BBB warns of gift card payments as scams ramp up

PITTSBURGH — As the holidays near, scammers are working at full speed to steal your hard-earned cash, and more often than not, they’re requesting gift cards as payment.

According to Caitlin Driscoll, Public Relations Director for the Better Business Bureau serving Western Pennsylvania, scammers are increasingly seeming to favor gift cards as the requested form of payment.

Fraud reports to the BBB Scam Tracker involving gift cards as payment have “increased 50 percent in just the first three quarters of 2023, in comparison to that same period the year prior,” she said.

According to Driscoll, gift cards are essentially untraceable, and so it’s very difficult to recover funds once they’re stolen.

She adds that the problem has been compounded by the introduction of “mobile wallets” with gift card compatibility.

“It essentially allows that money to be shuttled across the world in just a matter of seconds,” she said.

If you fall victim, the BBB says to contact the gift card seller directly. You can also report the fraud to the organization.

But, be advised, scammers are seeking to get your money through other sources, too.

This month, the Pennsylvania Treasury Department warned that scammers are calling residents who have applied for a Property Tax/Rent Rebate and asking for bank account information. The department says “People should never give out their bank account information or other personal financial information simply because someone calls and asks for it.”

The Bethel Park Police Department also warned of a scam on Friday. In a Facebook post, the department wrote:

“ALERT: Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church has reported that several parishioners have received a text message claiming to be a member of clergy asking for money. This is a scam. If you ever receive any requests for donations from a church, school, or other group, always contact that organization directly to confirm its legitimacy. Do not reply back to the phone number or email for verification and never click any links.”

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