Campaign Aims to Reduce Gift Card Fraud

As the 2025 holiday shopping season gets into full swing, an alliance of leading retailers, card networks and law enforcement agencies has launched a nationwide social media campaign to combat what it characterizes as a major surge in gift card fraud. The campaign, led by the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance (GCFPA), aims to educate, empower and protect consumers during the busiest shopping time of the year.

The campaign’s social media posts will focus on these essential warnings:

• Inspect gift cards carefully before purchasing. If a card looks altered, report it and choose another.
• Always use the official retailer’s site to check your card balance. Scammers set up fake websites and buy Google ads to trick you into entering your gift card details.
• Legitimate organizations will never ask you to pay fees or debts with gift cards.
• Never buy gift cards to pay a debt or to bail someone out of jail.
• Report gift card scams to local police, state attorneys general and the FTC.

“Our goal is to empower every holiday shopper with the knowledge to spot scams, protect their money and report suspicious activity,” said Lisa LaBruno, Executive Director of the Retail Industry Leaders Association Communities Foundation, which founded the Gift Card Fraud Prevention Alliance in 2024. “By working together, we’re making the holiday season safer for everyone.”