The scale of this fraud is significant, affecting millions of consumers and leading to massive merchant losses: Using Stolen Credit Cards to Buy Gift Cards - Riskified
Criminals use stolen credit card data to purchase gift cards through several specific methods:
: Fraudsters use the cards to buy popular electronics (like iPads or iPhones) that can be easily resold for nearly 95% of their retail value. buying gift cards with stolen credit cards
: Scammers make a purchase with a stolen credit card and then return the item, requesting the refund be placed on a gift card. This converts the stolen credit line into a legitimate, untraceable store credit.
Buying gift cards with stolen credit cards is a major component of modern financial crime, used primarily as a fast, anonymous way to "cash out" stolen credentials. Criminals favor gift cards because they function like untraceable cash once purchased. The scale of this fraud is significant, affecting
: Some use gift cards to make in-app purchases within their own apps or donate to specific streamers, eventually receiving a clean payout from the platform. Impact and Statistics
: Stolen gift cards are typically used or resold on the same day they are purchased to stay ahead of bank disputes and chargebacks. Monetization and Resale Buying gift cards with stolen credit cards is
: Cards are sold on marketplaces or the dark web at a discount (often 60–80% of face value) for cryptocurrency or cash.