Ciresi’s legislation to prevent gift card scams reported out of committee
Southeast Delegation May 8, 2025 | 9:26 AM
HARRISBURG, May 8 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi’s (D-Montgomery), legislation (H.B. 1067) that would help people avoid falling victim to gift card scams was reported out of the Commerce Committee this week.
According to Ciresi, gift cards have become an increasingly widespread way for scammers to defraud Pennsylvanians. Gift cards are easy to purchase, almost impossible to track and allow fraudsters to quickly move money on them, making them a popular payment method demanded by scammers. Sometimes fraudsters claim to be associated with government agencies, legitimate businesses, or even victims’ families, creating a sense of urgency to get their victims to buy gift cards as payment.
“In 2023, the Federal Trade Commission reported that victims lost $217 million due to gift card fraud last year, and reports of gift card fraud to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker increased by 50% that same year,” Ciresi said “My office has been contacted by constituents who’ve lost thousands as a result of these scams, and there’s a need to do more to prevent them.”
Introduced in a previous session as H.B. 2186, this legislation would require retailers selling gift cards to post clear signage warning consumers about gift card scams where gift cards are displayed and at the point of sale, and to ask for photo identification for gift card purchases. Retailers would also be required to train their employees on how to identify and respond to suspected victims of gift card-related scams. The PA Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection would be directed to produce model signage to help retailers with the implementation of these requirements.
“As scammers get increasingly sophisticated in their methods, we need to do all we can to educate the public and make sure they have the information they need to not become the next victim of fraud,” Ciresi said. “My bill would help ensure that Pennsylvania’s residents and retailers are on guard against gift card fraud and are alert whenever anyone asks for payment with gift cards.”
In the previous session, this legislation was supported by AARP Pennsylvania and Walmart.
The bill now heads to the House floor for consideration.