Buying Gift Cards With Stolen Credit Cards May 2026

: Fraudsters use stolen credentials to buy digital gift cards. They often use bots or "bulk-buy" tactics to obtain as many cards as possible before the stolen credit card is flagged and blocked.

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. buying gift cards with stolen credit cards

Once a gift card is acquired with stolen funds, it is converted into "clean" money through: : Fraudsters use stolen credentials to buy digital

: Fraudsters use the cards to buy popular electronics (like iPads or iPhones) that can be easily resold for nearly 95% of their retail value. Criminals favor gift cards because they function like

: 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

Criminals use stolen credit card data to purchase gift cards through several specific methods:

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