Cybersecurity firm identifies global surge in fraudulent gift card scams

Cybersecurity firm CTM360 revealed that scammers are impersonating major brands and celebrities to lure consumers into fake gift card giveaways. BleepingComputer and Mezha.net both reported on November 7, 2026, that these fraudulent campaigns collect personal information and trigger unwanted paid subscriptions. Mezha.net reported that CTM360 linked more than 1,000 incidents to these fake gift card scams. [1][3]

According to BleepingComputer, the fraudulent reward portals use deceptive verification steps and affiliate networks to generate revenue without delivering the promised rewards. The scams lure victims with a pitch that begins by prompting users to click an advertisement featuring a celebrity endorsement to claim a free offer. [1]

Phishing represents a form of social engineering where attackers deceive individuals into revealing sensitive information or installing malware. These deceptive schemes are frequently utilized as an initial access method, with attackers capturing credentials or stealing active authentication sessions. As FTMQ Security reported earlier, phishing campaigns also target corporate accounts through fraudulent landing pages and fake event invitations. [4][5]

In a separate case, The 420.in reported on November 7, 2026, that a youth was arrested in Dhanbad following a scam involving a fake Green Gas application that exposed banking details. [2]