Purchasing an iPhone with gift card

Robertybob62 wrote:

Thanks for replying. I think I’m the potential victim of a scam. I’ve befriended a woman online and she says her iPhone fell into the bath water for a good while. So, I said that I would pay 2 thirds of the price of a new iPhone but asked her to get the shop assistant to ring me and I would pay with my card. That’s when she said the Apple Store will give her a discount if I send her gift cards

From what you're telling me, it sounds like you are being sized up for a scam.

Federal Trade Commission – Avoiding and Reporting Gift Card Scams

"Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. Scammers will say almost anything to get you to buy gift cards — like Google Play, Apple, or Amazon cards — and hand over the card number and PIN codes. "

"Romance scammers will make up any story to trick you into buying a gift card to send them money. Slow down. Never send money or gifts to anyone you haven’t met in person — even if they send you money first."

AARP – Romance Scams

AARP – 10 Telltale Signs of a Romance Scam (FBI official shares lessons learned from 300 cases of loves lost to fraud)

Federal Trade Commission – Report Fraud

Sounds fishy to me. I don't believe Apple will give you any discount for paying with a gift card balance rather than with cash.

Sometimes, a few years ago, retailers would offer sales on iTunes/Apple gift cards – so you could buy, say, a $50 gift card for 5% off ($47.50). That would be like an Apple-Store-wide sale on anything you bought – only it was whatever store that sold you the gift card that was giving you the discount, not the Apple Store. But even there, I suspect that there were quantity limits so you couldn't get the whole price of a computer discounted in that way.

FBI – How We Can Help You: Romance Scams

"Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim.

The criminals who carry out romance scams are experts at what they do and will seem genuine, caring, and believable."

"Never send money to anyone you have only communicated with online or by phone."

You're welcome.