Research digests · Scams and fraud
FTC gift card data spotlight 2021: what it found about scam scripts
| Publisher | Federal Trade Commission |
|---|---|
| Year | 2021 |
| Report | https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2021/12/scammers-prefer-gift-cards-not-just-any-card-will-do |
The FTC’s data spotlight on gift card scams found that scammers do more than ask for gift cards; they manage the purchase. Scammers even coach people on what to say if a cashier asks questions (FTC). Victims are told to stay on the phone with the scammer the entire time, and people often say the scammer sent them to several store locations to make multiple purchases (FTC).
What it measured
The spotlight draws on consumer reports to the FTC about scams paid with gift cards. Rather than a single loss total, it describes the mechanics: which cards scammers ask for, how they steer the purchase, and what they tell the victim to do at the store. It is a description of the script, and that is why it is useful at the register.
Headline findings
The scammer prepares the victim for the cashier. Scammers even coach people on what to say if a cashier asks questions (FTC). A cashier who asks “is this a gift?” and hears a smooth answer has not ruled out a scam; the answer may be rehearsed.
The scammer stays on the line. Victims are told to stay on the phone with the scammer the entire time (FTC). A customer who will not hang up, or who is relaying the cashier’s questions to the phone, is showing the clearest cue the spotlight names.
The scammer spreads the purchase across stores. People often say the scammer sent them to several store locations to make multiple purchases (FTC). A purchase limit at the first store pushes the victim to the next store, which is why a store’s limit is a speed bump rather than a wall.
The FTC’s earlier retailer toolkit describes the same behavior from the store’s side: scammers may direct people to particular retailers and may even stay on the line with them (FTC business blog).
How to use it in a program
The spotlight is the source for the cashier’s cue list. Each finding becomes a line on a training card.
- Cue: the customer is on the phone through the whole transaction. Response: pause and call a manager.
- Cue: the customer’s answers about the purchase sound rehearsed or come from the phone. Response: ask the store’s scripted question and do not argue.
- Cue: the customer says another store just sold them cards, or asks about limits. Response: treat it as a sign of a multi-store run, not a reason to complete the sale.
- Cue: the customer describes a fine, a warrant, a prize, or a relative in trouble. Response: read the store’s scam warning aloud and call a manager.
- Never: argue with the customer about whether the caller is real, accuse them, or follow them out of the store.
The card itself, and the store rule on who can decline a sale, are built in gift card scam awareness training for cashiers. Rehearse the cues in a huddle using huddle talking points for loss prevention, and post the warning at the rack as one behavior, one image, one line.
Limits
The spotlight describes reports, not intercepted scams, so it cannot say which cashier responses work best. It reflects the scam scripts of its publication period, and scammers change the story even when the mechanics stay the same. It does not report by retailer or by store format. Treat it as a description of the opponent’s playbook, and update the cue list when the store’s own paused-sale log shows a new story. For the state laws that now require signage and training around this, see the scams and fraud topic hub.