Public Service Alert: Victim Identification in Gift Card Fraud Scheme

CONCORD – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire are seeking to identify victims of a sophisticated gift card fraud scheme for potential restitution. Foreign criminal organizations have stolen millions of dollars in gift cards through elder fraud, romance fraud, sextortion, gift card tampering, and network intrusions. They used these funds to buy high-end electronics and exported them abroad. Who qualifies for restitution? You may qualify for restitution if between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 1, 2025, you: • Had Apple gift card funds stolen; • Were a victim of fraud or scams and paid scammers with Apple gift cards; or • Had Apple gift cards that were used without your authorization. How do I know if I’m a qualifying victim? You can submit your information using our questionnaire here: Seeking Victim Information Gift Card Fraud Scheme Your Apple gift card number will be cross referenced with Apple purchases known to be involved in this crime. If matched, HSI will contact you to request proof of purchase of the gift cards. Any identified victims can expect to be contacted within 30 days of the closing of this filing period, which will be open until May 15, 2026. Do I have to live in New Hampshire to receive restitution? No, victims in this case can be from anywhere in the U.S. Any questions can be directed to HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@ice.dhs.gov. To learn more about gift card fraud, visit: https://www.ice.gov/hsi/news/hsi-insider/tackling-gift-card-fraud