Should I trust this gift card request?
Respond to a demand for gift card codes.
If someone demands gift card codes to settle a bill, fine or urgent problem, stop. Do not buy cards or send codes. This is a common scam.
If you already shared codes, contact the card issuer right away. Keep the card and receipt. Ask whether it can stop the loss or return funds. Recovery is not guaranteed.
ChatGPT is not needed to take those steps. Later, you can practice spotting the request with a made-up message. Never put real gift codes in a chat.
- End the contact and keep the message as evidence.
- If codes were shared, contact the gift card issuer now.
- In the U.S., report the scam through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Use the sample only for practice after urgent steps are done.
Practice message: 'Your power will be cut off. Buy a gift card and send the code.' Explain the warning sign. Give a safe way to check with the real power company. No real codes are included.
Paste the message into ChatGPT, then fill in any blanks before you send it. ChatGPT opens in a new tab. Opening it does not send the message.
Buying a gift card for a gift is different from sending codes to someone making a payment demand.
Sources and more help
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