A warning has been issued about scammers in the UK pretending to be family or friends to steal money through gift card schemes.
Staffordshire County Council’s Trading Standards has urged people to watch out for criminals sending fake emails or texts, claiming to be a family member or friend in need of help to purchase gift cards.
Scammers say that the relative is away on holiday and unable to withdraw money, or make excuses like being too busy or having technical issues with their debit card.
Victims are instructed to purchase a gift card on their behalf and share the card’s serial numbers.
The scammers then use the gift card’s serial numbers to access the funds, which are difficult to trace and often used for money laundering.
Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member responsible for Trading Standards at Staffordshire County Council, said: “Unfortunately, we are seeing yet another method for criminals to try and scam residents.
“It’s a simple scam that relies on people’s trust – criminals posing as family members or friends is an old scam, but it can be tricky to detect, so it’s important to be vigilant.
If you receive a message claiming to be from a loved one urgently needing money, take a moment to pause and verify its authenticity.
Be sure to inform the victim that their email account may have been compromised, urging them to change their password immediately.
Graham Cluley, independent cybersecurity analyst, told This is Money: “Gift card scams are highly prevalent.
“’The number of gift card scam reports and losses have been on the rise for years and retailers are being encouraged to alert consumers about the risks of gift card scams.”
Anyone who thinks they may have been scammed should call their bank immediately using the back of their bank card or call police on 101.
Have you lost money to a scam? Contact National Fraud Helpline. Call 0333 0033218 or fill out our Claim Form.