gets targeted, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. And if you see someone at the store buying lots of gift cards under pressure — say something. You might save them a lot of money and stress.

🗓️ Mentioned in this episode:

• Target’s “Beware of Gift Card Scams” flyer

• The FTC’s official reporting site: ReportFraud.ftc.gov

• Common scam fronts: IRS, utility companies, fake tech support, “grandparent” emergencies

💡 Want to help others stay safe?

Share this episode with family, coworkers, or that friend who always gets “urgent” texts. The more people who know the signs, the fewer will get caught.

💡 Support the Show

If you’ve learned something from Your Tech Makeover, consider supporting the podcast!

🎁 Listeners who contribute $25 or more will receive $25 off a one-on-one tech consultation with Frank to help simplify your digital life.

➡️ Click the link in the show notes or visit YourTechMakeover.com to learn more.

🎧 Listen to the full episodes at: 👉 YourTechMakeover.com/

So, have you ever gotten one of those “urgent” messages asking you to pay with a gift card? Let me know what you think and, as always, if you have any ideas for topics you’d like me to cover, please feel free to contact me at [e-mail].