Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire announced on Mar. 16 that they are seeking to identify victims of a large-scale gift card fraud scheme, with the goal of providing potential restitution.
The effort is aimed at helping individuals who lost money through various scams involving Apple gift cards between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 1, 2025. The authorities said foreign criminal organizations stole millions of dollars in gift cards through methods such as elder fraud, romance fraud, sextortion, tampering with gift cards, and network intrusions. The stolen funds were used to purchase high-end electronics that were then exported overseas.
Individuals may qualify for restitution if they had Apple gift card funds stolen, paid scammers with Apple gift cards during a fraudulent scheme, or had their Apple gift cards used without authorization within the specified timeframe. Victims do not need to reside in New Hampshire; anyone in the United States who meets these criteria can participate.
Potential victims are encouraged to submit their information using an online questionnaire provided by authorities. Submitted Apple gift card numbers will be cross-referenced with known fraudulent purchases linked to this crime. If there is a match, Homeland Security Investigations will contact individuals to request proof of purchase for the affected gift cards. Identified victims can expect follow-up contact within 30 days after the filing period closes on May 15, 2026.
Questions about the process can be directed to HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@ice.dhs.gov. Additional information about how these schemes operate and how consumers can protect themselves is available at https://www.ice.gov/hsi/news/hsi-insider/tackling-gift-card-fraud.
