Beware, UWM has seen a recent uptick in gift card scams!

Here is what to look out for with gift card scams:

1. A scammer typically poses as someone you know, emails you to see if you are available and tells you it’s urgent.
2. After you respond, they ask you to go and buy a gift card, typically to a specific store, and promises that they will reimburse you.
3. Once you purchase the gift card, they will ask you to send them the gift card number and PIN, or a photo of the card.

What to do if you receive a gift card scam:

• Do not respond to these requests.
• If you believe you have received a gift card scam in your inbox, or are unsure, forward the email to UWM’s Information Security team at abuse@uwm.edu. This notifies our information security experts, and they can help you determine if the email is a scam.
• If you receive a gift card request from someone you know, contact them in an alternate way, and confirm if they sent the email.
• If you believe you have fallen victim to a gift card scam, please contact the UWM Help Desk.

For more information about gift card scams, check out this article from the Federal Trade Commission.

For more information about cybersecurity, visit UWM’s Cybersecurity website.