Gift Card Scams Are Exploding — Why Over-60s Are Being Targeted and How to Stay Safe

Gift card scams are becoming far more common, and if you’re over 60 like me, you’ll probably remember when the biggest scam we faced was a dodgy knock on the door from someone trying to flog frozen steaks. These days, criminals are emptying life savings in ways we’d never have imagined.

I was watching This Morning today when they shared a heartbreaking story: a woman whose late mother was targeted by someone pretending to be an old school friend. Not only did he trick her for months — he convinced her to spend £115,000 on gift cards.

Yes, you read that right. One hundred and fifteen thousand pounds.

And the more you understand it, the more you realise this could happen to anyone, especially older people who grew up trusting names, faces and “official”-sounding phone calls.

If you’re new to SixtyRocks and wondering why I bang on about this sort of thing, I’ve written more about what this site is all about here: 👉 Why SixtyRocks Exists.

What Exactly Are Gift Card Scams?

A gift card scam is when a scammer pretends to be someone trustworthy:

• your bank
• HMRC
• the police
• your GP surgery
• a delivery company
• a relative
• a school friend
• or even a romantic interest

They claim there’s an urgent problem that must be solved immediately — and then tell you the only safe payment method is a gift card.

Amazon. Apple. Google Play. Sometimes supermarket cards.

Once you buy the card and read them the code, the money is gone in minutes.

“Why Would Anyone Do This?” — The Real, Psychological Answer

I used to think the same. Gift cards? Really?

But scammers are not asking politely. They are using fear, urgency and emotional manipulation to shut down the logical part of the brain.

This is how they win:

• They create panic
  “Your bank account is under attack.”
  “Your grandson is in danger.”
  “You owe a fine today.”
  For more examples of common scam tactics, you can check the Take Five Stop Fraud campaign.
• They pretend to be trusted authorities
  They spoof caller IDs to say “NHS”, “Police”, “HSBC” and so on.
• They build false friendships
  They mirror your interests, chat daily, and slowly earn your trust.
• They tell you to hide it
  “Don’t tell your family — it will worry them.”
  “This is a private investigation.”

When someone is scared or feels emotionally connected to the scammer, they stop thinking in terms of “gift cards”. They think in terms of “saving someone” or “fixing a crisis”.

It’s not stupidity — it’s coercive control, and it can happen to absolutely anyone.

The Heartbreaking Story from This Morning

The woman on the programme explained how her mother was contacted by someone who had:

• researched her Facebook
• told her he was an old school friend
• gained her trust over time
• moved her onto private messaging
• contacted her daily

This wasn’t a quick scam — it was grooming, very similar to romance fraud.

Over time, he convinced her to buy gift cards in increasing amounts, sometimes thousands in a single day. She ended up spending £115,000, and she hid it from her family out of embarrassment.

This kind of long-term emotional manipulation is covered by Age UK.

“But How Could She Buy £30,000+ from a Supermarket Without Being Stopped?”

On the surface, it sounds impossible. But a few things make it far too easy:

• Gift cards can be high value
• Tills don’t always block big purchases
• Staff aren’t always trained
• Victims are coached

This issue is serious enough that MPs are preparing an Early Day Motion to push for better protections.

Why Gift Cards? Why Not Bank Transfers?

Banks are getting better at stopping suspicious transfers. So scammers switched to gift cards because they are:

• fast
• unregulated
• difficult to trace
• instantly redeemable
• easy to resell

How Gift Card Scams Turn Codes Into Cash

A lot of people wonder how scammers actually get the money. Do they go shopping with all these gift cards? The reality is far more organised and much faster.

1. They Redeem the Code and Resell the Value

As highlighted by Which?, digital items can be resold instantly.

2. They Sell the Code on the Dark Web

“Amazon £500 – £300”

3. They Buy High-Value Goods

Laptops, phones, consoles — sent to drop addresses.

4. They Use Automated Redeem Bots

Large scam gangs run bots that redeem thousands of codes per hour.

5. They Trade Gift Cards for Cryptocurrency

Gift-card-to-Bitcoin exchanges give scammers instant anonymous cash.

The Red Flags to Watch For

• Urgent demands
• Secrecy
• Any request for gift cards
• Caller ID that looks “official”
• Emotional manipulation
• Moving conversations off Facebook

What to Do If Someone Asks for a Gift Card

• Hang up or stop messaging.
• Tell a family member.
• Call the organisation directly using the official number.
• Never read out a gift card code.
• Report scams to Action Fraud or Citizens Advice.

You are not being rude — you are being safe.

Why Older People Are Unfairly Targeted

Not because we’re less smart. Far from it.

Scammers target people who are:

• polite
• living alone
• trusting of official voices
• on Facebook
• financially stable but cautious

If you’re interested in how money and opportunity have changed, here’s another post that might resonate: 👉 We Bought a House for £37k.

My Own Experience with Scams

A few years ago I was scammed myself — not with a gift card, but in Turkey, where pressure tactics tricked me into paying far more for an excursion.

Here’s that story: 👉 My Jet2 Marmaris Scam Story

Further Help and Support

• Action Fraud
• Citizens Advice
• Take Five
• Age UK
• Which? Scam Alerts

You might prevent someone from losing tens of thousands, just by sharing this post.

Final Thought

Gift card scams aren’t really about money. They’re about control and manipulation.

Stay safe — and if you found this useful, please share it.

Friendly Disclaimer

This article is for general information only. Always check official guidance and report scams through Action Fraud or Citizens Advice.