Fake executive gift card purchase request scam — fraudulent email impersonates a CEO, manager, or trusted contact asking the recipient to urgently purchase gift cards (Amazon, Apple, Google Play, iTunes, Steam) and email back the redemption codes or PIN numbers, often with instructions to keep the request confidential and a promise of reimbursement — a high-volume Business Email Compromise variant that targets employees and individuals

Fraudulent emails impersonating a CEO, manager, or trusted colleague asking the recipient to urgently purchase gift cards (Amazon, Apple iTunes, Google Play, Steam) and email back the redemption codes or scratch-and-send the PIN numbers — typically with instructions to keep the request confidential and a promise of reimbursement. This is the most common BEC variant by volume, specifically targeting employees and individuals rather than requiring technical compromise. Key facts: (1) Gift card BEC fraud caused $228M in reported losses in 2023 (FTC Consumer Sentinel 2024) — the single most-reported BEC method; the true total is far higher due to under-reporting; (2) The fraud works because gift card codes are untraceable, non-refundable, and transferable globally — once the attacker receives the code, the money is gone; (3) Scammers use four hallmarks: (a) impersonation of a known person (CEO/boss), (b) urgency/confidentiality, (c) gift card brand specification, (d) request to send codes via email/text — all four together are nearly definitive; (4) Neither CEOs, managers, nor legitimate organizations ever request gift card purchases from employees via email for any legitimate business purpose. Warning signs: impersonated executive sender, request to buy specific gift card brands, send code by email, keep secret, reimbursement promise.