1. The six gift card scams, and what they have in common

   Every gift card scam ends the same way: you read a code to a stranger. Recognising the shape beats memorising the stories.

   3 min read

2. Why nobody legitimate asks to be paid in gift cards

   Not a rule of thumb — a structural fact. Gift cards cannot do the things real payments have to do.

   2 min read

3. Why region matters for gift codes, and what to check

   The most expensive mistake in gift cards is not fraud. It is a perfectly valid code for the wrong country.

   3 min read

4. How to tell a legitimate gift card seller from a convincing one

   Eight checks, including the ones that apply to us. If a seller fails three, walk away.

   3 min read

5. Phishing that targets gift codes: what it looks like

   Gift code phishing is unusually convincing because the real emails look the same. Four checks that still work.

   3 min read

6. What to do if a gift code was stolen or spent

   The first hour matters more than everything after it. A short list, in order, with what to say.

   3 min read

7. Buying gift cards secondhand: the risks, stated plainly

   Discounted resale is a real market with a real failure mode. What can go wrong and how to limit the damage.

   2 min read

← All guides