According to the the Better Business Bureau, gift cards are considered by many to be a popular and convenient gift-giving option – especially around the holidays. According to a new study from Capital One Shopping,

You get an email saying you've won a free gift card. You might think it’s possible, given that every shop now asks for your email address and enters you into prize drawings. But it’s actually a scam.

It is the holiday shopping season and many people elect to buy gift cards, however, there are some things to remember before you buy them, or if you receive them.

As people finish their holiday shopping, the Better Business Bureau is warning others of potential scams. Carl Bates, president of the BBB’s Central and South Alabama office, said that in the past few weeks,

While gift cards are a convenient gift to give this holiday season, they can also be a target for scammers. Law enforcement agencies are warning about a scam called “card draining.” Essentially, a scammer will take the pin and card number off a gift card, and then use the information to siphon the money.

Gift card scams start with a call, text, email, or social media message. The person contacting you is, they say, from the government or a company you know. (They’re not.) They say to pay right away or something terrible will happen. (It won’t.)