{
 "@context": "https://schema.org",
 "@type": "FAQPage",
 "mainEntity": [
  {
   "@type": "Question",
   "name": "Is there ever a legitimate reason someone would ask me to pay with gift cards?",
   "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "No. Not the IRS, not your utility company, not tech support, not your boss, not bail bondsmen, not lottery officials, not online lovers. Gift cards can only legitimately be spent at the retailer that issued them \u2014 they are not a payment instrument for debts, fees, or services. Every request to pay with gift cards is a scam. This is one of the few absolute rules in fraud prevention."
   }
  },
  {
   "@type": "Question",
   "name": "Why do scammers prefer gift cards over other payment methods?",
   "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "Speed and irreversibility. The moment a scammer has the card number and PIN, the balance is typically resold or drained within minutes through online marketplaces and laundering networks. Unlike a credit card charge, there is no dispute process, no chargeback, and no institution obligated to make you whole. From the scammer's side, it's cash that you can read aloud over a phone."
   }
  },
  {
   "@type": "Question",
   "name": "I bought the cards but haven't given anyone the numbers. Am I safe?",
   "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "Yes \u2014 the cards are still just cards. The scam only completes when the numbers and PINs are shared. Do not send photos or read anything aloud. Keep the cards and receipts; you can use the balances yourself or, with the receipt, some retailers will refund unused cards. Then break contact completely \u2014 expect escalating pressure and threats when you go quiet. They cannot do anything."
   }
  },
  {
   "@type": "Question",
   "name": "I already gave them the card numbers. Is the money gone?",
   "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "Fast action occasionally saves part of it. Call the number on the back of the card (or the issuer's gift card fraud line) immediately, tell them the card was used in a scam, and ask them to freeze any remaining balance. Keep the physical cards and purchase receipts. Then report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Recovery is not guaranteed \u2014 which is exactly why scammers chose this method \u2014 but issuers do freeze balances when reached quickly."
   }
  },
  {
   "@type": "Question",
   "name": "Is what I paste here stored anywhere?",
   "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "No. Per our Security Policy Framework \u00a73.1, nothing you submit is stored in our database. Your description is processed server-side, analyzed, and discarded immediately after your result is returned. We never retain, sell, or train on your submissions."
   }
  },
  {
   "@type": "Question",
   "name": "Why do store clerks ask questions when I buy lots of gift cards?",
   "acceptedAnswer": {
    "@type": "Answer",
    "text": "Because they're trying to protect you. Major retailers train cashiers to gently check on customers buying unusual quantities of gift cards, especially while on a phone call \u2014 it's one of the most effective last-line defenses against this scam. If a caller has told you what to say to the clerk, that is itself conclusive proof you're being scammed. The scripted cover story exists for exactly one reason."
   }
  }
 ]
}