Scam Alert: Anyone Who Demands Gift Card Payment Is a Fraudster
An EFCC raid in Lekki over alleged gift card and crypto fraud is a timely reminder: no genuine agency, bank, employer or partner asks to be paid in gift cards.
In this article
Gift cards are meant for birthdays and festive presents. In the hands of fraudsters, they have become one of the easiest ways to steal money and disappear. This alert is for everyone: young people chatting online, parents and grandparents, shop owners who sell gift cards, and businesses whose staff could be tricked into “urgent” payments. The rule is simple. If someone insists you pay them with a gift card, it is a scam.
Key takeaways
- Fraudsters ask for Apple, Google Play, Amazon and similar cards because the money can be drained within minutes and is hard to trace.
- Once you share the card number and PIN, or a photo of the card, the scammer can spend the balance even while the card is still in your hand.
- No real government agency, bank, utility, employer or romantic partner needs payment in gift cards.
- If you have already paid, contact the card company immediately and keep the card and receipt.
Why this is in the news
On Monday, 26 October 2026, at about 5am, operatives of the EFCC’s Lagos Directorate 1 raided Applewood Estate on Orchid Road, Lekki, and arrested 21 suspected cybercrime fraudsters, according to TVC News. The commission alleged that the suspects obtained money from unsuspecting victims using gift cards, cryptocurrencies and international money transfers, and that they impersonated different people. Five exotic cars were seized. Preliminary investigations implicated 19 of the suspects, who the EFCC said would be arraigned, while two were released. These are allegations, not court findings, but they show that gift cards remain a favourite tool of online fraud rings operating from Nigeria and targeting victims at home and abroad.
How the gift card scam works, step by step
- First contact. The scammer reaches you by call, text, email, WhatsApp, a dating app or social media.
- The story. They create a reason you must pay quickly: a fine, a debt, an emergency, a prize fee or a love interest in trouble.
- The instructions. They tell you exactly which card brand to buy and sometimes which store, and they may send you to several stores to avoid purchase limits.
- Staying on the line. Many stay on the phone while you buy the cards, so you cannot pause, think or ask anyone.
- The handover. They ask for the card number and PIN, or a photo of the back of the card. Within minutes the balance is gone, often resold for crypto or cash.
The stories scammers use
The US Federal Trade Commission lists the most common cover stories, and every one of them is used on Nigerians and Africans too:
- Government impersonation: someone claiming you owe a tax, fine or fee, or that you are under investigation.
- Fake tech support: a “technician” says your computer has a problem and wants remote access plus payment.
- Family emergency: a relative supposedly in trouble, sometimes using a cloned voice, begging you to keep it secret.
- Prizes and sweepstakes: you have “won” but must pay a processing fee first.
- Utility threats: pay now or your service will be disconnected.
- Romance scams: a new online partner who suddenly needs money or gifts.
- Overpayment tricks: someone sends a cheque or transfer for too much and asks you to refund the difference with a gift card.
A business version to watch
Staff can also be targeted with messages that look like they come from the boss: “I’m in a meeting, buy five gift cards for a client and send me the codes.” Make it company policy that no one ever buys gift cards on instruction by message alone.
Warning signs
- Pressure to act right now, with threats of arrest, disconnection or embarrassment.
- Specific instructions on which card to buy and where.
- A caller who will not let you hang up while you shop.
- Any request for the card number, PIN or a photo of the card.
- A demand for secrecy: “Don’t tell your family” or “Don’t tell the bank.”
How to protect yourself and your team
- Treat any request for gift card payment as fraud, full stop.
- Hang up and call the person or organisation back on a number you find yourself, not one the caller gives you.
- Talk to a trusted friend or relative before buying cards for anyone you have not met in person.
- Never share card codes or photos of cards in chats.
- Retailers: train cashiers to gently ask customers buying large amounts of gift cards whether someone told them to.
- Businesses: require a second approval, by phone, for any unusual purchase request from a manager.
What you should do if you have already paid
- Contact the gift card company straight away, no matter how much time has passed. Ask whether they can freeze any remaining balance and whether a refund is possible.
- Keep the physical card and the store receipt. The card number and receipt help with any report.
- Report the fraud. In Nigeria, you can report suspected fraud to the EFCC through its official website and verified channels, or to the Nigeria Police Force. If you are abroad, also report to your national fraud authority; in the United States that is ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If you also shared bank details or allowed remote access, call your bank immediately and change your passwords.
Share this alert with the people in your life most likely to receive these calls. One conversation can save someone a great deal of money.
Sources
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Cybersecurity Analyst — 20 years experience
Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)
Credentials: MCPN, MNCS, IAENG | System Analyst · Web Developer · CEH · CC · CDST
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