Steer Clear of Gift Card Scams -- Join us on Tele Town Hall live on June 23 @ 7 PM

AARP Montana is hosting a Tele Town Hall on June 23 at 7 PM to discuss gift card payment scams.

Gift cards are convenient and popular, and they're favored by criminals -- which is why these scams are on the rise. Con artists have latched onto gift cards as a convenient form of payment for their latest schemes. During a live Tele Town Hall, we will hear from Seth Boffeli, Advisor of Fraud Prevention Programs at AARP Fraud Watch Network, about how to spot and avoid these schemes.

On Wednesday, June 23, AARP Montana will begin calling out to Montana members for this tele-town hall around 7:00 p.m.

There are three additional ways to participate in the live event:

• Dialing toll-free 855-962-1531 at the time of the call
• Registering to be called in advance at https://vekeo.com/aarpmontana
• Streaming live at www.facebook.com/aarpmontana

Those unable to join the tele-town hall on June 23, can listen to the recorded call on AARP Montana’s Facebook page or here: https://vekeo.com/aarpmontana.

Gift Card Payment Scams on the Rise

Gift cards used as payment scams have cost U.S. consumers $245 million since 2018, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

First, the scammer tells the consumer they owe money for bills, taxes, or some other phony obligation. Next, the scammer instructs the consumer to buy a gift card, sometimes referred to as an “electronic voucher.” The scammer then asks for the information on the back of the card, which enables them to collect the card's prepaid value, leaving the defrauded consumer holding useless plastic.

Gift cards cannot be used to make payments of any kind, but unwary consumers, focused on the need to make a payment, may follow through with purchasing a card.

For information and resources from the AARP Fraud Watch Network on how gift cards are used in scams, visit www.aarp.org/giftcards. 

To receive your free consumer protection kit from AARP Montana, click here>>