# Gift-card scam

> A gift-card scam is any fraud that demands payment in gift-card codes, such as Apple, Google Play, Amazon, or Steam. In the job version, a fake employer or boss asks the victim to buy cards and send the numbers for equipment, software, or a test, with a promise of reimbursement that never comes.

Source: https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/gift-card-scam/  
Updated: 2026-06-07 - Real Job Check Trust and Safety Research Team

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## What it is

A gift-card scam is any fraud where the payment demanded is gift-card codes rather than normal money. The codes work like cash, move instantly, and cannot be traced or reversed, which is exactly why scammers ask for them.

## How it reaches you

In a job, it arrives after an easy hire and a move to a chat app. A "manager" asks you to buy cards for work software, a vendor, or a test, and to send photos of the numbers, with a promise to reimburse you. See [a job asked me to buy gift cards](/answers/job-asking-me-to-buy-gift-cards/).

## The tell

No legitimate employer, IT department, or payroll team is paid in gift cards. The request itself is proof of a scam, no matter how real the company name looks.

## What to do

Do not buy the cards or share any codes. If you already sent them, call the card issuer right away to report the codes as used in a scam, then report it to the [FTC](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov). This is a close relative of the [advance-fee scam](/glossary/advance-fee-scam/).