Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire announced on March 16 that they are seeking to identify victims of a large-scale gift card fraud scheme, with the aim of providing potential restitution.
The effort is in response to millions of dollars stolen from individuals through various scams involving Apple gift cards. According to authorities, foreign criminal organizations used methods such as elder fraud, romance fraud, sextortion, gift card tampering, and network intrusions to obtain funds from these cards. The stolen money was then used to purchase high-end electronics that were exported overseas.
Individuals may qualify for restitution if they had Apple gift card funds stolen, were victims who paid scammers with Apple gift cards, or had their Apple gift cards used without authorization between October 1, 2023 and September 1, 2025. 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 through an online questionnaire provided by authorities. Submitted Apple gift card numbers will be cross-referenced with known fraudulent purchases. If a match is found, Homeland Security Investigations will contact the individual within 30 days after the filing period closes on May 15, 2026 to request proof of purchase.
Questions about this process can be directed to HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@ice.dhs.gov. Additional information about how these schemes operate and how individuals can protect themselves is available at https://www.ice.gov/hsi/news/hsi-insider/tackling-gift-card-fraud.
