‘We have to ask this’: Walmart shopper buys Top Golf gift card. Then the worker asks her a strange question

A deal enthusiast from the suburbs of Philadelphia posted about an encounter they had while purchasing a gift card at Walmart. Next time you hit up the retail chain, you may find the same thing.

In a trending TikTok, Allison (@the_dealparty) says she was shocked to learn that Walmart workers are tasked with asking this particular question when selling gift cards. She explains the reasoning behind the query in a viral TikTok she recently posted to her account.

"I was just in Walmart, grabbing a bunch of stuff for my stepson's 21st birthday. And I got up to the counter, one of the things I got was a Top Golf gift card," she recalls. "And, literally I went to purchase it."

The Walmart worker began by asking a classic question that comes with a gift card purchase.

"They said, 'How much do you want on the card?'" Allison recalls. "I told them. And they said, 'Do you know the person that you're giving this gift to?'"

Allison was befuddled.

"'Do I know the person I'm giving this gift card to?' I said," she recalls. "They said, 'Yes. We have to ask this. Because there's been so many S-C-A-M-S's.' That is wild. But also, I love it, because it totally made me think twice like. Confused, but also like, thank you?"

In a caption for the video, she also expressed her appreciation of Walmart workers checking in with gift card purchasers.

What is the common grift Walmart is trying to prevent?

If part of your internet browsing routine involves gleefully watching scammers get their comeuppances, then you know all about gift cards. Con artists often pose as government workers, businesses attempting to collect debts, or even local police departments.

Furthermore, these thieves will often demand strange payment methods to settle imaginary debts. Sometimes they'll ask for cryptocurrency, other times, it's gift cards. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who fall for these types of scams. Oftentimes, it's elderly individuals who seem to be the biggest targets.

This is due to perceived lower levels of technological awareness and cognitive function. Moreover, elderly folks usually have more money saved up in their accounts than their younger counterparts, too.

So how do gift card con jobs work?

Fraudsters will sell you a narrative—whether you have unpaid parking tickets or a return for a product charged to your Amazon account. Whatever the story is, it's a bunch of smoke and mirrors to keep you on the phone. Then, the ask comes in: and it's the payment. You'll head to a store and purchase a gift card, money wire transfer office, or bitcoin ATM.

Afterward, they will have you give them the number for this gift card code. Once they've got that, it's over.

How to spot scams

Anytime someone calls you and claims that you owe them money, immediately find out where they're calling from. Get the name of the agency or business, hang up, and search their contact info online yourself. If it's a legitimate debt or matter you need to settle, there will be a record on file.

Furthermore, some con artists can make the number on your caller ID appear to be from a local area code. They'll use this additional ruse, often, as a way of tricking targets into thinking they're phoning from a local government agency. It's important to note that courts, police departments, county offices, etc. won't accept payment over the phone.

You'll have to either mail in a payment, or remit payment through a secure URL associated with the agency online. The DMV isn't going to have you pay for your vehicle registration with a Google Play Store gift card or crypto.

And when it comes to email scams, make sure to always check the sender's address. Specifically, the actual email address, and not just the nickname associated with the account, so scrutinize those details. Then verify if the "@" address matches the one of the agency the potential scammer is claiming to be associated with.

@the_dealparty Has this happened to you @Walmart I feel like it's a great idea especially for those that get $scam$❤️via email #walmart #walmartfinds #hasthiseverhappenedtoyou ♬ original sound - Allison | Budget Lifestyle

Walmart's caution goes beyond

One person who replied to Allison's video stated that they, too, had this happen to them at Walmart. "I went to buy 7 $15 McDonalds gift cards at Walmart and had to check out two at a time," they said.

Another said this practice has been around for quite some time. "It's not new. People will get the numbers off the back and wait for them to be activated and drain it," they added.

One user on the app argued against using gift cards and instead handing cash over to children. "Cash is king for these kids, can’t trust the kiosks anymore," they wrote. And it's true: as of 2024, there is around $23 billion of unused gift card money just lying around. Cash, however, is sure to be spent.

An additional TikTok user wrote that they are aware of the numerous cons going around. "That's correct, poor people are getting scammed."

The Daily Dot has reached out to Walmart and Allison via email for further comment.

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