And those gift card companies want to give that money back," the FTC said in its blog post. Here are steps, highlighted by the agency, that consumers should take if they suspect they have been conned.

Gift cards are more vulnerable to bad actors than some expect. There are ways that consumers can fight back against the gift card-draining scams that are out there.

Report the gift card scam to the gift card company right away. No matter how long ago the scam happened, report it. Use the How To Contact Gift Card Companies list below.

I f you plan to purchase a gift card in the near future, beware: Scammers are now using them to swipe your money. A study by ...

If you use a credit card to purchase your Starbucks drink, you might earn 1% to 2% rewards, but if you purchase a Starbucks gift card at an office supply store, you could earn 5 Chase Ultimate ...