In honor of my Caught Dead in Wyoming mystery series, my assistant Gabriella Samuels is writing for my newsletter and blog a series of consumer tips inspired by TV reporter Elizabeth Margaret Danniher.
A new scam is popping up in 2025. Soaring cable and streaming costs, coupled with popular bundled services, are driving consumers to seek cost-saving options. There’s a new scam that’s stealing money from people looking for discounts: the gift card scam.
With the gift card scam, you will receive a robocall claiming to be your internet or cable service provider. The scammer will claim that you can receive a discount if you pay using a gift card. They will pressure you to act quickly, convincing you that if you do not do it immediately, you will miss the deal. They may even ask for your account information as well, which puts your details at risk.
This is a scam. Using a gift card to pay sends money directly to the scammer, and your account details are at risk.
Here are some things to remember to avoid this scam:
- Confirm deals and offers on the company website. Hang up and call the company directly to also confirm discounts.
- Avoid acting quickly on deals. Scammers pressure you to act quickly, which gives you less time to ask more questions.
- Always report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission, your internet service provider and the gift card company you used. You may get your money back.
The FTC provides a list of gift card companies and how to contact them if you have been scammed: List here
To report all scams, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.