Scammers will say anything to get your money. Or they might call with great news – you’ve won a contest or a prize! But to get it, you need to pay fees with a gift card. They might pose as IRS officials and say you’re in trouble for not paying taxes or a family member with an emergency or a public utility company threatening to shut off your water or even a servicemember selling something before deployment. Gift cards are the number one payment method that imposters demand. If someone calls with urgent news or a convincing story and then pressures you to pay them by buying a gift card, like an iTunes or Google Play card, and then giving them the codes on the back of the card – stop. Gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. But did you know they are also a scammer’s favorite way to steal money? According to the FTC’s new Data Spotlight, more scammers are demanding payment with a gift card than ever before – a whopping 270 percent increase since 2015. Gift cards are a great way to give a gift.
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