TalkScams Team · Source-backed educational guide · Not a community report
New boss asks for gift cards before your first day
A scammer watching new-job announcements may impersonate a manager and assign an urgent gift-card purchase as a supposed work errand. The real manager may know nothing about the messages.
Source: U.S. Federal Trade Commission · Original advisory date: 2025-07-11
This summary is not a firsthand report or an endorsement or partnership by the source.
Warning signs to recognize
- An unverified contact posing as your manager asks you to send gift-card codes.
- A recruiter cannot confirm the employer through a verified channel
How to check or protect yourself
- Call your supervisor through a known work number before acting on unusual requests.
- Verify the offer before supplying payment or personal data