You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iTunes Giftcard Scam Reimbursement

My dad recently fell victim to a scam and purchased 5, $100 iTunes gift cards. Luckily he figured it out before he sent it to the scammer, but there is no way he will actually use these cards and was hoping to get a refund, or at the very least transfer it to an apple gift card. He has spent hours on the phone with them and reported the fraud, but he keeps getting cut off during the transfer process with support. Any ideas of how he could get this resolved?


Thanks!

Posted on Aug 11, 2020 9:22 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 11, 2020 9:53 AM

zazymoto Said:

"iTunes Giftcard Scam Reimbursement: [...] he keeps getting cut off during the transfer process with support. Any ideas of how he could get this resolved?"

--------


Some Thoughts:


A. Use a Wired Phone Call:

Is he using a cell phone to call? If so, use a wired telephone. Perhaps, the cellular signal keeps getting lost.


B. Where did he get these?

If purchased online, contact the site, seeing if the seller can be held accountable and if he can get his money back. If it is a personal purchase, then there may be nothing you can do about this that taking it up with the seller.


C. Add these at the Cash Register:

But, add them to you account right-the-and-there at the cash register - that way you can be assured that it goes through.


D. Go Here:


E. Learn from this:

If it is too good of a deal - then it is likely a scam - beyond any doubt. So, take this as a learning experience - allow the owner to let you add this to your account prior to the purchase. If the seller disabides by those rules - don't follow through with it.

7 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 11, 2020 9:53 AM in response to zazymoto

zazymoto Said:

"iTunes Giftcard Scam Reimbursement: [...] he keeps getting cut off during the transfer process with support. Any ideas of how he could get this resolved?"

--------


Some Thoughts:


A. Use a Wired Phone Call:

Is he using a cell phone to call? If so, use a wired telephone. Perhaps, the cellular signal keeps getting lost.


B. Where did he get these?

If purchased online, contact the site, seeing if the seller can be held accountable and if he can get his money back. If it is a personal purchase, then there may be nothing you can do about this that taking it up with the seller.


C. Add these at the Cash Register:

But, add them to you account right-the-and-there at the cash register - that way you can be assured that it goes through.


D. Go Here:


E. Learn from this:

If it is too good of a deal - then it is likely a scam - beyond any doubt. So, take this as a learning experience - allow the owner to let you add this to your account prior to the purchase. If the seller disabides by those rules - don't follow through with it.

Aug 27, 2020 10:31 AM in response to WhataMessx1

WhataMessx1 Said:

"I experienced this same thing. How did you handle any reimbursement or cancellation of payment?"

-------


View eMail Headers:

This is something, you are responsible for. So, view the above. If you view the headers of the scam eMail, then you may be able to track the person down (something may to do, if they do not hide their IP Address). It is how much of this is investigated, I'm sure.

Aug 28, 2020 1:11 PM in response to TheLittles

Melissa - I STUMBLED across a live person and followed her directions then have had to wing it on my own with less that useful computer robot that cuts off if you move away from the template even a little. Long story short, I've done three things:

I have filed a report with photos and police report case number with Apple iTunes and been assigned a case number. No response yet; it's only been a few days. Filed with the Federal Consumer Sentinel.gov site. This is only a tracking function, no action. Called my credit card company and asked them to flag this purchase for dispute and no payment. Continue to work with local police with the full report to back up my case number.


Everytime I turn around I get a tell-us-how-we did survey from Apple. Hope this helps. Will post progress as time goes by.

Aug 28, 2020 3:46 PM in response to WhataMessx1

I doubt very seriously that Apple would intervene here - the sad fact is that it is not their fault. They simply sold gift cards. However, you may get lucky.


With todays scammer's abilities to alter account numbers, IP addresses, email addresses, etc, there is a 0% chance that you could actually find them. If you do, they are more than likely to be in some foreign country which will not be helpful to you.


This was an internet crime, so you should be reporting it here


https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx


Good luck!



iTunes Giftcard Scam Reimbursement

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.