Consumer Alert: 6 Common Walmart Scams This Year
Whether we’d like to admit it or not, everything’s more expensive these days. Unfortunately, prices seem to creep up every time we shop ,and even the basic groceries became almost impossible to afford.
Do you guys remember when Walmart used to be the go-to place when we were looking to stretch our dollars? Things have changed in 2025, especially because of the scammers who have caught on.
Walmart is visited by millions of shoppers every day, so it’s easy to believe that you’re snagging a great deal on a product, but in reality, some schemes are just waiting to trip you up. The worst part is that these scams are not always obvious, and most of them happen in the store, without you even realizing it until it’s too late.
Nowadays, when every day feels like a new challenge, as budgets continue to tighten, the last thing anyone needs is to get scammed on top of it all. Read on and discover the most common Walmart scams and how you can stay one step ahead.
6 Walmart Scams Consumers Are Falling for in 2025
1. Walmart gift cards
Did you know that gift cards are one of the most common scams at Walmart? Fraudsters use social engineering and scare tactics to convince you to load a Walmart gift card with money and give them the card number and PIN.
Usually, they impersonate authority figures like IRS agents, making the lies even more believable. The fraudsters tend to make their requests sound really urgent, so pay attention to how they speak before anything else.
There are a lot of terrifying real-life examples. For example, a scammer impersonated an FBI agent and convinced a woman that some weird drug traffickers were using her Social Security number to launder money.
He was so insistent that he even convinced the woman to purchase $2,000 Walmart gift cards and send him a picture with the details. He made her believe that he needed the serial numbers and PIN to assist in the investigation.
Unfortunately, this trick helped the scammer use the data to purchase other retailers’ gift cards, making the funds untraceable and leaving the victim unable to get her money back.
Yes, Walmart is using a lot of methods to combat fraud, but unfortunately, a lot of victims never recovered the money they lost.
The lesson you need to learn from this story is to never share your Walmart gift card information with strangers. Those details should be kept private.
2. Balance checker tool
The second scam also refers to the fake Walmart gift cards. Unfortunately, a lot of shoppers are interested in seeing their balance. The scammers are always one step ahead and have created a lot of fake online gift card balance checkers, which, in reality, are used to make any gift card worthless.
Unfortunately, it’s extremely easy to get tricked by one of these websites because they usually look legitimate and use Walmart’s colors and branding. Once a shopper enters the information, the scammers steal all the card details and drain the balance.
If you want to check your card’s balance, make sure to use the official tool from Walmart or ask a staff member to help you.
3. Facebook marketplaces
You probably heard that there are a lot of things happening on Facebook Marketplace, and you should be aware of the things involving Walmart. Multiple scammers are trying to sell Walmart gift cards at an incredible price.
Believe it or not, many shoppers fall for this scam and end up purchasing a gift card with a fake or zero balance. So, never forget that you should not trust any weird sellers online. Also, remember that gift card transactions are untraceable, so if you fall for the scam, you will not recover the funds you lose.
The same tactics are used on other platforms such as eBay, but a significant number of Americans have been tricked on Facebook. Maybe they saw the platform as a more trustworthy one, as there is also a safe place where friends and family usually share their photos.
Considering how fast the technology is evolving, we need to be aware of the dangers we’re exposed to and pay attention to any suspicious thing that can be transformed into trouble. Unfortunately, with all these robots and artificial intelligence, it can become hard and even almost impossible to spot all the tricks. However, when it comes to money, we need to take a step forward. Once we fall into the trap of sharing our information, it’s impossible to fully recover.
In 2025, losing money might not be on your bingo card. So, be careful and pay attention before you act. Your wallet will definitely thank you later!
4. Social media giveaways
Even though giveaways are slowly but surely losing their popularity, a lot of scammers still use Walmart gift cards as rewards for the online giveaways. Believe it or not, many people fall into the trap.
The ”winners” must provide their details, which include their address, email, name, and of course, their card number to claim their prize. Does it sound safe to do so? Well, of course not, but some people are simply going blind when there’s ”a prize” waiting for them.
Be extremely cautious, especially when it comes to sharing your information with cybercriminals, because they can’t only steal your money, but also your identity. So, if it sounds too good to be true, stay away from it.
5. Walmart phishing emails
Have you ever heard about this scamming method? Shoppers can sometimes receive emails with a text saying that there’s an issue with the payment method they used for their Walmart subscription. The scammers convince shoppers that to keep their benefits active, they need to share their payment information as fast as possible by clicking on a link found at the end of the text.
Unfortunately, these emails usually use Walmart’s logo, the brand’s colors, and some email addresses that look very similar to the real ones. So, it’s very easy to get tricked. Never answer this type of message, and if you ever encounter any problem with your subscriptions or gift cards, make sure to directly contact Customer Support.
6. Scam calls
Were you ever called by a fake Walmart employee? Fraudsters use this technique to steal personal information and financial details.
In a recent reported scam, it has been shown how a fake Walmart representative tricked a victim by saying they ordered something expensive, and needed to follow some steps to cancel the order. Americans usually panic when it comes to online orders, so the victim wanted to make sure that there was no mistake and followed the fake employee’s instructions.
Unfortunately, if you press 1, the impersonator could receive access to your device and start asking for personal information. Once you give away such data, you can end up being a victim of theft and financial loss.
The Bottom Line
In 2025, there will be more and more shoppers who prefer to make their shopping online. It saves them a lot of stress and time. However, pay attention to every step, especially throughout the payment process. Unfortunately, considering how fast technology is evolving, all kinds of traps can transform a simple shipping session into a nightmare. Don’t let yourself get fooled!
Speaking of money, here’s a safe you should check out before leaving! It’s great to have it in your home, not just because it can protect your valuables in case of an unexpected situation, such as a fire or an electrical problem, but it can also encourage you to save more.
Are you looking for more finance-related content? Here’s what to read next: 8 Senior Money Mistakes Boomers Are Making in the Trump Economy
